Beginner in search of the right camera for capturing images of aquatic life

[AquaticArts]

Forget about the focus point/touch screen stuff, set the camera to use a single focus point in the center and shoot that way, then crop/recompose the shot later in post to get the composition you like.

Forgive my ignorance, but if something is out of focus and away from the center when you take a photo, you can change the focal point digitally with photo software? That sounds too good to be true, haha. I don't mind cropping/etc a bit, I do it often to get good thumbnail pics for my main listing photos.

 

[dxqcanada]

Yes, you are correct ... can't correct for focus in post processing ... unless you have a https://www.lytro.com/

 

[Scatterbrained]

Forget about the focus point/touch screen stuff, set the camera to use a single focus point in the center and shoot that way, then crop/recompose the shot later in post to get the composition you like.

Forgive my ignorance, but if something is out of focus and away from the center when you take a photo, you can change the focal point digitally with photo software? That sounds too good to be true, haha. I don't mind cropping/etc a bit, I do it often to get good thumbnail pics for my main listing photos.

That's not what he's saying. He's saying you'll have enough resolution with a 20+ Mp camera that you can put the subject in the center and crop for composition in post while still having enough resolution for the internet.

For example, this photo:


is just a crop from this photo:


Dinner Plans by tltichy, on Flickr

Yet even with the massive crop it's still plenty of resolution for online useage (1639x1639 to be precise)

 

[AlanKlein]

Pretty crayfish. Now I'm not a aquarium photographer. But I notice that there are a lot of particles in the water or on the glass that are being picked up in the photo. Either from just plain dirt and/or highlighted by the artificial light. These particles detract from the photo. You have to clean the particles out or adjust the lighting to minimize it. Or remove them in post.

You might consider removing the blue tail of another creature in the lower left. It doesn't belong in the photo. Also, the rock on the left has a very bright area the detacts from the main subject. You might crop in a little to keep the focus on the subject, but everyone ha different taste in that area.

I'll leave the hardware recommendations to others. Good luck.