Question: What camera and settings do you use?

[animalloversfb]

Just wondering how so many people are able to get such great pictures of their axolotls? I've been trying and only have one decent picture...

Camera type?

Lens?

Technique?

Using a flash or other light source?

What are your secrets to good pictures!

 

[daremo]

canon powershot 710 IS with manual control , manual focus (with a magnifier glass sometimes...) and as much natural light as you can get.

 

[Crysta]

for my nicer pictures,

Nikon D50, manual focus, macro converter, in the morning. with a hood light (for extra light)
Also just before feeding - or during feeding time.

 

[MereB]

Fuji Finepix S7000 (just the built in lens)
6 megapixels (I'd go higher if the camera did )
Macro (the little flower button)
Auto focus & auto settings
Hood light's ON and natural light if the sun is out
Then I get the lens of the camera as close to the glass as I can to eliminate reflections and glare. Flash only if I really need it but I find the hood light is usually enough.

For pics of the baby I take him outside in the sunlight and use the super-macro setting which allows me to get withing a cm or so of him as long as the camera isn't blocking the sunlight

If it's of the tank make the room dark, turn on the tank's hood light, get a tripod, stand far enough back to get the tank into the pic and NO flash or all you will see is the white spot of the flash reflecting off the glass. which is VERY annoying.

OH and make sure you CLEAN THE GLASS


edited to add.
While the S7000 has both optical and digital zoom I only ever use the optical as all the digital zoom does is make the pixels larger which will make your pictures fuzzy.
If all your camera has is digital zoom you're better off not using the zoom at all and then crop them. Or you could try putting a magnifying glass in front of the lens. It's crude but I've seen people make it work.