Camera for taking scorpion pictures?

[darrelldlc]

Hi all I need a digital camera so I can take pictures of my scorpions. Does anyone have suggestions as to what kind, how many megapixels or other close up or zoom features I would need to take crisp colorful pictures of my pets? Can this be had for 200 dollars and under? any info would be greatly appreciated as my wife and I have never owned a digital camera before.
Thank you
Cordially,
Darrell.

 

[Nikos]

try searching for "digital" in the watering hole. I think this topic has been brought up several time there.

 

[Kugellager]

Darrell, I would recommend something over 5 megapixels in resolution. A macro or close-up function is a MUST. Cameras in the 5mp can be found for slightly more than your limit...4mp cameras which are adequate can be found in your price range...I think.

John
];')

 

[arachnoid]

I use a Sony Cybershot DSC-V1 5.0. The greatest thing with this one is the ability to take movies and stills in the dark. Not exactly cheap but very much well worth it.

Makes me feel like a Geraldo Rivera reporting live from Baghdad

 

[arachnoid]

Here's a pic I just took. The room was pitch dark with exception of a red heat lamp I had shining on a H. arizonzensis:

 

[arachnoid]

same thing but this time with a black light...

 

[darrelldlc]

Thanks for all the help guys! the info will prove very useful!

 

[arachnoid]

I know its not highly detailed and theres almost zero color but the potential is there. One of these days I'll make some night time MPEGS of my scorps going about their business. This camera also will also come in handy for my H. lividum and Usambara T's who I almost never see except when I wake up late at night to go pee.

 

[defour]

In the lower price ranges (under $400) Nikon cameras had dramatically better macro capabilities than any of the others, at least as of six months ago when I bought mine, and this can be a bigger consideration than the megapixel rating. For instance, a Sony 5 MP camera I had for awhile covered an area roughly 4 x 6 inches at its closest focus setting; I got rid of it and bought a Nikon of the same price but was a 4 MP camera. At its closest focus it covers an area about .75 x 1 inch; if I cropped down an image from the Sony to that size I'd be left with a photo containing a small fraction of the amount of information present in the shot from the Nikon, so the higher total imaging power of the Sony essentially goes to waste in close up situations. The Nikon has a very good manual focus mode, too. These cameras are around $380, but some of the cheaper Nikons have the same close focus abilities, and even with less than 4 MP you'd come out ahead in the pixel vs. close focus coverage equation. Imaging-resource.com is a great place to get detailed specs for cameras; I would start there to find which one fits your needs the best.

Steve