I have junk. A Cannon Powershot A520 on a tripod, macro mode, 3 floresent 100watt bulbs and a home made diffusion box. I\'ve seen a cheap $100 Nikon coolpix that takes better macro pictures. I\'m hopeing to get a Nikon soon. Before that, the early stuff in my gallery was taken with a scanner.
What Camera Do you use??
- Thread starter Orb
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orctrader
Guest
I have a Nikon Coolpix 3200.
I have the image size set to maximum resolution.
I have white balance set.
I have macro mode ON.
I use two desk lamps with Daylight Bulbs.
I (usually) use a printed White-to-blue gradient A4 sheet, with several sheets of white paper behind it so nothing will show through.
I have my camera either on a mini-tripod or book, depending on the angle I want.
I have the camera 6-8 inches from the subject.
I always use the timer.
I take several pictures from different angles.
I transfer these to my computer and, using Photoshop Elements version 2.0 I crop the image, resize it, go to Quick Fix and set Auto levels, Auto Contrast and Colour in that order.
I save in the Save for Web option.
And I keep experimenting
And here\'s my stuff http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/orctrader
I have the image size set to maximum resolution.
I have white balance set.
I have macro mode ON.
I use two desk lamps with Daylight Bulbs.
I (usually) use a printed White-to-blue gradient A4 sheet, with several sheets of white paper behind it so nothing will show through.
I have my camera either on a mini-tripod or book, depending on the angle I want.
I have the camera 6-8 inches from the subject.
I always use the timer.
I take several pictures from different angles.
I transfer these to my computer and, using Photoshop Elements version 2.0 I crop the image, resize it, go to Quick Fix and set Auto levels, Auto Contrast and Colour in that order.
I save in the Save for Web option.
And I keep experimenting
And here\'s my stuff http://www.coolminiornot.com/artist/orctrader
Canon Digital Rebel with a Quantary combined zoom/macro lens.
Use a tripod and the timer shot, usually set on \"Manual Mode\", indoors, with two fluorescent table lamps for lighting.
I usually set the camera to \"+1\" exposure level, and it still turns out a bit dim, which I correct with GIMP using the Autolevels feature.
Still experimenting with backgrounds - Wren suggested grey instead of the white I was using recently.
Use a tripod and the timer shot, usually set on \"Manual Mode\", indoors, with two fluorescent table lamps for lighting.
I usually set the camera to \"+1\" exposure level, and it still turns out a bit dim, which I correct with GIMP using the Autolevels feature.
Still experimenting with backgrounds - Wren suggested grey instead of the white I was using recently.
stumpkiller
New member
I use an HP r707... it is a point and shoot digicam at 5.1 megapixels... love it but want one that i can exchange lenses and stuff and actually zoom and macro tiny stuff.... was dureling over a 10 megapixel at best buy *sigh*
was dureling over a 10 megapixel at best buy *sigh*raathistle
New member
I\'ve not used it on any of my minis yet but I\'ve now got an Eos 400D. waiting on a 50mm macro lens, and a new tripod after Xmas. For now I\'m going to have to use the macro on my 70-300mm lens (macro at 300mm is scary!!! Its gonna show up all the flaws).
My old digi cam was a 3MP point and shoot job, but i decided id upgrade from my old manual SLR as I got a good deal on the Eos.
My old digi cam was a 3MP point and shoot job, but i decided id upgrade from my old manual SLR as I got a good deal on the Eos.
Canon EOS 10D
Carbon Fiber Tripod
50mm 2.5 macro lens
B+W Cir Pol
Light tent
5 25 w daylight balanced bulbs
Usb Cable
Laptop
Okay easy set-up.
Camera on tripod tethered to the computer. 5 lights set around tent, mini in tent. Look thru viewfinder make sure center focus point is on set camera to Apt mode set to F16. Push space bar take pic......:beer:
Gets more complicated if I need to use the Cir Pol to kill unwanted glare or make the highlights on reds show.
Carbon Fiber Tripod
50mm 2.5 macro lens
B+W Cir Pol
Light tent
5 25 w daylight balanced bulbs
Usb Cable
Laptop
Okay easy set-up.
Camera on tripod tethered to the computer. 5 lights set around tent, mini in tent. Look thru viewfinder make sure center focus point is on set camera to Apt mode set to F16. Push space bar take pic......:beer:
Gets more complicated if I need to use the Cir Pol to kill unwanted glare or make the highlights on reds show.
Nikon Coolpix P3 for me, neat little thing. I\'d honestly recommend the P4 though, no wifi mode but it\'s a fair bit cheaper. And the wifi I still haven\'t got to work so...
Anyway I have a setup with 3 14W daylight fluorescent lamps about 6-12\" from the model, one for each side and one diagonally above and in front of the mini. Camera tucks nicely in between the three for ~3\" away macro shots with slight zoom.
Works a ton better than my old Canon Powershot A20... and it\'s like 40% the size of that old beast. I\'m very glad I upgraded.
Two problems with the camera though, neither crippling but both of them nuisances.
1) If you leave the camera turned on while plugged into the computer, it will not automatically shut off like my old one. Sucks when that happens!
2) ISO 400 is the most sensitive it gets... so for everyday kind of use it\'s not as good at lowlight as some of the Sony ones. ISO 800 and 1000 get pretty grainy but then again anything that moves in low light with ISO 400 is blurry as hell anyway... I\'d at least like the option.
I kinda wish I looked into the Sony cameras a bit more, if their macro modes are decent then their ridiculously tiny frame and low light settings might be very handy.
Anyway I have a setup with 3 14W daylight fluorescent lamps about 6-12\" from the model, one for each side and one diagonally above and in front of the mini. Camera tucks nicely in between the three for ~3\" away macro shots with slight zoom.
Works a ton better than my old Canon Powershot A20... and it\'s like 40% the size of that old beast. I\'m very glad I upgraded.
Two problems with the camera though, neither crippling but both of them nuisances.
1) If you leave the camera turned on while plugged into the computer, it will not automatically shut off like my old one. Sucks when that happens!
2) ISO 400 is the most sensitive it gets... so for everyday kind of use it\'s not as good at lowlight as some of the Sony ones. ISO 800 and 1000 get pretty grainy but then again anything that moves in low light with ISO 400 is blurry as hell anyway... I\'d at least like the option.
I kinda wish I looked into the Sony cameras a bit more, if their macro modes are decent then their ridiculously tiny frame and low light settings might be very handy.
Why not, i\'ll add to the threadomancy. I used a Cannon A20 with a homemade light diffusion box and three 120w daylight bulbs and it sucked hard. Now however i got a Nikon Coolpix L5 with 3 20w compact daylight corrected bulbs and a 10\"X10\" sold acrylic light box. I have yet to snap more then a quick picture with 2 of the lights but already it\'s tons better quality.
Kodak EasyShare DX4330. It\'s now a defunct model that Kodak discontinued, as it\'s more than a few years old. It\'s a 3.1 megapixel camera, but don\'t let that fool you. It takes amazing pictures, with very accurate color (for the most part. When it does go crazy, it tends to make reds a lot brighter, mostly).
The macro lens is great (and so, so, so inevitably cruel to my minis.) I actually have been known to use the macro lens on things I could get away with using the auto mode.
It\'s one of those rare gems in the EasyShare line: It takes pictures with a lot more vibrance and sharpness than some that followed it.
So we\'ve had this camera, seriously, about five or six years now. It\'s a veritable antique, but we\'re actually really afraid to part with it, because I\'ve taken better pics with it than I\'ve seen some do with much more beefy cameras.
I wish I could say I took better pictures of my MINIS with it, but I guess you can\'t change the fact I\'m sort of a cruddy painter as yet.
The one thing I don\'t like: It isn\'t terribly forgiving of bad lighting. So when there is no natural light, I have to use a desk lamp on macro. When I use a desk lamp, things get harsher looking.
And the LCD screen is really craptacular (I used that word a lot today. Hmmmm) and it\'s not at all representative of the pictures the camera actually produces.
shoe
The macro lens is great (and so, so, so inevitably cruel to my minis.) I actually have been known to use the macro lens on things I could get away with using the auto mode.
It\'s one of those rare gems in the EasyShare line: It takes pictures with a lot more vibrance and sharpness than some that followed it.
So we\'ve had this camera, seriously, about five or six years now. It\'s a veritable antique, but we\'re actually really afraid to part with it, because I\'ve taken better pics with it than I\'ve seen some do with much more beefy cameras.
I wish I could say I took better pictures of my MINIS with it, but I guess you can\'t change the fact I\'m sort of a cruddy painter as yet.
The one thing I don\'t like: It isn\'t terribly forgiving of bad lighting. So when there is no natural light, I have to use a desk lamp on macro. When I use a desk lamp, things get harsher looking.
And the LCD screen is really craptacular (I used that word a lot today. Hmmmm) and it\'s not at all representative of the pictures the camera actually produces.
shoe
War Griffon
New member
Well seeing as I have changed from the Fuji I used to use when this thread was started I may as well add to the reserection of this thread :smile:
I now use a Nikon D80 and 18 - 55mm, 70 -300mm zoom lenses and a 60mm macro lense for the small stuff.
Most of the time I tend to use the macro lense as a work horse even when shooting photos of turtles 30 feet away I have had great results with it. I still have the Fuji though :smile::turtle:
I now use a Nikon D80 and 18 - 55mm, 70 -300mm zoom lenses and a 60mm macro lense for the small stuff.
Most of the time I tend to use the macro lense as a work horse even when shooting photos of turtles 30 feet away I have had great results with it. I still have the Fuji though :smile::turtle:
RuneBrush
New member
I use a Sony DSC-200, which has quite a good macro mode. I actually don't have any real negatives with the camera, as with most photos, the setup of the subject and lighting are the most important things to get right. I tend to use a small (6") tripod and pop it onto timer mode when I want to take a 'good' picture, but have had reasonable results just pressing the button
dark shaman
New member
What camera do you use
Hi
i have a Canon 450d SLR , if your budget can handle it ,i would highly recommend a Digi SLR , ive had point and shoot cameras etc but you get more control etc with an SLR and you can mess around with them more! the Canon in close up mode in auto settings really is the best you can wish for! the nikon D60's pretty hot also ! but i'am a Canon Fan!... Cheers.
Hi
i have a Canon 450d SLR , if your budget can handle it ,i would highly recommend a Digi SLR , ive had point and shoot cameras etc but you get more control etc with an SLR and you can mess around with them more! the Canon in close up mode in auto settings really is the best you can wish for! the nikon D60's pretty hot also ! but i'am a Canon Fan!... Cheers.
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dark shaman
New member
Good point! and point taken! as for left for toast thats not correct! depends on the quality of the lens, and also lighting so your left for toast comment 'well'!!! its as also what you would call a good pick? you've got to say us painters are a funny lot! whats good to some eyes, are sometime OK to others Just a thought! and not to rattle things! Btw the new breed of point and shoots are getting better! but , and if you read my post Slrs DO offer better control !
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I'm waiting for my Nikon D300 to get fixed.Whoop! Am waiting for my 35L
Looks as if the Lens Optical stability feature has melted a couple of contacts so it won't work with any Non-Nikon lens. Which means that could put in outside the warranty as well.:crying:
Also gonna be serious ouch time on the wallet as the lens needs to be repaired as well, first estimate on the lens £106.
Ah Fudge!!!
Sigma 18-200 zoom.
Worked perfectly up until Gamesday...............Wouldn't care but Wife's last words to me that morning were:-
"Make sure that camera doesn't get broken!"
Bleedin Broomrider
Well got some reasonable news at the weekend. Camera fault is outside warranty, but only £125 to repair. Was expecting around £400.
Cosmic Secret
New member
Hi all,
Today I've bought myself a brand new camera, it's a Samsung WB500.
Facts:
- 10.2 Megapixels
- 24 mm Ultra Wide, Optical 10X Zoom Schneider Lens
- Dual Image Stabilization (Optical IS + New Digital IS)
- Photo Style Selector
- High Sensitivity ISO 3200 (up to 3M)
I hope I've bought a good one, but it looks pretty ok to me.
- Cosmic Secret
Today I've bought myself a brand new camera, it's a Samsung WB500.
Facts:
- 10.2 Megapixels
- 24 mm Ultra Wide, Optical 10X Zoom Schneider Lens
- Dual Image Stabilization (Optical IS + New Digital IS)
- Photo Style Selector
- High Sensitivity ISO 3200 (up to 3M)
I hope I've bought a good one, but it looks pretty ok to me.
- Cosmic Secret
