Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

I have never attempted photos in an aquarium. Been a long time since I visited one.
Going in a couple of weeks on a group tour to the Atlanta Aquarium.
I appreciate any suggestions on lenses and techniques. I will be using a Canon 80D, and I have a variety of lenses including some primes.

Cameraman

Hi:

Do not use the flash - there will be too many reflections in the glass. I suggest you use one of your prime lenses 50 or 85 mm between 1.4 and 2.2 F stop depending on the lighting available and use a higher ISO to get the right light.

Cameraman

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

Consider using a MONOPOD.

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

A flexible rubber screw-on lens hood so you can press the lens against the glass will help avoid light reflection.
It is usually dim in aquariums, so a fast prime will be helpful.

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Put a U/V filter on your lens and get if right up against the glass. Or use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018WNFLH8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

zensu Loc: Montgomery, AL

I had the good fortune to visit the Georgia Aquarium a few years ago and others have noted there are so many glass surfaces that a flash will do you no good besides the aquariums are so well lite you won't need it. I took the Olympus 12-40mm F2.8 and that lens was perfect for the aquarium IMHO. You will enjoy all the unique aqua life in all sizes from shrimp to whale sharks! My favorite was the Jellyfish.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I use a flexible rubber lens hood. Mines not a screw on, but it fits perfectly over my lens and I can press it against the glass. The aquarium near me requires them and if they see you pressing the hard plastic lens against the glass they will ream you.

jlocke Loc: Austin, TX

I know this is sacrilege to many on UHH, but I had best success last year at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago using my cell phone (Samsung S6+). It does much better in the low light levels found in the aquarium. My 'real' camera is a Nikon D7200.

jcboy3

Shooting photos at aquariums can be fun, but technically challenging. Here are some tips.

First up, color balance. Lighting can be very blue, which will affect exposure. I use a CC30R filter to help correct color balance while shooting. Here is an informative video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR8PD7y6CVk

Second, reflections. Lots of glass, lots of reflections, and usually lots of stuff behind you (like other tanks) that will show up in the reflections. You want to block reflections as much as possible. You can use a rubber lens hood. Get the biggest one you can so you have some flexibility in pointing the camera (perpendicular to the glass is best to minimize distortion, but some flexibility in angle is useful). I use a custom hood that I put together from two separate lens hoods that has the advantage of getting a little further away from subjects; I also use it to shoot into display cases. You can try dedicated devices like the Lens Skirt; I find them a bit too bulky to carry with me all of the time (whereas the lens hood can actually work as a deep lens hood for shooting in bad weather, and it's not as bulky as the Lens Skirt). Or, if you have the time, you can get a collapsible shoot through reflector that is black on one side (to block reflections) and silver or white on the other side (to reflect light onto a close subject). I've not seen them in the US but you can get them from Japan here (I have both of these, I recommend the larger for flexibility):

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07XCTK824/ref=pe_492632_159100282_TE_item

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00AJHISFI/ref=pe_492632_159100282_TE_item

Third, lenses. I like to use fast lenses that can focus close up, which helps keep shutter speed up and ISO down. Often I'll use a wide angle lens, because the fish will get close to the glass (which is why I want to get the camera away from the glass as much as possible while still blocking reflections). Most often, I use a wide to normal f/2.8 zoom that can focus close, and shoot it wide open.

Fourth, shooting. I use an expodisc to set white balance to compensate for the excessive blue (along with the filter which cuts a lot of blue light). I fine tune white balance in post. You want to keep your shutter speed high (1/250 sec), because the fish are moving quickly and are close. I set ISO to auto. You can then lower shutter speed as appropriate for the subject. Use continuous autofocus but also be able to lock focus.

Have fun!

Bill_de Loc: US

And then you can use flash held above and to the side. The lens will not see any reflections.

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jcboy3

Many aquariums have a policy that prohibits flash photography. Besides, flash is disturbing to the patrons even if it has been shown to not be disturbing to most fish.

Bike guy Loc: Atlanta

Thanks
Lots of useful suggestions
The 80D does not have flash and I don’t intend on bringing an external.
My 50 and 85 are both 1.8 .
The 24 mm is 2.8.
Need to order the rubber hoods.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

As said no flash, I would say a wide angle or even ultra wide as fast as you have and a tip a pro gave me long ago, use a soft rubber lens hood and press it against window or aquarium glass to cut even more reflections and reduce distortion. (they will let you do that and I see several others recommended a rubber lens hood) It also helps you keep the camera steady for slow shutter speeds.
The 80D is fairly good at ISO up to 6400 or so, try some at different ISO settings and clean up in noise reduction software.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

Take a large microfiber cloth to clean off fingerprints left on the glass by kids.