Video Tips

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WendyFish

Members
I have found the club tips on fish still pics absolutely invaluable and, really, pretty easy. Mike's talk some time ago and the workshop created a set of actionable takeaways that I feel got me into the game pretty quickly. I love taking photos of my fish and never look back.

A couple times now I have tried to take my DSLR and make a video, cause I see people post videos and this that would be fun. ;)

The ones I have tried are terrible. The first time I tried one, I made a bunch of newbie mistakes, like having lights on in the room so I got reflections on the tank, etc.

Another thing that went wrong initially was exposure levels. I have since figured out how to set that to manual although I have not yet worked out a good approach using just the viewfinder to know it's right. On the LCD it will look ok but when I get to computer I don't like the exposure. Any suggestions on getting this right before you take some cool vids back to the big screen and hate them?

Much more importantly, I find the focus is well off. I am using the camera auto focus and not sure how the manual setting would work since you focus on single areas. I thought it might be my crap kit lens (which, after trying the much more expensive equivalent I concluded I was perfectly fine with for stills, but maybe video is different) and used my big girl macro lens. The nicer lens gave a slight improvement but it still wasn't acceptable.

The way the combo of those two things manifests is kind of a halo around the fish as they move around. The tank I'm trying to video is very brightly lit, so that may be causing me more challenge. Even trying to take a still full tank shot, I am having trouble balancing the light and dark areas, so it may be that I am starting with a very hard task.

I tried the fully automatic way and it looks bad. I tried getting deeper into the settings and it's no better. Am I overthinking this, or are there some good cardinal video rules anyone can share with me?

Maybe to complicate the equation among a lot of Nikon users, I'm shooting a Canon t2i. I've been using a tripod for video with manual exposure control. Have played with both manual and auto focusing.

I'll post a sample in a sec, will find something to upload for an example of what I'm struggling with. Maybe that will help.
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
I wonder if there's enough interest to have another aquarium photography workshop. I didn't have a DSLR when the last one was offered, but now that I do...I need help!
 
JasonC

JasonC

Members
I didnt see too much wrong with the video posted... surely there is *much* worse out there.

Few items directly to your questions... focus... I could see what you were saying about focus being off... though I am not sure how much of what I saw was focus issues, and how much was low-res video issues. That being said, you may be able to help some of your focus problems by increasing your depth of field... try manually setting your aperture to (potentially significantly) higher f-numbers... maybe in the f/11+ range? This would allow an increasingly deeper area to be in focus at a given time. Also, not sure how your camera is, but I know I have issues with my auto focus wanting to focus on the glass rather than the inside of the tank.

Re light... video is fussy... even professional grade video cameras do not especially like high levels of contrast. With bright lighting from the top, you are creating strongly lit top surfaces, and dark undersides. Even though this may not look so drastic to the naked eye, or for that matter in a still picture, the video side of your camera may not likey so much. Maybe try some sort of fill light. Not sure what though... maybe lights shining in from the sides of the tank, or I would be willing to bet even some white cardstock taped to the sides would help ease this.

Let us know what you try!

And to agree with previous posts, I would totally like to see someone come in to run a workshop on photography and video for tanks... and I do stress "workshop"... don't think that this is something easily learned watching a powerpoint...
 
scientist0724

scientist0724

Members
chriscoli said:
I wonder if there's enough interest to have another aquarium photography workshop. I didn't have a DSLR when the last one was offered, but now that I do...I need help!
Click to expand...

Don't forget Christine, that in April, GWAPA will have Jason Biliban coming to talk to the club about photography. He's really good and has some amazing photos that are used internationally.

Arlene
 
W

WendyFish

Members
Jason -- Thanks! I will mess around. I took a vid in my troph tank this week that was definitely better for lighting. I think that is a lot of the challenge

Just to offer... if people want to do another photo workshop, along similar lines as Francine (like 10-12 ppl), I am happy to host it. My condo and tanks can handle that number. :) And I love the photos!

I have big and small tanks to take pics of, and I run Photoshop CS5 if we want to spend a few minutes talking about retouching.

I'm certainly no expert but if we get a good mix of new and experienced people who want to spend an afternoon in NoVA, I'm game to provide the venue.
 
AquaStudent

AquaStudent

CCA Members
Photography and fishkeeping go well together. I need to remember to chat up some people about it at the BBQ (if I'm in town).

I know it's few months old but a workshop would be fun! I've only taught myself by trial and error and have a lot to learn. I'd love to hear about other people's strategies and techniques.

As for video I generally don't use my DSLR when videotaping my tank. I have a little PAS, Flip, or Ipod touch but I think that's more for convineance. The PAS is a Sony Cybershot from quite a few years ago but I think that camera has the best focus, picture, and exposure of the three. The Ipod touch usually overexposes the video (or the contrast is off like it was said above) because the colors of the fish are usually drowned out. The Flip has trouble focusing close in.

The DSLR works nicely but because of it's size and weight and focusing troubles you really need a tripod and the fish's cooperation.
 
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