top down shots

mps9506 · 10-20-2004, 03:23 PM

Does anyone have tips for top down reef shots?
I have a makeshift "box" I use for my shots.
Main questions are:
How do you deal with glare?
How do you stabilize the camera long enough to get a nice sharp shot?
I can't think of anything else to ask at the moment.
Here are some shots I just snapped, and I think they would be much sharper if I could hold a camera steady, I did use the timer though.

The glare was pretty bad in the second shot also.

TIA.
Mike

Travis · 10-20-2004, 06:22 PM

Melev makes an awesome top-down box. I’m using the first-generation one, it gets around glare because the bottom of the box (the part the lens shoots through) is submerged below the surface, where the glare is.

It also has a lip on it, which hooks onto the tank. That helps stabilize for the shot, as does the upward pressure of the water trying to push the box out of the water. The resistance tends to help stabilize.

Finally, there’s always ramping up your shutter speed.

mps9506 · 10-20-2004, 07:05 PM

Sounds good. Right now I'm using a little "kritter keeper" acrylic box to shoot through. I was still getting a little glare because I have a fear of sticking my camera below the water surface

The box is submerged but the light still reflects off the plastic. Guess I need to suck it up and stick the camera in there.
Maybe I should just buy the underwater housing

thx

Travis · 10-20-2004, 10:21 PM

Marc sells them pretty cheap, $25-30 IIRC and worth every penny if you have SPS. And I know you do....

mps9506 · 10-21-2004, 10:31 AM

hmmm, sounds good to me.

UnderWaterParadise · 10-22-2004, 04:28 PM

If you ever frag that top pic I would love a piece. Is it some typr of Favia??

mps9506 · 10-23-2004, 09:40 AM

I've honestly never fraged an lps other than branching varieties of euphillia (I didn't even attempt to spell that correctly, I just woke up, and only went to bed 3 hours ago), and calustrea.
Right now it is almost perfectly round and has some gorwth coming out even with the bottom glass of the aquarium.
As soon as I get the cajones to bust out the chisel and hammer I'll let ya know

Oh yeah, and it is a favia, the white stripes on it are why I purchased it. Everyone thinks it is where the skeleton is poking out, but the flesh actually has little white stripes around the curcumfrence. The newer polyps don't have as developed looking stripes. When I bought it, there was a lot of silver/grey in the flesh also, I think my halides wash out a lot of that color and make it look more brown.
Mike

Melev · 11-02-2004, 12:17 AM

Hi Mike, here's the page with the box and a few images Travis took while the pumps were running.

http://www.melevsreef.com/topdown.html

mps9506 · 11-02-2004, 06:44 PM

ahhh, that appears much better than what I was using.... I might be emailing you with order inquiries later in the month, assuming post thanksgiving sales do well in my store

I think the black sides and boot are the key.
Do you think the box would work fine with a digital point and shoot camera like my canon A75?
Mike

10-20-2004, 03:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,436 View Gallery Karma Komment	top down shots Does anyone have tips for top down reef shots? I have a makeshift "box" I use for my shots. Main questions are: How do you deal with glare? How do you stabilize the camera long enough to get a nice sharp shot? I can't think of anything else to ask at the moment. Here are some shots I just snapped, and I think they would be much sharper if I could hold a camera steady, I did use the timer though. The glare was pretty bad in the second shot also. TIA. Mike __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

10-20-2004, 06:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Travis Smilie Bartender Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 6,657 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Melev makes an awesome top-down box. I’m using the first-generation one, it gets around glare because the bottom of the box (the part the lens shoots through) is submerged below the surface, where the glare is. It also has a lip on it, which hooks onto the tank. That helps stabilize for the shot, as does the upward pressure of the water trying to push the box out of the water. The resistance tends to help stabilize. Finally, there’s always ramping up your shutter speed. __________________ Help build the Encyclopedia of ReefKeeping Find over 1400 Reef Aquarium Articles at The Reef Aquarium Index

10-20-2004, 07:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,436 View Gallery Karma Komment	Sounds good. Right now I'm using a little "kritter keeper" acrylic box to shoot through. I was still getting a little glare because I have a fear of sticking my camera below the water surface The box is submerged but the light still reflects off the plastic. Guess I need to suck it up and stick the camera in there. Maybe I should just buy the underwater housing thx __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

10-20-2004, 10:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Travis Smilie Bartender Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 6,657 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Marc sells them pretty cheap, $25-30 IIRC and worth every penny if you have SPS. And I know you do.... __________________ Help build the Encyclopedia of ReefKeeping Find over 1400 Reef Aquarium Articles at The Reef Aquarium Index

10-21-2004, 10:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,436 View Gallery Karma Komment	hmmm, sounds good to me. __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

10-22-2004, 04:28 PM	#6 (permalink)
UnderWaterParadise my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Olivehurst, Cali. Posts: 420 View Gallery Karma Komment	If you ever frag that top pic I would love a piece. Is it some typr of Favia?? __________________ AQUARIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS 135 REEF and jusreefin

10-23-2004, 09:40 AM	#7 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,436 View Gallery Karma Komment	I've honestly never fraged an lps other than branching varieties of euphillia (I didn't even attempt to spell that correctly, I just woke up, and only went to bed 3 hours ago), and calustrea. Right now it is almost perfectly round and has some gorwth coming out even with the bottom glass of the aquarium. As soon as I get the cajones to bust out the chisel and hammer I'll let ya know Oh yeah, and it is a favia, the white stripes on it are why I purchased it. Everyone thinks it is where the skeleton is poking out, but the flesh actually has little white stripes around the curcumfrence. The newer polyps don't have as developed looking stripes. When I bought it, there was a lot of silver/grey in the flesh also, I think my halides wash out a lot of that color and make it look more brown. Mike __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

11-02-2004, 12:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
Melev Pistol Shrimp Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 249 View Gallery Karma Komment	Hi Mike, here's the page with the box and a few images Travis took while the pumps were running. http://www.melevsreef.com/topdown.html __________________ Visit Melev's Reef 280g Starfire reef with all the essential equipment.

11-02-2004, 06:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
mps9506 They misunderestimated me Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,436 View Gallery Karma Komment	ahhh, that appears much better than what I was using.... I might be emailing you with order inquiries later in the month, assuming post thanksgiving sales do well in my store I think the black sides and boot are the key. Do you think the box would work fine with a digital point and shoot camera like my canon A75? Mike __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

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