Photo's with My Nikon D200. Comments and critiques please!!!!

[stratusfearrr]

So, i recently purchased a Nikon D200 camera with an 18-135mm lens. It is used but in GREAT shape, with barely 21000 actuations. So im starting this thread to show everyone the photo's im taking with it. Im looking for any critiques, comments, likes, dislikes, etc.

FEEDBACK PLEASE.

[Rallysman]

Off to a good start for just getting it, but the shots are a bit dark. If you can't add more light see if you can jack the ISO to 800 (more if it's not too noisy) and open the lens as far as you can (lowest F number).

[rich311k]

Nice first pictures! Great angels.

[stratusfearrr]

rich, since your photo's are always amazing, how do you do it? why flash set-up do you use?

[Jaykit]

Looking good, I would say a bit dark as well, but way better than I could ever do.

[rich311k]

rich, since your photo's are always amazing, how do you do it? why flash set-up do you use?

I put two flashes over the tank on a piece of Plexiglas and I use one pointing towards the tank for fill at 1/2 power. i usually do something like F12-F22 and a shutter of 1/180.

[stratusfearrr]

are these wireless flashes? would they be expensive for my camera?

[rich311k]

Yes they are wireless. You camera will support wireless flashes but the Nikon speedlights are not cheap.

[Rallysman]

You can use manual slave flashes that will be triggered by your on board flash. All of the light adjustment would have to be done in your camera but that's half of the fun IMO. Here is a very inexpensive slave flash that could do the trick http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/90678-REG/Medalight_PG20M_Master_Slave_120V_.html(There (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/90678-REG/Medalight_PG20M_Master_Slave_120V_.html%28There) are ways to keep your main flash from reflecting off of the glass while triggering other flashes).

I use 1 SB600 diffused by a big styrofoam box. The SB600 is manually controlled and triggered via a hot shoe cord from my D50. I know you didn't ask me but I want to throw my 2 cents in anyway lol. Here's an example of 1 flash diffused with styro.

http://uglygreencouch.net/pics/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=2193

[stratusfearrr]

thanks! i want all the '2 cents' i can get!

[saram521]

Your angel is so pretty, such nice coloration for a marble!

[jm1212]

to be honest, the best thing you can do right now is keep playing around with the camera until you find a setting that works for your tank and fish

[Big Mike]

Ya a little dark,but still very sharp pics.

[stratusfearrr]

well i was messing around with shutter speeds, and with the lighting that is on my tank, it comes out dark. The lowest shutter speed i can go so far is around 1/50. I will mess around with the iso and see if that will brighten it up.

[Rallysman]

Higher ISO will increase the sensitivity to light which will make it brighter. The sacrifice is increased noise. You have to find a happy medium.

[stratusfearrr]

Gourami Picture= shutter 1/25, aperture 5.6, iso 400

Angel= Shutter 1/50, aperture 5.6, iso 800

[coach_z]

very nice shots. you need to clean your glass better IMHO.

[stratusfearrr]

very nice shots. you need to clean your glass better IMHO.


i WOULD clean the glass, but my glass cleaning magnet is sitting in a breeding net, covered in angelfish eggs. :) So once the fall off of it, ill clean the glass and take more pictures. Thats the only reason that the glass is messy right now.

[stratusfearrr]

and if a mod could change my spelling in the thread title from "crituques to critiques" please. I accidentally mispelled it and feel stupid. THANK YOU

[Rallysman]

Looks like you're going to have to add more light to get vibrant shots. Not an uncommon issue. They still look good, but you'll benefit from more light (either from a flash or more fixtures).

[MadAboutCichlid]

Yep you're off to a good start.


Love the rummynose:drool: I got the less colorful variety.

[Rbishop]

A nice first try! (got your title fixed)

[Reefscape]

Off to a good start for just getting it, but the shots are a bit dark. If you can't add more light see if you can jack the ISO to 800 (more if it's not too noisy) and open the lens as far as you can (lowest F number).


Thats actually helped me on an issue with my camera...thanks Rallys..


Great shots by the way...

[coach_z]

i used to think 'bigger the better' when i set my iso to like 1600 on my camera and could never figure out why all my pictures looked like they were drawn in sand....

increase the lighting on top of your tank so you can take a picture with a wide aperture and fast shutter to stop motion and still be bright enough...get a standard shop light if you need to and cant afford a flash...

[stratusfearrr]

Yes, iknow the glass needs to be cleaned. it will for the next set of pictures.

[rich311k]

Very nice. Good focus, nice and crisp.

[Sounguru]

Maybe this will help as long as it stays up online... I need to pay for my site again and I haven't decided if I'm going to or not....

Photoprimer (http://www.stopactionphoto.net/Photoprimer.html)

[jpappy789]

Looking good!

[Rbishop]

Terrific!

[Slappy*McFish]

I like it dark like that. Looks tranquil/serene.

[JamieB]

Awsome photo's can I borrow that camera for 2 days!:worthy:

[stratusfearrr]

well i just snapped about 130 photo's of my fish, so ill upload them after dinner. I set up my lights and all that, so these might be better than the darker ones.

And slappy*mcfish, thats what i was going for. The slightly dark photo's are meant to be tranquil. Atleast i hope they are

[mel_20_20]

Really nice pics!

[stratusfearrr]

Bumble Bee Goby Picture:
F--5.6
ISO--1000
Focal Length--125mm
Shutter Speed--1/80

Gourami Picture:
F--5.6
ISO--1000
Focal Length--125
Shutter Speed--1/80

Rummy Nose Tetra Picture:
F--5.6
ISO--1000
Focal Length--135mm
Shutter Speed--1/80

[stratusfearrr]

anyone..?

[bigwave]

The do all look very nice. Personally I would increase the ambient light if possible, and turn the ISO down to a lower level, and see if you notice any difference. Especially when zoomed in.

The gourami picture is my favorite of the latest 3. Very clear!

The bumble-bee goby would be cool if it was larger, either from cropping, zooming or just getting it closer to the lens.

I read the whole thread today, and you are certainly getting better, comparing these three pictures to your first ones.

[theicequeen]

nice pics!

[Hollygirl]

Beautiful!

[stratusfearrr]

This is taken with a different lighting and flash set-up.

Critiques?

[Sounguru]

Now you are starting to nail it with a little editing that one will be a winner.

[bigwave]

That last one is great. I love how you can see the blue highlights in the dorsal fin. Probably impossible to really capture those with a point and shoot.

[coach_z]

in the last set of pictures try to zoom out and get closer to the tank...(i am assuming you have a standard lense that does not givea constant aperture through out your focal range)...you will be able to open up your aperture further to let in more light and stay at the same shutter speed. It will brighten your pictures and change your depth of field a bit.

[stratusfearrr]

i am planning on gettin a nikkor 60mm micro lens within the next month or two. So that way i can get closer.

And yes bigwave, my point and shoot pictures vs the ones im taking with my dslr, there is no comparison. The p&s ones looks terrible in comparison.