top down pictures

codydemmel4 · 09/13/2017, 08:24 AM

What do you guys recommend buying or using to take top down pictures of my corals?

I will be using my iphone with a gel filter, but I need something to actually break all the water tension to get a clean photo.

Wondering what DIY stuff you guys have came up with or what do you guys recommend.

Usernam Invalid · 09/13/2017, 10:06 AM

I use the sea side aquatics coral viewer can just lay the iPhone right on it. careful not to tip it and fill with water when phone is in it. Or if handy can glue some scarp pieces of acrylic together and make a box

These were taken with the viewer and iPhone

codydemmel4 · 09/13/2017, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Usernam Invalid

I use the sea side aquatics coral viewer can just lay the iPhone right on it. careful not to tip it and fill with water when phone is in it. Or if handy can glue some scarp pieces of acrylic together and make a box

These were taken with the viewer and iPhone

Nice!

Do you use an orange filter or do you just take the pictures and then edit it on the phone? What app do you use?

Usernam Invalid · 09/13/2017, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codydemmel4

Nice!

Do you use an orange filter or do you just take the pictures and then edit it on the phone? What app do you use?

Use to use the gel filters but they got all scratched up making everything blurry. Just take right off the phone and use SnapSeed for pic edit

jda · 09/13/2017, 03:24 PM

I use a top-down viewer too. I just bought an Avast Portal for a longer lens.

I use a 5d and 24-70F2.8 with the white balance set to about 14K... no need for filters, but not everybody has one of these.

If you turn off all of your pumps, then the top will get really stable and you can do it that way too... but the lights will reflect a bit.

slavetonet · 09/13/2017, 04:37 PM

I use the sea side aquatics coral viewer with my Samsung S7 edge.
My lighting is 10,000 kelvin temperature and it is very white.
I don't need to adjust anything in software after taking my photos.

My camera setting are:
white balance - 10,000k
ISO - 50
Zoom - 1.0x to 3.0x max

sparker1663 · 09/13/2017, 06:38 PM

Tried DIY, didn't like the results. Ended up getting a long term loan of an avast port hole for my DSLR. I like the results much more:

Sam

reefmutt · 09/13/2017, 07:04 PM

cody, what's your lighting again?
If the iPhone is your main camera, a big enough viewing box to rest it flat in, would be perfect. This is what I do when using my iPhone to do videos..
A gel helps give better colour rendition... or change out a blue bulb for a pink one - or two and you may not even need a gel filter..
I do know of two reefers who have just used the clear plastic top of a ferrer roche chocolate box.. works quite well, and cheap and easy... and yummy..

codydemmel4 · 09/13/2017, 09:40 PM

Thanks everyone!

I went DIY tonight and made a box so we will see how it works tomorrow, I will post some pictures in here tomorrow hopefully if I have time. My DIY only cost $8 from Home depot because I already had the silicon so we will see how it comes out tomorrow.

Matt I have 8x80 sunpower and 2 reefbrites. I have gel filters so we will see how they do tomorrow with the box

Pife · 09/14/2017, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by codydemmel4

Thanks everyone!

I went DIY tonight and made a box so we will see how it works tomorrow, I will post some pictures in here tomorrow hopefully if I have time. My DIY only cost $8 from Home depot because I already had the silicon so we will see how it comes out tomorrow.

Matt I have 8x80 sunpower and 2 reefbrites. I have gel filters so we will see how they do tomorrow with the box

Good luck. Silicone doesn't stick to acrylic very good.

codydemmel4 · 09/14/2017, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pife

Good luck. Silicone doesn't stick to acrylic very good.

Yup I realized this and dont feel that comfortable putting my phone in what I made but it is still great to view from the top down as it floats.

I think I am going to go back to Home Depot and get the same thing made in glass, but also glue some corks on everything side so it floats too. Or do you guys have a better idea of something to glue on the side to make it float?

codydemmel4 · 09/14/2017, 11:22 AM

This one was a brown frag I got and is turning very very nice. It starting to get rainbow colors, honestly even looks better in person then it does in this picture.

Still horrible at capturing their colors but at least I got some top downs. This was with an orange filter with just the reefbrites.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

sparker1663 · 09/14/2017, 04:54 PM

yeah phone camera's won't like LED's much, try just the t5 and none of the reefbrite strips

Pife · 09/14/2017, 08:08 PM

Here is the one I use.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

reefmutt · 09/15/2017, 12:03 PM

If you want better results, try swapping two or 3 blue plus with coral plus.
And yes, I agree the blue LEDs will definitely throw things off.
iPhone camera is very sensitive to blue so even when it looks pink to your eye, the phone pulls out a lot of blue and violet.
That colored up brown frag looks amazing!

09/13/2017, 08:24 AM	#1
codydemmel4 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Center Valley PA Posts: 1,479	top down pictures What do you guys recommend buying or using to take top down pictures of my corals? I will be using my iphone with a gel filter, but I need something to actually break all the water tension to get a clean photo. Wondering what DIY stuff you guys have came up with or what do you guys recommend. __________________ -Cody SPS Dominant 180 gallon. Link to my tank: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2618245

09/13/2017, 10:06 AM	#2
Usernam Invalid Moved On Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,130	top down pictures I use the sea side aquatics coral viewer can just lay the iPhone right on it. careful not to tip it and fill with water when phone is in it. Or if handy can glue some scarp pieces of acrylic together and make a box These were taken with the viewer and iPhone

09/13/2017, 07:04 PM	#8
reefmutt Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mtl. Canada Posts: 7,824	cody, what's your lighting again? If the iPhone is your main camera, a big enough viewing box to rest it flat in, would be perfect. This is what I do when using my iPhone to do videos.. A gel helps give better colour rendition... or change out a blue bulb for a pink one - or two and you may not even need a gel filter.. I do know of two reefers who have just used the clear plastic top of a ferrer roche chocolate box.. works quite well, and cheap and easy... and yummy.. __________________ Matt. Current Tank Info: 53x32.5x26 190g dt 60g of sumps 3 tank-100 gal frag system 6xAI prime 8xt5. 4x maxspect gyre. Skimz Dual internal sicce pump skimmer Deltec PF601s ca rx+Kalk stirrer

09/13/2017, 09:40 PM	#9
codydemmel4 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Center Valley PA Posts: 1,479	Thanks everyone! I went DIY tonight and made a box so we will see how it works tomorrow, I will post some pictures in here tomorrow hopefully if I have time. My DIY only cost $8 from Home depot because I already had the silicon so we will see how it comes out tomorrow. Matt I have 8x80 sunpower and 2 reefbrites. I have gel filters so we will see how they do tomorrow with the box __________________ -Cody SPS Dominant 180 gallon. Link to my tank: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2618245

09/14/2017, 11:22 AM	#12
codydemmel4 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Center Valley PA Posts: 1,479	This one was a brown frag I got and is turning very very nice. It starting to get rainbow colors, honestly even looks better in person then it does in this picture. Still horrible at capturing their colors but at least I got some top downs. This was with an orange filter with just the reefbrites. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ -Cody SPS Dominant 180 gallon. Link to my tank: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2618245

09/13/2017, 03:24 PM	#5
jda Dogmatic Dinosaur Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 6,256	I use a top-down viewer too. I just bought an Avast Portal for a longer lens. I use a 5d and 24-70F2.8 with the white balance set to about 14K... no need for filters, but not everybody has one of these. If you turn off all of your pumps, then the top will get really stable and you can do it that way too... but the lights will reflect a bit.

09/13/2017, 04:37 PM	#6
slavetonet Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 442	I use the sea side aquatics coral viewer with my Samsung S7 edge. My lighting is 10,000 kelvin temperature and it is very white. I don't need to adjust anything in software after taking my photos. My camera setting are: white balance - 10,000k ISO - 50 Zoom - 1.0x to 3.0x max

09/13/2017, 06:38 PM	#7
sparker1663 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Australia Posts: 84	Tried DIY, didn't like the results. Ended up getting a long term loan of an avast port hole for my DSLR. I like the results much more: Sam

09/14/2017, 04:54 PM	#13
sparker1663 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Australia Posts: 84	yeah phone camera's won't like LED's much, try just the t5 and none of the reefbrite strips

09/14/2017, 08:08 PM	#14
Pife Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7,408	Here is the one I use. Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk __________________ Brandon I'm not saying let's get rid of all the stupid people.* I'm just saying let's remove all the warning labels and let the problem work itself out. Current Tank Info: 150g DT plumbed to an 80g frag tank and 220g sump in the basement. ~6-MP40s ~ 12 ATI powered t5s ~ Reefbrites and Radions supplementing ~ Custom GEO Skimmer ~ GEO CA Reactor 6x24~ Iwaki 70 Return ~

09/15/2017, 12:03 PM	#15
reefmutt Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Mtl. Canada Posts: 7,824	If you want better results, try swapping two or 3 blue plus with coral plus. And yes, I agree the blue LEDs will definitely throw things off. iPhone camera is very sensitive to blue so even when it looks pink to your eye, the phone pulls out a lot of blue and violet. That colored up brown frag looks amazing! __________________ Matt. Current Tank Info: 53x32.5x26 190g dt 60g of sumps 3 tank-100 gal frag system 6xAI prime 8xt5. 4x maxspect gyre. Skimz Dual internal sicce pump skimmer Deltec PF601s ca rx+Kalk stirrer