Re: Photographing fish and aquariums?

[Erik Olson <eriko@wrq.com>]

On Fri, 15 May 1998, Dave Gomberg wrote:

> At 05:22 PM 5/15/1998 -0400, you wrote:
> >My only
> >other recommendation is that you can buy 55-65mm macro lenses used for as
> >much as the close up attachments and get much better results.
> 
> If you use such a short lens you will need to get the camera into the tank
> with the fish.  I had a 135 and it was barely long enough, I would not get
> a 105 unless I was planning to restrict myself to big cichlids.  A 200 (and
> Nikon makes a nice 200 macro) is a great choice.  Bring money.

Sorry, gotta disagree with Dave on this one.  I have a pentax 100mm macro
(1:4), and it's just about perfect for apistos at its closest setting. 
With some of the larger species (such as our A. cruzi male), I have to
back it off from 1:4 to about 1:6, and at that point, I'm starting to
stand too far back from the tank to hold the flash in my other hand.  For
big cichlids, I end up going back to the 55mm with no closeup lenses on
it.  When I first got the lens, I found it's f/4.5 "full open" setting to
be just a bit dark for my taste, though I've learned to adapt to it. 
Granted, I'm not using extension tubes here, but still...

    - Erik

- ---
Erik Olson				
eriko at wrq.com