is this a good camera for t/insect photography?

Alice

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hi all,

ich can get a brandnew Samsung Digimax S1000 for only 150 bucks. so has anyone any experience with this cam and macro photography? should i get it? i need it for spiders/insects mostly, as i already have a digicam that is fine for holiday pics but sucks at capturing small stuff.
thnx!
 

Talkenlate04

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Its not that bad of a camera. Your not going to have tons of control on manual things, this camera thinks for itself really. It has pre sets on how close its going to let you get and still produce clear focused pics.

Honestly I'd hold off save a smidge more money and go for a low end cannon EOS, might run you a 150 more for a basic model but you will be glad in the end that you did not go with a point and shoot camera. Do some research, there are other choices out there, but a removable lens camera is going to allow you to add to at some point. Like the Nikon I am going to get the d40x, it will allow me when I can afford it to buy better micro lenses.

I dont know I guess its a personal decision. I just like knowing that I can make the camera better at some point if I want to, where as with a point and shoot you have your limits right off the bat.
 

SavageDigital

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hi all,

ich can get a brandnew Samsung Digimax S1000 for only 150 bucks. so has anyone any experience with this cam and macro photography? should i get it? i need it for spiders/insects mostly, as i already have a digicam that is fine for holiday pics but sucks at capturing small stuff.
thnx!
Actually that camera has a manual mode, and a minimum focus distance of 4cm in Macro mode (closer focusing generally = greater magnification) - so it'll do basic macro photography just fine. However most people have the erroneous concept that the body make the images, when it's light and the lens. Getting good quality light, steadying the shot (in hand with fast shutter or mounted on a tripod) with take you a long way - even with a P&S. All a D-SLR can do is make things more complicated and more expensive at this point.

Getting unqualified advice is far too easy, I'd suggest you find a photography board and ask your photography related questions there (and your tarantula question here). Of course you can always come to Archnocon and I'll teach you everything you need to know... : )
 

Talkenlate04

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Body does have something to do with it............Unless you are a pro with a box camera. (which by the way I see some of the best pics come from box cameras)
Basic cameras limit the amount of manipulation you can do when it comes to shutter speed,aperture, timing.
Id like to think that everyone wants to get somewhat better at something when they start it. So if you get a slightly higher model (nothing costing 1000's of dollars), but one costing 2-3 hundered one that will let you teach yourself the do's and don'ts it at least gives you room to grow in the hobby of taking pictures. Where as some cameras limit severely what you can and can not do.

Turning the dial to macro is not a manual mode. Yes that camera lets you do 4cm micro pics(which is fine for most people it does work well) but none of the focusing is done by you. Its still a point and shoot camera. But I covered that already.

Your not going to have tons of control on manual things, this camera thinks for itself really.
 

Alice

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lol, sounds kind of kinky... and arachnocon is a few thousand miles too many for me right now :(

maybe next year... so who of you is going to take me in, paying for the flight will aready ruin me;)

at the moment, i have next to no experience with photography. that's why i asked if someone has any experience with that cam. i'm not looking for a high end thing right now but for something to start with and still get some decent shots.
hm, it's a pity noone seems to use that thing, its 50% off as a local store is going out of business...

edit: just saw your reply talkenlate. hm. maybe i'll get on a photography board after all first. money is not really my problem right now (meaning, i would be willing to spend more than a few hundred on a really good cam), but i don't want to get anything too fancy just in case i prove too inept to make it work ;)
 

Talkenlate04

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lol, sounds kind of kinky... and arachnocon is a few thousand miles too many for me right now :(

maybe next year... so who of you is going to take me in, paying for the flight will aready ruin me;)

at the moment, i have next to no experience with photography. that's why i asked if someone has any experience with that cam. i'm not looking for a high end thing right now but for something to start with and still get some decent shots.
hm, it's a pity noone seems to use that thing, its 50% off as a local store is going out of business...
I have used it, it is a good camera. Its going to get you pics you want. But if you wanted to learn on a camera and maybe get better over time, this camera is to limited for that. I just threw that out there incase you wanted to avoid buying two cameras.

But if its just for pics of Ts. This camera will do the job and give you great pics.
 

Alice

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that's what i'm pondering... great, another expensive, time-consuming hobby is what i need right now (see edit above).
 

SavageDigital

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Turning the dial to macro is not a manual mode. Yes that camera lets you do 4cm micro pics(which is fine for most people it does work well) but none of the focusing is done by you. Its still a point and shoot camera. But I covered that already.
Well I know my photographic knowledge can't complete with yours - you just know too much...about everything :rolleyes:.

(which by the way I see some of the best pics come from box cameras)
I think that pretty much sums up your actual experience level in this subject...

Alice, you just keep listening to internet experts like "talkenlate04" and they'll take you just as far as they've gone. But you might want him to show you how he's put his vast knowledge to work (maybe post some samples?) and that way you can see where reality begins and the google-expert talk stops.
 

Hamburglar

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Don't forget a tripod...like Randy said.. I have been into photography for many years and one thing I have learned for sure is that macro shots can be tricky hand held..Very important to remember that... I also agree that if you are buying a camera with interchangable lenses fast lenses are more important than a fancy body.. I have a zoom lens that wasn't exactly cheap... but my fast little fixed 50mm..blows it away everytime
 

Talkenlate04

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Don't forget a tripod...like Randy said.. I have been into photography for many years and one thing I have learned for sure is that macro shots can be tricky hand held..Very important to remember that... I also agree that if you are buying a camera with interchangable lenses fast lenses are more important than a fancy body.. I have a zoom lens that wasn't exactly cheap... but my fast little fixed 50mm..blows it away everytime
I agree 100%, without a tripod true clairity in a macro picture will never be achieved. Just the beat of your heart and breathing and un steadiness of your hands is enough to compromise pics.
 

Drachenjager

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Well I know my photographic knowledge can't complete with yours - you just know too much...about everything :rolleyes:.


I think that pretty much sums up your actual experience level in this subject...

Alice, you just keep listening to internet experts like "talkenlate04" and they'll take you just as far as they've gone. But you might want him to show you how he's put his vast knowledge to work (maybe post some samples?) and that way you can see where reality begins and the google-expert talk stops.
yeah dont listen to internet experts ... especially the ones who act like they know what they are talking about lol
gheesh dud lighten up. Photography equipment has a lot to do with personal preferance not FACTS, thats why i shoot a Nikon, i am sure a canon would do me a fine job but i prefer the Nikon(after shooting canon from the days whe an A-1 was the top of the line 35 mm body)
yes for most people a PS is fine and a good photographer with a decent PS camera will always take better photos than a bad photographer with top notch equipment, but... maybe you will want to do somethign more with it later... Of course you can just spend the 150 and if you want to do somethign differant later just buy waht you need . Id imagine that camera will do all you need of it right now
 

Alice

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thnx a lot for all the answers!

well, i guess i'll have a look at my bank account and have the cat neutered and if there's money left, i'll just go for it. i can always give it to my mum if i decide to buy a better cam ;)
 

tony77tony77

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I have a canon sd750 and it take pretty good mirco shots, yeah its all about lighting and Photoshop will help out ALOT. You just have to mess with it and get the right settings.... lighting and photoshop makes a BIG diff.
 

Talkenlate04

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Lol you can come teach me! Photoshop and I dont get along. I had never used it till about a month ago. Its and interesting program. My sister is sending me a program she uses at her arts school thats supposed to be much better, to me that equals more complicated :D.
 

tony77tony77

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I'm a graphic designer and been using photoshop for over 5 years so its like walking to me...but if you don't know photoshop it can be very complicated at first but if you learn PS it will make a huge diff. Whats the name of the program that your sister sending you? Photoshop is the best photo editing program out there that I know of.


Lol you can come teach me! Photoshop and I dont get along. I had never used it till about a month ago. Its and interesting program. My sister is sending me a program she uses at her arts school thats supposed to be much better, to me that equals more complicated :D.
 

Talkenlate04

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I'm a graphic designer and been using photoshop for over 5 years so its like walking to me...but if you don't know photoshop it can be very complicated at first but if you learn PS it will make a huge diff. Whats the name of the program that your sister sending you? Photoshop is the best photo editing program out there that I know of.
I will find out when I talk to her next, I have no clue what its called. Shes sending that and some program where you can make 3D games. Like you can take the setting of a story or movie, like princess bride for instance, and make everything you see 3D and an interactive game.
When it comes to computers I am a bit.......... slow is not the right word. But I have to see things done and do them myself once or twice before it sticks.
Hey do you know of a program that can help teach me to use photoshop? About all I can do is mess a bit with the lighting and contrast and take away red eye. :8o
 

tony77tony77

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The best way to learn Photoshop is buy a book or a video on how to use the program. you can also go to google.com and type in "photoshop tips" there are alot of website out there that will help u out... also if you go to Youtude.com and type in "photoshop" they have some step by step video on how to use it. Hope that helps.
 

TheDarkFinder

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It can have a lot to do with the camera, there are people that can use any camera to take a good picture, but some of that is knowing that you are not going to get some pictures.

Here is and experiment. One of these pictures was taken with a canon powershot A550 (paid $130) the other was taken with the kit lens on canon 20d (paid $2000). My wife took the picture and she has medium photo skills.

Tell me which one is the 150 dollar camera and the 2000 dollar camera.
Yes the subject shifted. Here is a hit it took many shots to get the cheap camera to work, it took one to get the 20d to work.
And these pictures are acceptable to her, which is 90% of photography. Both pictures where photo shopped to make the picture acceptable, by me. The 150 was just miserable until photo shopped.
 
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TheDarkFinder

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I think that pretty much sums up your actual experience level in this subject...

Alice, you just keep listening to internet experts like "talkenlate04" and they'll take you just as far as they've gone. But you might want him to show you how he's put his vast knowledge to work (maybe post some samples?) and that way you can see where reality begins and the google-expert talk stops.
I'm not an expert, not even close. But please tell me how you can compare a rebel xt or a 40d nikon to a Hasselblad 503CWD or H3D, which I would call the new "box" camera. If you would consider them even close, even to the film version of Hasselblad, then I question your knowledge. Yes you are a better photographer then I, but I'm happy with room to improve and to wonder the path of learning.

I'm not saying that Hasselblad will make you a professional, but it will make a good photographer better.

As you micro lens, micro flash, and 2000+plus camera makes you a better photographer.
 
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