Canon S3 IS

[hardcz]

So I have a canon s3 is, loving it, hating the batteries it eats.... any battery packs or something other than rechargable AA's I can use? Also looks like to be able to take some of these awesome pictures I need to get a macro lens, or something better than the standard one it comes with.... any thoughts and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[JuniorMC8704]

So I have a canon s3 is, loving it, hating the batteries it eats.... any battery packs or something other than rechargable AA's I can use? Also looks like to be able to take some of these awesome pictures I need to get a macro lens, or something better than the standard one it comes with.... any thoughts and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!

You want to buy the AA size lithium ion batteries. They last WAY longer...not really designed to use alkaline batteries.

Ill look into a lens for your camera.

Your camera does have a macro setting however, which actually isnt to shabby.

 

[hardcz]

You want to buy the AA size lithium ion batteries. They last WAY longer...not really designed to use alkaline batteries.

Ill look into a lens for your camera.

Your camera does have a macro setting however, which actually isnt to shabby.

It's easier to ask then look..but I'll do both.

Can you get those batteries in rechargeable? And where do you get yours?

I've been using the macro and super macro setting, holding the manual focus to try to get some better images, and using AV.. for aperature priority I believe. haven't messed with fstop or the other settings too much, and don't photoshop anything yet. Still a neophyte with some of these settings... for sure

So I mean those pics aren't "that bad" IMO...

Though do run into issues with say this blue / pink coral..... just can't seem to grab the iridescence and awesome colors it has when looking at it.

Which is why I need Junior to come to my house and check my junk out :horse:

 

[Poseidon]

Those are pretty darn good! Remember your point and shoot is designed for "typical" lighting conditions, NOT the heavy blue light that we run in our tanks. Also trying to capture any sort of irridesence (sp?) with a camera is difficult to say the least.

Add on "lenses" are usually crap for a point and shoot, you will probably get better results from cropping in PS then you will with a diopter for the camera. You can however get a high quality magnifying glass and use 2 sided tape to stick it to the tank glass, and then shoot thru it.... Andy did that for a few shots a year ago, and I was amazed at the results he got with a CRAP, OLD point and shoot Kodak, that had only AUTO modes.

 

[saltwaternewb]

Yeah, definitely looks like you are doing a heck of a job. Nice shots.

 

[hardcz]

Yeah, definitely looks like you are doing a heck of a job. Nice shots.

ccasion5:

Thanks but I'm a newb compared to the other two who posted before us.

 

[hardcz]

Also.... seems if the item is close to the glass I have no issue getting a decent pic of it...though if it's inside the tank anything more than 5 inches or so... I get poopy pictures..... like this one...couldn't get anything good...this is supposed to be an alien eye chalice...

 

[Poseidon]

Looks lijke 2 things happened in that last pic.

1) you are outside of the camera's MACRO mode, but inside the minimum focus distance.
2) you moved.

I can't confirm from here at work, but I bet you had a slow shutter speed, and even the slightest motion will cause some blurring.

 

[hardcz]

was probably movement... was holding it by hand against the glass

 

[Poseidon]

was probably movement... was holding it by hand against the glass

That is what it looks like to me. You can get a cheapy tripod, or a table, or even a stack of books, and it will help with that. Another trick I use is the 2 second self timer, that way any motion caused by me pushing the shutter button doesn't show up in the pictures.

 

[hardcz]

I have a tripod...though still have issues with corals that are in the tank deeper not being as clear as the closer ones.

 

[Poseidon]

That is what I meant by #1, you will have to take the camera out of macro mode for anything farther out then say... 5"?

Then you can use the optical part of the zoom to close the distance some, and the post process to touch up....