Help with photos needed

[d2mini]

What the hell, man!? :frustrat:
I can't seem to take any photos of anything in my tank unless i am shooting perpendicular to the glass. If I try to shoot at an angle, like 45 degrees from above as if you were trying to shoot a coral, the lens will not focus. Not manually, not automatic. It's as if I was shooting too close, but I know I'm not, especially with my macro lens. As i turn the focus ring the subject starts to come in to focus but before it does it starts going out of focus again. If I lower the camera so it's level, then things are sharp.

Now let me say, I have quite a bit of photography experience. I even make a nice chunk of change per year doing freelance. And i have thousands in equipment. So you can probably understand my frustration! I'm guessing that it has something to do with the makeup of the glass. It's an Oceanic tank. But i see a lot of nice, clear pics here that look like they are shot from various angles. I just don't get it. :grumble:

Can anyone shed some light on this??? Anyone else have the same experience?

 

[yote]

Not to be an a$$,but I'm glad theres a professional thats having trouble taking pics:Cheers:Makes me not feel so bad:frustrat:

 

[d2mini]

It's all good, Yote. Strength in numbers.

 

[Bifferwine]

Have you seen any of my pictures? I am the last person to give photography advice (well, except for Yote).

 

[Picasso]

Hi, I think I can help you with this, tell me about your camera and the conditions of your shot. Are you using a tripod? What kind of lens? What is your f-stop? Off the top of my head I would say your depth of field is too short for the shot you want in focus. Are you using a spot? Do you have adequate lighting? Maybe you can rig a snoot on a flashlight to give you the proper exposure? Is your tank a bow front or straight glass? Is this a digital camera, do you have your ISO/ASA set really high? What is your lighting setting? Post some shots and I can trouble shoot them for you.

Catherine
www.catherinethereefkeeper.blogspot.com

 

[d2mini]

No additional lighting. Handheld.
I've come to the conclusion it's optics.
It has nothing to do with shutter speed or aperture.
I can see it through the viewfinder. Don't even need to look at the pics to know they will be out of focus. It's impossible to focus at an angle, yet lower the camera so it's perpendicular to the glass and i can focus. Distance doesn't matter either.
I use a Nikon D700 with various lenses and I also have a Ricoh GX-100. Same results.
It has to be an issue with the optics of the aquarium glass vs the optics of the lens glass. It's the only thing I can think of. It's a bow front tank.

 

[Picasso]

Do you have this focusing problem if you are shooting through the side of your tank? Or only when you shoot through the bow front? I got my camera out and tried to simulate the problem you mention. I have a bow front tank. There were a couple of times when shooting through the front that I could not get a focus. If I changed my aperture setting I could get the focus. I had no problems at all shooting through the flat glass on the sides. My auto focus is useless shooting a tank. Also, if I used my averaging meter I had more problems than if I used my spot meter. My husband is a physicist. I'll ask him about the optics and what to do about it. Good luck! Happy shooting.

Catherine

 

[d2mini]

Thanks, picasso!
I'll do more messing around with the aperture settings. Maybe there is some physics or optics reason that will allow certain apertures to focus better? Lets hope so.
I tried shooting through the side a little and I think it was easier but I need to experiment more.
And yeah, i was trying manual and auto focus and both behaved the same.

 

[Altohombre]

It is a bowfront which may make the pictures distort some. I have the same tank, but alas no camera to take pictures, but I can see how if you took the picture from an angel it may make it difficult.