I don't even bother with AF. It's not the speed of focusing it's just there's too much to focus on and 9 times out of 10 it grabs the wrong subject (like, say, a spot of salt creep on the glass that I *thought* I had cleaned up 5 minutes prior, but turns out I didn't :neutral:)

Wow, ISO 6400. :eek:

Didn't notice at first the stuff you edited in, so I'll edit in my responses. :p

The f/5 was my attempt to bump up the aperture in an attempt to widen the DOF. The wide open aperture gives a razor thin DOF which means the focus has to be 100.0% perfect not just 99.9% and .. well the odds of that are nil.

I am already standing back 2 or 3 feet, otherwise I would just be posting pictures of their eyes.

And Picasa is what I'm using. Because it's free. Which is about my budget. :lol: I don't really like it very much. I had a package on my old PC but the motherboard is fried so I can't get at it. Forget what it was offhand but it was like a mini-photoshop. I should remember what it was because although it wasn't free it wasn't expensive either, so I could maybe just buy it again or something.

Thanks for the tips. Lots-o-stuff to learn here..

Do you use all of your focus points ?? If so, try using just the centre focus point :-)

K.

edit: I have some spare cycles this weekend, just let me know. I can come over and we can play with your gear.. er.. I mean, perform important experiments with your (and maybe my) equipment.. er.. I mean.. oh nevermind! You know what I mean.

That would be awesome!! I've never tried playing around with different focal points. I'll have to see what I can do about that then.

I thought I might try taking some photos with one of the regular (ie non macro) lenses and see how it goes but I think the minimum focus distance is kinda huge in comparison... Seems kind of defeating if you have to stand 6 feet back? Also it's not even in option to stand that far back where I have the tank. :(

But if you stand back you get the photo in focus and you can then crop it afterwards? Thats what I do anyways. Either that or take photos at night with the room lights off, the fish don't seem to be as bothered with me hovering hear the glass.

Just trying out some of your tips, thanks guys. Although that said, only 2 made it past the cull tonight, most of them I missed the focus. And wouldn't you know it the one good tang shot was right when he swam in front of the dirtiest patch of glass. :redface: But it's the only shot I've managed so far out of easily one hundred where you can see the little yellow pencil line markings.

Also the trigger seems oversaturated somehow, he's not quite THAT blue. I should mention he's only blue like this when he's anticipating food; otherwise he's green. I don't know if it's a mood thing changing the colour or just a trick of the way the light hits him (ie., maybe because he's out in front he looks blue but if further back in the tank the angle is different and thus green?).

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC_0016.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC_0023.jpg

Those pics are great Tony! That trigger looks awesome!

Just messing around with a camera tonight, there were a couple keepers.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_0026.jpg

Check out the girth of the lavender .. I think he approves of the autofeeder.
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_0027.jpg

That's the best shot I have of him tonight. He's a fast little bugger and impossible to photograph. You can tell they are from the surf zone. Also as soon as he realized I had a camera he made himself scarce. As soon as I put it away he was out again and up at the glass, taunting me. "Hey, what's up? Aren't I pretty? You need a photo of me to show other people how pretty I am." I'm pretty sure it was the camera actually that had him spooked. People he's more or less associated with food so is generally pretty friendly otherwise.

I'm amazed at how much this guy can change colours. At times he (she?) can be as blue as a tropical cloudless sky.. Ok, you can't see it HERE in this particular photo, just use your imagination OK? Sheesh.

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_0028.jpg

Doesn't really fit in the theme of this thread but too lazy to post it somewhere else..
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_0032.jpg

And, hmm ok I guess I did manage a second sorta-passable shot of the lavender. I love how his caudal fin is becoming swallow-tail-ish-esque..
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/IMG_0034.jpg

Thanks for looking..

wow, those guys are nice! If only I wasn't already overstocked.. :redface: :lol:

Hey I would love to come over to, I can bring my Canon 30D over, with all my other gear. We can probably get some neat pic's

Anytime! Would be a great way to share tips and stuff.

Some more pics, just playin' around tonight..

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC_0009.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC_0007.jpg

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC_0006.jpg

And, ok, this guy isn't one of the new kids but he posed so nicely I had to oblige and take a picture. :) Still looking for a buddy for him ..
http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...s/DSC_0003.jpg