1. Nikon Coolpix aw120

something a bit different to read about but I see it get  asked loads of times;

What is the best budget camera to buy for Carp fishing shots with self take features ?How do you get consistent great fish, landscape and pod selfie shots without playing about with loads of settings ?

So here goes folks I will answer both questions from my point of view and hopefully give a full review of the cool camera i recently picked up the Nikon Coolpix aw120 thats packed full of carpy handy features and it comes in Camo so you can easily lose it in the undergrowth ! 😉

So what does the web say ? – “looking for a camera that can climb the heights and dive the depths with you? The 16-megapixel COOLPIX AW120 is rugged enough for any outdoor lifestyle and is packed with tools to enhance your active lifestyle. Waterproof to 18m, shockproof to 2m and freeze-proof to -10 celsius, it can also pinpoint your explorations with built-in GPS, GLONASS, world maps and compass – perfect for tracking your route. Built-in WiFi lets you share all the action last it happens with your smart device, and you can shoot full HD movies too. The Ultra-wide 24mm F/2.8 lens with 5x optical zoom gives optimal brightness even in the darkest of scenes on land or underwater”. Enough of the technical jargon how does this help carpers ?

features great for carper

1. 16-megapixel stills and full HD video up to 28mins in length.
2. Waterproof and capable of recording fish return shots or underwater investigation work if attached to a selfie stick or landing net handle.
3. Built in WiFi to connect to iPhone or android devices. Control and view the camera’s live image wirelessly and upload images without the use of cables or SD card readers !
4. Easy to use features and menus with fool proof operation.
5. Many pre set setting for different conditions such as portrait, twilight, dusk / dawn settings, sports multi shot mode and many more to play with.
6. Another cool feature if you shoot a video of your capture you can retrieve stills from the image through the camera replay settings, saves much needed time and perfect if on your own.

see below some of the images taken with the camera including a screenshot of the wireless app;

So I hope you like the features of the Nikon aw120 and if you have any questions or need more info please feel free to ask.

So my tips to obtain perfect carpy selfie shots;

1. Firstly always know your camera kit and practice taking shots without fish to become competent.
2. Set the scene – choose a background that has the best lighting levels and varied colours to help make the image more interesting. In winter
3. I always try and locate nice shrubs that maintain their leaves and greenery to show off the carps winter colours. In summer I try and locate plants that are in bloom with colourful flowers to set a backdrop that just screams summer. Water-shots are also good during summer especially if lily pads are present but be careful and test the depth and lakebed before you get in.
4. Once the fish is safely recovering to a secured net or sling, use this time to prep your photography gear, take a few test shots for lighting adjustments and briefly demo the operation of the shutter button to the camera operator.
5. Always have plenty of water available to keep the fish wet and wash off any debris (leaves, dirt) that may remain in the unhooking mat.
6. Never take too long to take pictures ! I f you have someone operating the camera instruct them to take as many pictures as possible as you can always delete them but never retake once the fish has been returned ! Allow 1-2mins of pics on both sides and you should have plenty of pics to inspect once the fish is returned.
7. Remember to smile, take some fun snaps and carpy closeups of fish scales ect.
8. Savour the moment the fish swims confidently from the sling and take a few cheeky stills or a nice underwater video with a selfie stick.

Things to avoid;

1. Obstacles that will ruin the back drop such as cars, buildings, people, pets or a feature that is more interesting than the fish itself.
2. Light back drop such as the lake, the image is likely to become underexposed.
3. Setting the camera too far away or too close. the ideal shot will have at least 1 foot of back drop in all directions to allow cropping and editing. Avoid using the zoom function if possible as the guest user would not know the operation, simply ask them to take 1/2 a step closer or further away.
4. The camera position should be horizontal and at the same level as the lateral line of the fish, avoid pictures where the operator stands and looks down or where the camera is sat on the floor.
5. Take your head torch off your head for night shots, it spoils the image and afterwards I bet you will say “I wish i took that off my head, it looks stupid”.
6. Avoid rocket fish shots (fish head spearing to the sky) and tail pointed to the camera shots as gives a false impression of size.

Night pics advice:

1. Use a tripod if possible to allow a longer shutter speed, these are inexpensive these days approximately £15 on eBay.
2. Use a LED flood Light to help illuminate the subject and background to help exposure, generally mount or hold this at the same hight as your head (eliminates unwanted shadows). Again many available for approximately £10-£20 on eBay.
3. A selfie stick will help with fish return shots although a Gardner bankstick adaptor and landing net handle could also be used.
4. Be aware of the time your spending with the fish on the bank as your usually tired at night and can get forgetful of how long you are taking.

 

Hope these tips are helpful, remember to enjoy your fishing and growing photography skills ! We spend loads of time bank-side watching the lake, please do it with a camera in your hand as can be a useful tool if used correctly.

Big Gav