Q about 'macro' camera settings

[Sergio Natali]

Just as an example I didn't use macro lenses just a plain Nikon 28-300
I think the main thing is to avoid flashlight or bright sunlight. As a background I used a grey cardboard.
My 2 cents


Sergio

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

Just as an example I didn't use macro lenses just a plain Nikon 28-300
I think the main thing is to avoid flashlight or bright sunlight. As a background I used a grey cardboard.

Sergio, what 'settings' did you use??? Is that a digital camera???

[Sergio Natali]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Sergio, what 'settings' did you use??? Is that a digital camera???

Yes it's a digital camera, I went under a roof window of the attic, no sun, I shot jpeg shutter speed 1/125, f/3, W/B Auto, ISO Auto, straight from the camera no Photoshop.


Sergio

[Dwight Gruber]

So you are shooting in RAW?

--Dwight

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Dwight Gruber

So you are shooting in RAW?

--Dwight

No, I meant unaltered, as it comes out off the memory card.

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

You can reduce the size by setting the camera so, would save an extra step.

Also do try the grey background, it does wonders; and a smooth
background will be less visible than a towel. JMHO.

The extra step allows me to crop the pics before shrinking them, or adding other smaller pics to the large one, like below. It's a lot easier to juggle the pics around while it's big and then crop it. (At least it's easier for me).

I don't know where to find a large gray sheet of anything, but I'll look.

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

No, I meant unaltered, as it comes out off the memory card.



The extra step allows me to crop the pics before shrinking them, or adding other smaller pics to the large one, like below. It's a lot easier to juggle the pics around while it's big and then crop it. (At least it's easier for me).

I don't know where to find a large gray sheet of anything, but I'll look.

I use a grey sheet I bought at W-M. cut it up for large picts as rifles,
smaller for pistols. Get a lot of mileage out of one twin sheet!

Even matte paper board seems to be pretty reflective.

You are ahead of me on the collages, I have not fiddled with that as yet.

[ithacaartist]

Nobody praised the last three rounds of pics I took, but nobody complained, either. (Commemorative SS 1900, 1917/20 DWM, M1900 DWM Commercial)

They were taken with my phone camera, full bore res, auto mode all around. (Tripod, 3 sec. shutter delay, outdoors with bright overcast, yada, yada). Site-resized when posted.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Nobody praised the last three rounds of pics I took, but nobody complained, either.

It was the sudden rash of 1900 pics that motivated me to take my pics outdoors, with backdrop, etc. I only noticed the curvature with the Colt but the 1900 shows it also. I like the 3/4 view rather than straight on.

Your phone camera is probably better quality than this 10 yr old Kodak...

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

I shot jpeg shutter speed 1/125, f/3, W/B Auto, ISO Auto, straight from the camera no Photoshop.

There are no sophisticated settings; this is a dumb cam...Best, Better, Bestest type of settings. No shutter speeds, no f stop, only 4 ISO settings, and I'm still trying to find the setting for what export file type and size...a 2304 x 1728 .JPG seems to be the default...Possibly the only export size/type...

[Olle]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

There are no sophisticated settings; this is a dumb cam...Best, Better, Bestest type of settings. No shutter speeds, no f stop, only 4 ISO settings, and I'm still trying to find the setting for what export file type and size...a 2304 x 1728 .JPG seems to be the default...Possibly the only export size/type...

Seems like you don't have many options, but you could try the highest ISO and then experiment with the light options. I struggled with a pocket camera for many years, and I found that the best way to control an uncontrollable camera is to use a photo tent and experiment with the lighting, instead of struggling with the limited range of settings.

I finally broke down and bought a Canon Power Shot G3, and it has all the settings you need to take good pictures. This model is a few years old now, so you can find them used and dirt cheap on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CANON-POWERS...item35ecf0a813 . This particular model is said to be the back-up camera of choice for many professional reporters and other photographers, and I have been very happy with mine.

I know that you're a tinkerer by heart, but you would save yourself a lot of headache and time by getting a better camera. A camera is just a tool, and cheap tools do have their limitations.

[sheepherder]

I took a dozen or more pics today, using various 'settings' on this camera. It is quite dumb; only icons for settings [no proper names]; some settings remain, others change back to default when switching modes/power on/off; values are Best/Better/etc.

Anyway, I found that 'Exposure Compensation' plus values get a lighter pic without losing detail, minus values turn darker. 'Exposure Metering' Center-Weight setting is same as default; Center Spot gives a much better pic [lighter]. 'Focus Zone' Center Zone gives what seems to be the best picture for my morning vertical beige/cream background shots (pic below).

I was only interested today in lightening the picture, not concerned with the 'bends'.

Olle, if I spend time & money on cameras & picture taking, then that takes time & money away from activities that I am really interested in. Maybe I'll be more interested in photography in the years to come, but for now this is about the best I'll get.

I'll look for some gray pasteboard next time I go out.

[Olle]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Olle, if I spend time & money on cameras & picture taking, then that takes time & money away from activities that I am really interested in. Maybe I'll be more interested in photography in the years to come, but for now this is about the best I'll get.

You're already spending a lot of time on what seems to be a fruitless effort. It's all a matter of how much time you want to spend and what kind of result you want. Struggling with that pocket camera is like threading with a Chinese carbon steel die: It takes time, it's very aggravating and the end result will be mediocre at best, no matter how hard you try

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Olle

I finally broke down and bought a Canon Power Shot G3, and it has all the settings you need to take good pictures.

What's this turquoise square on the top???

[Olle]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

What's this turquoise square on the top???

It seems to be an LCD display. I don't have one on mine so I don't know what it's for. I think there's a few different generations of this camera, so you may want to do a little homework before you buy.

Edit: I just looked at my camera, and it's actually a G11 (my previous "good camera" was a G3). Same difference, they can still be had for next to nothing on eBay.

[4 Scale]

Originally Posted by ithacaartist

Nobody praised the last three rounds of pics I took,

I really enjoyed them. I have followed your 1900 shooter thread for some time, and your thread and photos were an inspiration to me when suddenly I saw a 1900 model for sale....

[mrerick]

You can get sheets of colored paperboard at Walmart fairly inexpensively.

White, black, grey and colors...

Marc

[4 Scale]

Richard I like your photos, don't be so hard on yourself.

I think you may be getting the best results that are available with your current camera. While I think pocket/compact cameras have their place, nothing beats a DSLR for image quality. As a photog I respect once said to me, "not all pixels are created equal". In looking at your work, I think you need a better camera if you want decisively better photos. Without getting technical, you get fundamentally better images with solid DSLRs. Plus you can really experiment with depth of field and white balance and bracketing exposures from too light to too dark and then picking 'best" on your tube.

With a good DSLR, indirect outdoor lighting is fine, unless you want to add highlights (lighting is a whole other subject). In terms of staged backgrounds, there is some good advice in this thread. Personally I prefer light blue craft paper, with the subject staged so that only the paper shows in background. Go to a craft store, or craft section of Target Walmart etc., and ask for a big sheet of craft paper.

If your goal is to post good pictures to the web, and don't want to spring for a new DSLR, good ones can be had on eBay at astoundingly low prices. You don't need a ton of pixels for web postings but the other stuff a DSLR provides- white balance, bracketing, exposure control, depth of field, sensor quality - do help, even for the web. By "good DSLR" I mean anything by Canon or Nikon in the last few years. Other brands are no doubt as good but I stick with those two. I have too big an investment in Nikon lenses to change, but if I was just starting out I'd go with Canon, better/easier software.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by 4 Scale

If you...don't want to spring for a new DSLR, good ones can be had on eBay at astoundingly low prices.

Despite Olle's chronic CRS, his link to the G3 was thought-provoking...For ~$40, a G3 might be within my means...I'm trying to find a source for batteries...Flash cards can be bought at any drugstore nowadays, but batteries are more rare...

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Despite Olle's chronic CRS, his link to the G3 was thought-provoking...For ~$40, a G3 might be within my means...I'm trying to find a source for batteries...Flash cards can be bought at any drugstore nowadays, but batteries are more rare...

Better to buy both on ebay.
I just bought a 4 GB card for $2.38 post paid and 2 new Li ion
batteries for my camera, at 2 for 8.98 again post paid.

I buy all my batteries from there, some come from China directly others are already in the US. "They" make them for most everyone anyway. Buy button cells there too.

If you buy anywhere else you will pay too much!

[Olle]

Originally Posted by sheepherder

Despite Olle's chronic CRS, his link to the G3 was thought-provoking...For ~$40, a G3 might be within my means...I'm trying to find a source for batteries...Flash cards can be bought at any drugstore nowadays, but batteries are more rare...

I don't even know what CRS is, but I assume it's nothing positive. Sorry that you take it that way, but you're shooting the messenger. You have pretty much maxed out your camera, that's all.

I have freelanced for a gun magazine for about 10 years, the editor is anal about good pictures so I have had to gradually work my way up from a $70 Cybershot, and I'm just telling you what I have experienced. The G3 was my first good camera, then I upgraded to a Nikon "something" and now I use the G11. The G11 and G3 are similar in features, the major difference is that the G11 has a broader range in all the adjustments you can make (higher ISO, larger pixel size, aperture settings etc). The difference between a non-adjustable and an adjustable camera is like night and day, just to be able to control the depth of field is extremely helpful when you take close-ups.

The downside to pocket cameras is that you are tied to the settings the manufacturer have picked for different conditions, and the so called manual mode is only a pick list of preset values. What you need is more adjustments, and once you have figured out what all these setting will do you will be able to take much better pictures.

IMO, you don't need to spend the money on SLR, a fixed, good quality lens (which you will normally get in any Nikon, Canon, Sony etc) is cheaper and more manageable for a beginner. I will more than likely move up to an SLR later, but it's mostly to get some more "artistic freedom". And like Don said, you don't need to go any further than to eBay to find cheap batteries and memory cards.

One added bonus is that you don't need to spend much on lighting if you have a good camera. I shoot pretty much all my pictures on the workbench, and the only lighting consists of the fluorescent ceiling lights. By using a tripod and controlling shutter speed, aperture and ISO, I can take great pictures even if the light is dim. Where a pro would add light to get nice shades and reflections, I take it away instead. I simply put towels on the photo tent and move them around until I get the desired lighting. It ends up being pretty dim, but the camera can compensate for this so I can get the same light effects, but without any expensive equipment.

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by Olle

I don't even know what CRS is, but I assume it's nothing positive.

It's a condition that worsens with age, and I'm sad to admit that I have more than my share of it.

I found a 24 page review of the G3 at Digital Photography Review and am trying to wade through it. Hard going for me. I know nothing about photography.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canong3

I will take your word that the G3 is a "first good camera". It sold for $699 new, so $40 for one now is indeed a good deal.

I will be looking for an affordable G3 with charger, battery, and manuals in the near future.

Thank you for your help, Olle!