Camera tips and advice.

[jh92]

24lb 12oz, first time using my dslr, image quality is so clean lol

[yonny]

2 minutes ago, jh92 said:

first time using my dslr, image quality is so clean lol

The fish is actually out focus - check out the tail. I think the camera has chosen your face as the focus point. Did you take the shot in auto mode? This would explain the focus issue.

What camera and lens are you using? I can give you some tips on how to set it up right.

[jh92]

6 minutes ago, yonny said:

The fish is actually out focus - check out the tail. I think the camera has chosen your face as the focus point. Did you take the shot in auto mode? This would explain the focus issue.

What camera and lens are you using? I can give you some tips on how to set it up right.

Didn't even notice that mate 🤣 I've got a nikon d5000 with a af-s nikkor 18-105mm lens

 

yeah its in auto mode mate, i don't have a clue what im doing, ive only just managed to work out how to use the intervalometer 🤦‍♂️🤣any help would be great thanks 👍

[yonny]

2 minutes ago, jh92 said:

I've got a nikon

I'm a Canon man. Let me google your camera model and I'll come back with some tips.

[yonny]

OK. First thing - get your manual out. I know how to do all of the below on a Canon, but not a Nikon. You'll likely have to go into menus to do some of this but the manual should make it clear.

So....

Change from ‘Auto’ to ‘A’ mode (aperture priority mode). This will mean you control the aperture, and the camera will do almost everything else for you.

Set your ISO to ‘auto ISO’. This means the camera will control sensitivity to light on its own.

Change your AF (auto focus) Area mode to ‘Single point AF’. This will prevent the camera from trying to focus on multiple items (your face, the trees in the background etc).

Change your Focus Point to ‘Centre point narrow zone’. This means it will focus on the centre of the shot i.e. the fish.

Zoom the lens out to 50 mm focal length - a great length for trophy shots.

Set the aperture size at the largest it will go at 50 mm focal length. The larger the aperture, the smaller the ‘f number’ – so you’ll be looking for the lowest f number you can which is probably around f4.

Make sure the centre spot on the viewfinder is on the fish and off you go. This will focus on the kipper, your face will be very slightly out of focus behind this, and behind you you’ll have a lovely blurry background.

I strongly recommend you practise all of this, and take shots with a prop like a bag or something. You obviously don't want to be playing with all of these settings with a fish on the bank.
 

[elmoputney]

1 hour ago, yonny said:

OK. First thing - get your manual out. I know how to do all of the below on a Canon, but not a Nikon. You'll likely have to go into menus to do some of this but the manual should make it clear.

So....

Change from ‘Auto’ to ‘A’ mode (aperture priority mode). This will mean you control the aperture, and the camera will do almost everything else for you.

Set your ISO to ‘auto ISO’. This means the camera will control sensitivity to light on its own.

Change your AF (auto focus) Area mode to ‘Single point AF’. This will prevent the camera from trying to focus on multiple items (your face, the trees in the background etc).

Change your Focus Point to ‘Centre point narrow zone’. This means it will focus on the centre of the shot i.e. the fish.

Zoom the lens out to 50 mm focal length - a great length for trophy shots.

Set the aperture size at the largest it will go at 50 mm focal length. The larger the aperture, the smaller the ‘f number’ – so you’ll be looking for the lowest f number you can which is probably around f4.

Make sure the centre spot on the viewfinder is on the fish and off you go. This will focus on the kipper, your face will be very slightly out of focus behind this, and behind you you’ll have a lovely blurry background.

I strongly recommend you practise all of this, and take shots with a prop like a bag or something. You obviously don't want to be playing with all of these settings with a fish on the bank.
 

I'm gonna have to digest this post, is it similar for canon lol, I'm an auto man 😳

Great post though will have a look at my camera when I get a minute. As I've not been so happy with my shots lately. 

Smashing it @jh92 cracking fish keep em coming. 

[yonny]

43 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

is it similar for canon lol,

Similar yes.

On Canon you need 'Av mode' (same as A mode on Nikon).

What Canon have you got as some stuff like Focus Point differs from older models to newer ones?

[jh92]

2 hours ago, yonny said:

OK. First thing - get your manual out. I know how to do all of the below on a Canon, but not a Nikon. You'll likely have to go into menus to do some of this but the manual should make it clear.

So....

Change from ‘Auto’ to ‘A’ mode (aperture priority mode). This will mean you control the aperture, and the camera will do almost everything else for you.

Set your ISO to ‘auto ISO’. This means the camera will control sensitivity to light on its own.

Change your AF (auto focus) Area mode to ‘Single point AF’. This will prevent the camera from trying to focus on multiple items (your face, the trees in the background etc).

Change your Focus Point to ‘Centre point narrow zone’. This means it will focus on the centre of the shot i.e. the fish.

Zoom the lens out to 50 mm focal length - a great length for trophy shots.

Set the aperture size at the largest it will go at 50 mm focal length. The larger the aperture, the smaller the ‘f number’ – so you’ll be looking for the lowest f number you can which is probably around f4.

Make sure the centre spot on the viewfinder is on the fish and off you go. This will focus on the kipper, your face will be very slightly out of focus behind this, and behind you you’ll have a lovely blurry background.

I strongly recommend you practise all of this, and take shots with a prop like a bag or something. You obviously don't want to be playing with all of these settings with a fish on the bank.
 

Wicked mate, It's took a lot of googling (don't have a manual) but got it set to your settings, I've had a little go but realised I had the single point to the bottom right instead of the middle 🤦‍♂️anyway it should be good to go, will test when it stops raining 👍

Wader shot using your settings

Happy days 🤙

[elmoputney]

58 minutes ago, yonny said:

Similar yes.

On Canon you need 'Av mode' (same as A mode on Nikon).

What Canon have you got as some stuff like Focus Point differs from older models to newer ones?

650d I think it's quite an old one now. 18-55 lens 

[yonny]

38 minutes ago, jh92 said:

 

Spot on. See how the waders pop from the blurry background. Much better mate.

For info to all, if you click on any photo on here, you get the higher quality original versus the heavily compressed version that appears on the thread.

[yonny]

15 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

650d I think it's quite an old one now. 18-55 lens 

I'll pop something up tomoz for you Elmo 👍

[elmoputney]

Just now, yonny said:

I'll pop something up tomoz for you Elmo 👍

Thanks would be very handy, I normally use an intervalometer and do self takes at the moment. 

 

[elmoputney]

47 minutes ago, jh92 said:

Wicked mate, It's took a lot of googling (don't have a manual) but got it set to your settings, I've had a little go but realised I had the single point to the bottom right instead of the middle 🤦‍♂️anyway it should be good to go, will test when it stops raining 👍

Wader shot using your settings

Happy days 🤙

Hopefully you catch a real biggun now and you can show us your new found camera skills, good luck 

[yonny]

2 hours ago, elmoputney said:

Thanks would be very handy, I normally use an intervalometer and do self takes at the moment. 

 

Yup, the above settings can be used with an intervalometer mate.

[yonny]

17 hours ago, elmoputney said:

650d I think it's quite an old one now. 18-55 lens 

OK....

Change from ‘Auto’ to ‘Av’ mode.

Set your ISO to ‘auto ISO’.

Change your AF (auto focus) Area mode to ‘Single point’.

I think on the 650D you have touch screen, so set your focus point by tapping on the screen where the fish will be in the shot. A box will appear to confirm your focus point.

Zoom the lens out to 35 mm focal length. With your lens you can have a bigger aperture at shorter focal lengths so it should be about right.

Set the aperture size at the largest it will go at 35 mm focal length. You’ll be looking for the lowest f number you can which again is probably around f4.

Make sure the focus box on the screen is on the fish. Snap away.

[salokcinnodrog]

1 hour ago, jh92 said:

I'm gonna put some pegs in the swim in a bit and have one where the tripod goes and one where the cradle will go. Should be able to keep everything pretty centered like that 👍 it's a learning curve but I'm sure I'll get there

I have a cheat, one of my banksticks which I use as a distance stick has a Gardner camera adaptor and phone bracket mount screwed into the top.

Get the unhooking mat in between the two and I'm normally at the right distance.

Add Selfie voice trigger app on the phone, and it is good to go.

[elmoputney]

27 minutes ago, salokcinnodrog said:

I have a cheat, one of my banksticks which I use as a distance stick has a Gardner camera adaptor and phone bracket mount screwed into the top.

Get the unhooking mat in between the two and I'm normally at the right distance.

Add Selfie voice trigger app on the phone, and it is good to go.

I got an app on my phone called selfer, and you can set it like an intervalometer, 

 

2 hours ago, yonny said:

OK....

Change from ‘Auto’ to ‘Av’ mode.

Set your ISO to ‘auto ISO’.

Change your AF (auto focus) Area mode to ‘Single point’.

I think on the 650D you have touch screen, so set your focus point by tapping on the screen where the fish will be in the shot. A box will appear to confirm your focus point.

Zoom the lens out to 35 mm focal length. With your lens you can have a bigger aperture at shorter focal lengths so it should be about right.

Set the aperture size at the largest it will go at 35 mm focal length. You’ll be looking for the lowest f number you can which again is probably around f4.

Make sure the focus box on the screen is on the fish. Snap away.

Thanks yonny looks great, will screenshot it so I can keep it and will get my camera out tonight and have a play. 

[kevtaylor]

On 10/09/2024 at 12:46, yonny said:

I'm a Canon man. Let me google your camera model and I'll come back with some tips.

Any camera suggestions mate? mine has packed up working completely so I've just got my phone

[jh92]

Well had a stocky brace the net so perfect excuse to use the camera

Next time I think if I lower the camera a bit it will be level with the fish bringing it into focus better 👍

@yonny thanks for your advice mate I think I'll be taking some decent shots in the future 👍

[jh92]

42 minutes ago, elmoputney said:

I got an app on my phone called selfer, and you can set it like an intervalometer, 

 

Thanks yonny looks great, will screenshot it so I can keep it and will get my camera out tonight and have a play. 

I have that app as well, I'm sure it doesn't take pictures the same as using the built in camera app, like the quality is set on max but it doesn't seem as good as the standard camera photos 🤔

[yonny]

29 minutes ago, kevtaylor said:

Any camera suggestions mate? mine has packed up working completely so I've just got my phone

What do you want to spend mate?

[yonny]

28 minutes ago, jh92 said:

Well had a stocky brace the net so perfect excuse to use the camera

Next time I think if I lower the camera a bit it will be level with the fish bringing it into focus better 👍

@yonny thanks for your advice mate I think I'll be taking some decent shots in the future 👍

You're getting there now mate. See how the whole background is blurry instead of half of it like previous pics? That means the settings are working, you just need to centralise the focus point on the fish.

[kevtaylor]

Just now, yonny said:

What do you want to spend mate?

Not silly money, knew I should have added

What have you paid - lets try that and half it lol

[kevtaylor]

5 minutes ago, yonny said:

What do you want to spend mate?

£500 any good?

[yonny]

35 minutes ago, kevtaylor said:

£500 any good?

Let me have a look and come back to you mate.