# New camera, expect alot of pics soon!



## Azaezl (15 Apr 2008)

I am so excited, after a family meetup on Sunday which my father in law brought his new camera too I was drooling over it, thinking what great pics I could take with it. He bought it months ago and that was the second time he'd used it, he always asks to lend the one I have(canon ixus 300) because he doesn't know how to use his one  He paid a good few hundred for it and never uses it, he has an even better one then that which he uses for work, which again very rarely gets used because he doesn't know how to use it. I ended up taking most of the pics on Sunday because nobody else knew how to use it!

Anyway I was dropping hint after hint about how planted tanks and good cameras go hand in hand, how annoying the old ixus camera is, esp. now the lcd screen on it doesn't always work. Well it paid off, mother in law came around after work today and she said that Mark(father in law) said I could lend the camera anytime I wanted because he hardly uses it. So she will be bringing it with her when we go to the farm on saturday, I'll take a handful of pics of my daughter(as requested by MIL) and then waste many an hour snapping the fish/plants 

I can't remember exactly which camera it is, all I can remember is that it is a Canon EOS, I think it was one of these;

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/C ... eos40d.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/C ... os400d.asp

Will just have to wait and see, I'm very excited though because the Ixus I have is ok but it will be nothing compared to the new one, I just hope evetually he will let me lend the one he uses for work as that's supposed to be very expensive and very good


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## Arana (15 Apr 2008)

Nice one!  look forward to seeing the photos


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## parsonsmj (15 Apr 2008)

both the 400d and the 40d are good cameras.  Try and use them in RAW mode. that way you will get the best from them.
I have the 40d and lots of gear, onther of my hobbies. look forward to the photos


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## George Farmer (16 Apr 2008)

Nice one, Kel.

A DSLR is the way forward.  The 400D is a nice entry level, the 40D bigger and better.

Try not to get into using full-auto mode, you may as well use a compact.

Have fun!


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## Azaezl (16 Apr 2008)

I really can't wait, I've wanted a DSLR for ages but looking at the price of getting one I thought oh but I could get all this for my tanks or setup a new one. I knew evetually I'd hint enough to lend it, I'm really curious about what the big expensive one he uses for work is(or should that be is supposed to use for work but uses the old Ixus instead).

I'm pretty sure it's the Canon 400D from looking at pics but I'm not 100% sure because my mother in law kept going on and on about how silly it was that he paid Â£850 for a camera he never uses which makes me think it's the 40D, I can't wait to get it  

Full auto mode will not be used I promise, I will fiddle with every setting until I get the best photos possible. He's thinking of getting a new camera soon(goodness knows why  ) so I'll be hinting at what a nice home his 'old' one will have at my house


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## George Farmer (16 Apr 2008)

850GBP will be a 40D.  Nice camera.  It's what my Uncle replaced his 10D with that I now use.

I use Av mode the majority of the time - aperture priority.  Set this to acheive your required depth of field (DoF) i.e. how much is in focus.  Lower f/stops gives you shallower DoF, so ideal for macros when wanting to blur backgrounds (known as Bokha) etc.  Also gives you more light (larger aperature) so faster shutter speeds, ideal for fish.  

Higher f.no gives you great DoF so more is in focus, ideal for full tank shots.  But shutter speed decreases (smaller aperature - less light to sensor), so capturing sharp images of moving fish is tricky unless you have loads of light or a flash gun etc.  Or you can use a high ISO setting up to 1600/3200 to get faster shutter speeds.  This can result in lots of 'noise' but the 40D is pretty good, even with higher ISO.    

Another technique to get faster shutter speeds is to lower the exposure compension, then boost light/contrast etc. in post-processing with Photoshop etc.

Then there's Tv - shutter priority, so you set the shutter speed you want and the camara adjusts the f/stop.  Higher ISO will then increase the f/stop, while keeping shutter speed the same.  

It's all good fun and I'm learning new stuff all the time.  The many camera mags out there are useful too.


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## Martin (16 Apr 2008)

You do realize we'll all be scrutinizing your photography skills now, aswell as your aquascaping! The main thing is have fun with both


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## Azaezl (16 Apr 2008)

Thanks for the tips George  I think I'll leave the camera mags until I'm sure I'll be having this camera long term, which is more then likely as I already said he never uses it and my mother in law hates seeing things go to waste so I think she'll talk him into letting me have it, or at least keep it here unless he needs it.

I just phoned my mother in law because it's driving me mad not knowing which one it is so she's going to find out and phone me back 

I have no skills Martin so it's fun fun fun all the way


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## Azaezl (21 Apr 2008)

Well how miffed am I! Not only did my mother in law forget to bring the camera on saturday when we went to the farm but she also told me that she couldn't bring it until this weekend because Mark(her other half) needs it for work tomorrow. Luckily I took the old ixus with me to take photos, not that my daughter was being very photogenic I do have a lovely picture of a lamb laying on it's mother's back though


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## Themuleous (21 Apr 2008)

Doh!  Oh well better late than never 

Sam


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