Best lens / accessory for jewellery photography

<p>I have Canon EOS 450D with Canon 50mm 1.8 lens, kit lens 18-55 and 55-250 canon lenses.</p>

<p>I want to undertake jewellery photography <strong>WITHOUT</strong> investing in a Micro lens. </p>

<p>The end results are for the web ONLY and not print, so that final image size will be 800 x 600px. But the image quality should be good. <br>

Images quality required should be as per this sample: </p>

<p><a href="http://www.zalando.nl/konplott-ringen-multicolor-k2851f02l-917.html">http://www.zalando.nl/konplott-ringen-multicolor-k2851f02l-917.html</a></p>

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<p>Get a small sensor compact and good lighting would do. No need for EOS/dslr lenses...</p>

<p>Yes, a small sensor camera often has very good macro capabilities. But, before you buy anything, try using your 50mm 1.8 and crop. </p>

<p>And, like Leslie said, lighting is very important. I quickly shot this using a poor man's very small softbox, one speedlight pointed at a white card.</p>

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<p>A great low cost lens for this use would be the Canon 50mm 2.5 CM. I believe these go for under $200 used.</p>

<p>Or, here is the 50mm 1.8 with a 25mm extension tube. No crop needed, so it is sharper. If you are shooting small rings, the 25mm is a good choice, for slightly larger items, the 12mm might be better.</p><div></div>

<p>+1 for the extension tubes. Get a Kenko set with the electrical contacts -- about $100, as I recall.</p>

<p>If you want jewels to glitter, use a multitude of tiny lights at least a few feet away, and also use a black velvet background. Don't use a light tent. Photographing metals is entirely different and is more difficult to do well.</p>

<p>The examples above are taken of a flat object, with jewelry you'll run into issues around depth of field. I suggest looking software like Helicon Focus : http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconfocus.html</p>

<p>It does some amazing things to extend the depth of field via focus stacking. The software makes the entire process easy. You can get a demo copy to test.</p>

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<p><strong><em>Best lens / accessory for jewellery photography?</em></strong></p>

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<p>The best accessory to make image as per your sample, would be a LIGHTING TENT, which you could make yourself; and then learning how to use it, either with Sunlight or Flash or Hot Lights.</p>

<p>***</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p><strong><em>I have Canon EOS 450D with Canon 50mm 1.8 lens, kit lens 18-55 and 55-250 canon lenses . . .jewellery photography WITHOUT investing in a Micro lens. . . end results are for the web ONLY . . . the image quality should be good. . . as per this sample: </em></strong></p>

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<p>For the results and quality required to display in line on a web page, you have all the lens/camera gear you need – you just need to get your head around the lighting required to make the style of image you require for advertising.</p>

<p><strong>In regard to the Camera and lens(es) you have:</strong><br>

With your 55 to 250 set at about FL = 100mm and using an easily workable SD (Subject Distance) of about 6ft. (2mtrs) and using an aperture of around F/11~F/16 you will have a DoF of about 4inches, or more (about 100mm).<br>

That DoF should be adequate for a ‘top down view’ of a dress ring or other small item, as per your sample.<br>

Using an ISO of about 400, correct exposure and efficient Post Production sharpening, will ensure you have the quality required for Web Display after you make the crop in Post Production.<br>

Understanding the lighting and how to do that to get the result you want (like a white background for example) is the key to your task.<br>

This very quickly made image demonstrates the procedure and the resultant DoF obtained using the 55 to 250 at about FL =110mm.<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/16558699-lg.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="700" /> <br>

Tech – EOS20D + EF-S 55 to 200<br>

Shooting: SD = 7ft; FL= 109mm; F/13 @ 1/200s @ ISO400; HH; IS on; AWB.</p>

<p>***<br>

On another note -<br>

If you do choose to buy the Kenko Rings (which IMO are NOT necessary for this task) - then ensure the SECOND SERIES of the ‘DG’ version.<br>

As well as having electrical contacts (as mentioned) it is important that you get the rings which are EF-S mount compatible, should you choose to use either of your EF-S Lenses with the tubes.<br>

The Kenko Tubes which are EF-S Mount Compatible, will have a ‘mount alignment’ WHITE DOT, which is situated on the FEMALE end of each ring (shown here, the three rings stacked together, on the right of this image):<br>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/14372698-md.jpg" alt="" width="680" height="486" /></p>

<p>WW </p>

 

<p>I dont do this any more but I agree with William's advice - a lighting tent is the best accessory. by the way your 50mm on a reversing ring makes a great macro lens although you will have to play around to get the right exposure</p>

<p>Thank you Mathew, I will try shooting with the 50mm before anything trick.</p>

<p>A lighting tent, as mentioned, is key, as are extension tubes and a decent lens. Shoot at low ISOs and don't be afraid to crop when doing your Raw conversion.</p>

<p><img src="http://digitalstudio.in/images/jewellery-photography/bangles-1.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /><br>

Taken with 18-55 kit lens.</p>

<p>Are you happy with the result?<br>

It appears quite acceptable for Web Page Advertising.<br>

Assuming you used continuous lighting - you might try using F/11 @ 1/15s: - the lens would display better IQ better at that Aperture – but more importantly, would render a bit more DoF at the edges of the bangles, viewing forward.</p>

<p>WW</p>

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