Digital for web/ brochure shots of jewelry

[marke_gilbert]

I was recently posed a question, and thought I would open it up for

some input--

 

<P>A friend is looking for a digital camera to photograph jewelry, for

web presentation and brochures. She is thinking DSLR and macro lens,

which of course, would be ideal-- but it also seems like it could be a

bit of overkill to me, as we are looking at limited use and probably

less than "unlimited" funds.

 

<P>Is there a good alternative with substantial macro capability, full

manual control, at a reasonable price?

[godfrey]

A good fixed-lens digital camera that can take screw-in filters would do just fine. I'd

recommend something like the Konica Minolta A200. It has an excellent lens and plenty of

resolution.

 

For small, three dimensional objects like jewelry, you want a longish focal length that can

focus close, a tripod to stabilize the camera properly. The A200 has macro built in that

operates at two focal lengths, long and short, but it probably isn't quite capable of getting

close enough at the long focal length for jewelry. That's where the filter thread comes in:

fit a quality close up lens, +2 to +4 diopters, stop the lens down, and you can made some

excellent macros in the required range.

 

Godfrey

[Hector Javkin]

I wonder if a DSLR with a macro lens is really ideal for this application. A digicam with close focusing and manual control may do better, because of the huge depth of field that small sensors provide.

 

I don't have a recommendation, except to take a cloth and some jewelry to a camera store counter to experience the handling of different digicams. A Panasonic FZ20 can certainly do this kind of work, but it has features which she doesn't need.

[klix]

For this type of photography, lighting is critical. See link. You can buy this or something like it, or even build one.

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=PA36PUPB&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=380717

 

KL

[athinkle]

I'd have to agree that a fixed lens digicam that can take close-up diopters is probably the best route to go. They really do get much better depth of field right out of the box due to the very short focal lengths they must use for their smaller sensors. I would like to add that you might look for one that can take a ringlight flash, as the soft, diffuse lighting can work better for reflective subjects such as metal. I know Nikon and Canon make nice macro flashes, as does minolta although I don't know if the A200 can use them. A DSLR with all the requisite gear will be too expensive and harder to use anyway.

[jcuknz]

Lets get real on this .. previous threads have established, in my mind anyway, that the APS DSLR has the tightest 'natural' focusing ability when using a 'macro' lens .. but complete overkill for web use.

Any point and shoot, with ot without manual focusing, of limited resolution will do the job provided it is equipted with a close-up lens to permit it's telephoto end of the zoom to be used close. Most digicams only focus close at wide-angle and at that setting take in the 'whole world'. But since you don't need more than around 800x640 pixels for a web picture you can afford to crop even a 3Mp camera's shot.

As mentioned above it is the lighting which is most important and the use of a light tent, or white bucket the simplest way of achieving this. [ 50c at local hardware store? Cut a hole in the bottom to suit the camera lens]. Automatic white balance will cover most situations it is used under, except tungsten/halogen in my experience. Color fidelity is not critical becuase who knows how well the monitor of the person viewing the image is calibrated :-)

[edgreene]

This shot: taken with my Panasonic DMC-FZ20 in macro mode, natural light. <p>While there are other cameras out there, I bought this camera for its Leica lens and super-zoom, not suspecting it is also a superior macro shooter.<div></div>