Canon PowerShot A590IS?

[fretfreak13]

Hi NR! I'm shopping for my first real camera! I did a forum search and saw many people recommending the cannon powershot A590IS to newbies with a low budget. That's all fine and dandy, but I was wondering if you could link me to some pictures that were posted by a user who is using this camera so I can actually SEE what it does? Or if you have some, could you show me? I don't speak camera (sorry!) and honestly I'm not all that interested in photography, I just want something that's easy to use that takes decent pictures. I don't really understand what optics, aperture, etc. is and I'd really just like something that I can click the button and not have a horrible picture.

 

This is what my current camera does and though I love my mandarin, this makes me go cross eyed..lol And that ric should be yellow, not white... Click the picture to see it larger, its even worse.

 

 

I'm starting my first large-scale tank soon and know I will be getting into SPS, but not many people in my area keep them. With that being said, when I have frags it seems like I will have to sell online and ship, so that, along with just posting in my build thread, will be what the camera is used for.

 

Anyways, the real question I'm asking is if you can show me some pictures taken by a cannon powershot A590IS?

[khriistian]

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/canon/powershot_a590_is/

There you can see examples of that camera. Images looks very nice and sharp.

[Bishop]

For the average person that just wants a basic camera, I'd likely point to a typical point and shoot. Generally a decent pocket camera since they are more convenient to carry around. The best camera is always the one you have with you. Canon does a good job of making their cameras user friendly.

 

If taking photos of your reef tank is important to you then having a DSLR is gonna be more critical and make much more of an impact in your image than it would if you were taking a photo of something outside in the daylight. You can, however, improve your image quality a lot with the camera you have.

 

Don't attempt to make the camera take the picture that your eyes see. It's not gonna happen. Since a camera operates on available light, you are not gonna get those high actinic, low light shots like you want but if you brighten the tank up with some 6500k flourescent bulbs (I use to use clamp lamps and household CFLs) you can get some good quality images within reason.

 

With My DSLR, I just set up speedlites over my tank for illumination. I loose the actinic color pop that way but the image is sharp enough for magazine. Having a RAW image or digital negative that can be edited to bring the color back does make having a DSLR worth it when it comes to reef shots. Then again, you have to have enough interest in photography to produce a good reef shot. Reef tanks can easily be one of the most difficult things to photograph at any level.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93257167@N02/8705346480/'>
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93257167@N02/8705346480/'>IMG_3046 by http://www.flickr.com/people/93257167@N02/'>bishop171980, on Flickr

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/93257167@N02/8704289033/'>
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93257167@N02/8704289033/'>IMG_3030 by http://www.flickr.com/people/93257167@N02/'>bishop171980, on Flickr

[Withers]

I don't speak camera (sorry!) and honestly I'm not all that interested in photography, I just want something that's easy to use that takes decent pictures. I don't really understand what optics, aperture, etc. is and I'd really just like something that I can click the button and not have a horrible picture.

[fretfreak13]

http://www.flickr.com/cameras/canon/powershot_a590_is/

 

There you can see examples of that camera. Images looks very nice and sharp.

Thank you, that was exactly what I was looking for!!! I googled for something like that, but I guess I missed that...

 

For the average person that just wants a basic camera, I'd likely point to a typical point and shoot. Generally a decent pocket camera since they are more convenient to carry around. The best camera is always the one you have with you. Canon does a good job of making their cameras user friendly.

 

If taking photos of your reef tank is important to you then having a DSLR is gonna be more critical and make much more of an impact in your image than it would if you were taking a photo of something outside in the daylight. You can, however, improve your image quality a lot with the camera you have.

 

Don't attempt to make the camera take the picture that your eyes see. It's not gonna happen. Since a camera operates on available light, you are not gonna get those high actinic, low light shots like you want but if you brighten the tank up with some 6500k flourescent bulbs (I use to use clamp lamps and household CFLs) you can get some good quality images within reason.

 

With My DSLR, I just set up speedlites over my tank for illumination. I loose the actinic color pop that way but the image is sharp enough for magazine. Having a RAW image or digital negative that can be edited to bring the color back does make having a DSLR worth it when it comes to reef shots. Then again, you have to have enough interest in photography to produce a good reef shot. Reef tanks can easily be one of the most difficult things to photograph at any level.

 

IMG_3046 by bishop171980, on Flickr

 

IMG_3030 by bishop171980, on Flickr

 

Thank you for that explanation! Basically when someone mentions "DSLR" to me, I freeze, see many dollar signs, and then imagine myself breaking it. I don't even have a smart phone because I drop things like a two year old. However, I am very well versed in photoshop, so I basically need something that wont take a crap, grainy, picture like the one above with my mandarin. Is the one I was asking about a "point and shoot" like you would recommend to a noob like me?

 

Your shots are beautiful! My porcelain crab is so shy...lol

[Withers]

If you're good with photoshop, you'll probably want a point and shoot that will take pictures in RAW format. It will allow you to manipulate the image to a much greater extent, which is important for things like white balance (to get rid of the blue tint). Cameras are notoriously bad at judging white balance for reef shots because the lighting is so unnatural. The best way to correct it is in photoshop if you're already good with that program

 

Unfortunately I don't know if the one you're asking about shoots in RAW or not.

[Bishop]

It's really not so much the camera. While a DSLR will get a much better image than a P&S, under the same lighting condition, it is still about the lighting. With low light, any camera easily gives a crappy image that looks like that mandarin.

 

What camera did you use to take a shot of the mandarin with? What would be the benefit to getting a new camera? The A590IS is a rather old camera. Something like the Powershot sx160 would be a better option. If the most you want to put into taking a photo is just picking up the camera, pointing it at your tank and pushing the button then you still wont get much better than that mandarin pic.

 

Just keep in mind, with a good DSLR it can still be frustratingly difficult to take good shots in a reef tank. In spite of the cost of reef lighting and what grows under them, it is still not all that bright. I gave up trying to get a sharp, in focus shot under my reef lighting and use speedlights all the way.

 

To get a flash over your tank on the cheap;

- Pick your camera of choice. Mine would be the Canon Powershot Elph

- Pick up a cheap third party flash. This would be a good choice

- Get a slave trigger than can be set to ignore the camera's pre-flash. Here

 

There are always options. If I were not interested in photography and just wanted a point and shoot camera, It would be the Elph because it is easy to use and easy to carry.

 

 

If you're good with photoshop, you'll probably want a point and shoot that will take pictures in RAW format. It will allow you to manipulate the image to a much greater extent, which is important for things like white balance (to get rid of the blue tint). Cameras are notoriously bad at judging white balance for reef shots because the lighting is so unnatural. The best way to correct it is in photoshop if you're already good with that program

 

Unfortunately I don't know if the one you're asking about shoots in RAW or not.

 

 

 

The canon g10 or new g-series and the canon s-series such as the canon powershot s110 both shoot in RAW. There are other compact cameras that shoot RAW but they are all in the $350+ range as well.

[khriistian]

You don't need to know anything about photoshop to manipulate an image, Lightroom is way easier and cheaper and you get exactly the same results for this kind of images. You will mainly fix the white balance of the image and lightroom is a better tool for that.

[joel sandoman]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/NIKON+-+D3100+14.2-Megapixel+DSLR+Camera+with+18-55mm+and+55-200mm+Lenses/8864692.p?id=1218918123361&skuId=8864692#tab=overview

What about this? Good deal? Still have to buy a macro lense?

[fretfreak13]

I actually was given a Cannon Power Shoot SX20 for FREE today! =O I mentioned to a friend I was thinking about buying a new camera and she was like, "here, take this one I've had in my basement!" LOL

 

And Bishop, I don't know what I used to take the mandarin picture. Honestly, I can't find it, but it was hot pink...

[--chris--]

Not to muddy the waters, but another camera to look into that has recently plummeted in price (used market) is the Canon G5. It shoots in RAW, has good macro peformance for a fixed lens camera, plenty of custom settings BUT also easily left in Auto mode. For $50 with all accesories its a good deal. I picked one up a month or two ago, basicly starting from where you started and ive been slowly getting better. These are all shot with the G5.

 

 

 

 

[fretfreak13]

Not to muddy the waters, but another camera to look into that has recently plummeted in price (used market) is the Canon G5. It shoots in RAW, has good macro peformance for a fixed lens camera, plenty of custom settings BUT also easily left in Auto mode. For $50 with all accesories its a good deal. I picked one up a month or two ago, basicly starting from where you started and ive been slowly getting better. These are all shot with the G5.

 

 

 

 

 

Even with what I have, I'm thinkin I'll go pick that up!!!

[--chris--]

That camera + a $15 tripod on amazon is all ive been using. Then cropping in photobucket. Its been a great camera for me.