Digital Camera Advice

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:33 pm

I finally cracked the code! It does have a manual focus. It now appears to have full manual settings so I can set the aperature, speed, and focus as well as zoom. I got a sharp picture of one of my bamboo shrimp, so maybe I can get better with practice.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 9:37 am

OK, here is my best effort so far, very artistic: Mother & Child sort of thing:

I'm hoping I can get this thing to lock the screen so manual focus stays up. The screen keeps going back to manual aperature and exposure and I have to keep wading through the menue to get back to manual focus.

Caridina sp. · Post by **Caridina sp.** » Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:00 pm

Nice shot badflash it should be submitted to the art institute

Photography is not a easy thing to learn overnight thats why professionals go to school for it. That camera has tons of advanced features compared to normal point and shoot but I'm sure in a few weeks you'll have it mastered. I am ordering the exact same model so you'll have to give me some pointers.. I can't wait to tinker with a new toy.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Mon Feb 27, 2006 3:00 am

Learn to curse in 3 languages, I did and I don't even know what they are!

The hardest part if finding out how to set the manual focus. It is burried pretty far down on a side menu.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:30 pm

This camera certainly has unexplored features. Once I figure out the digital zoom I think the world will unfold before me!

Just to be totally evil. I shot this sequence of pictures in about 10 minutes. I used PSP to crop the pictures and adjust the brightness and contrast to match what I saw in another 30 minutes. Unbelievable. I'm an engineer, not an artist.
As Will Smith said in Independance Day "I gotta get me one of these!"

Caridina sp. · Post by **Caridina sp.** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 9:36 pm

The second photo is breathtaking man, each strand of moss is visable and the old shell is cristal clear.. Very nice!

demented_lullaby · Post by **demented_lullaby** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:33 am

I love the pic with the shrimp molt. Awesome!!!!! Has this site ever thought about a picture of the month contest? I think it would be fun. Shrimp are some of the most interesting creatures to capture on film IMO.

congrats on the camera!

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:08 am

WooHoo

This is a great new section! Please send in you suggestions of cameras you would recommend. Please remember that some of us, including myself are on a budget and can't spend a great deal of money on the camera. However, I would really like to buy one soon and join in the photo fun!

Thanks.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 4:45 pm

The Olympus SP-500UZ works OK, but has some real anoyances and limitations. The macro feature seems to be an afterthought, and auto focus doesn't work through the glass. It also has poor low-light capability. The zoom-macro doesn't work at all for close work.

Manual focus is a true pain. Each time you want to use manual focus you must select it from the menu. A postage stamp focus window pops up but only stays while you are focusing. As soon as you stop it goes away and for tiny subjects that move a bit, you get loads of fuzzy pictures. If you move the F stop up high enough to get proper depth of field, the image is too dark or the shutter speed to slow to get a good picture. Trying to use a tripod with macro work just does not work for me.

I've taken a lot of really good pics with this thing, but if I had it to do over I'd go to a shop and try the camera out & bring some critters with me. I'd also invest in some good photo lights. I may still do that.

My dream digitial camera would be full manual with direct controls of everything so I could adjust stuff easily as I need too and not go through a bunch of menus.

milalic · Post by **milalic** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:26 pm

I have A sony DSW-7. Decent, but have to take many shots. Sometimes I wonder if it is me.

-Pedro

Newjohn · Post by **Newjohn** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:29 pm

My Sister-in-law has one of those High-tech cameras.
I am trying to get her, to let me use it.
It take the greatest close up pictures.

But, it set her back, $1600.00.

That is alot of tanks and Shrimp/Crayfish/ filters / heaters / lights,
and still a little cash in your wallet.

John

FISH WORLD ERIE · Post by **FISH WORLD ERIE** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:53 pm

My brother has one of those expensive camera's also. It cost him like $1200.00. I am still working on him to let me use it. Maybe someday and then I will post pics with it.

Ecir · Post by **Ecir** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:38 pm

FISH WORLD ERIE wrote:My brother has one of those expensive camera's also. It cost him like $1200.00. I am still working on him to let me use it. Maybe someday and then I will post pics with it.

If he's spent 1200$ on a camera he might be a bit of a photo buff and willing to snap some fancy photos for you? My GF has an expensive digi and is more then willing to take pictures for me then have me mess with her precious settings

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 3:38 pm

RESguy, you say you have an Olympus UZ-510. How does this differ from my 500UZ? What agravates me to no end with my camera is that you can't get it to stay on the "focus" mode except as you are changing the distance, and I've found no way to keep it on manual focus except going through the menu every time. The f8.0 is also a big limit and it only has a 400 speed film sensitivity.

I see your camera is now down to what I paid for mine.