Question about cameria for T pics.

[LadySharon]

Hi. I WAS going to post this in the pic section... but figured it would get moved.

It still might not be right because this isn't a question about T's themselves but rather.. about the camerias you guys use to take such wonderful pics.

My digital cameria is adverage and though it has a macro setting I still can't get good close pics. My 10 year old film camera (I think they call where you can swap the lenses out a SLR... correct me if I'm wrong) has served me well in the past... but I just tryed with it and can't get the desired close up ... the camera won't focas.
:wall:

I have been thinking of upgrading to a slr digital cameria. I'm willing to pay up to 1k for it. I want it to be similar to my film cameria in that it would have swapable lenses .. different auto settins as well as a manual setting.. and a blub setting that can be left on as long as I'd like.

I thought of you guys because most of you have GREAT up close and personal T pics. I've seen pics of 1 " slings on here that fill the cameria area and I'm thinking "that's a 1" sling? they must be 2" away from it with the camera how in the world do they get a sharp pic?"

So basicatly I'd like to know what you guys use to take these great pics. Make and model needed so I can look it up on the web.

thanks much.

Mods... you can move this if this isn't a good place for it... I just wasn't sure where to put it where people would see it.

Thanks
- Sharon

 

[Nerri1029]

First try this:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=69076&highlight=DSLR

or this:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=47647&highlight=digital

or
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=47376&highlight=digital

GOOD LUCK !!

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Hello

Even digital cameras with a "macro" setting are often poorly suited to true macrophotography. To maximize the success with your particular camera you should look in the manual to see what the minimum focusing distance is and make sure you aren't closer to your object. Set it to macro (usually a flower or tree icon or something) and then zoom in if necessary. This is the best you can do without having a very good digicam.

SLR stands for single lens reflex and it is indeed the term for cameras where you are seeing what you are capturing when looking in the viewfinder and lenses are interchangeable. These cameras - film or digital - will offer the best versatility due to being able to change lenses based on the exact need. My older Canon digicam does a poor job of taking images of small objects, such as spiderlings, but my Nikon SLR with a 100 mm Vivitar macro lens and a 1:1 adapter does pretty well. Having a 50 or 200 mm macro to use as needed would be even better, but few people have the luxury of three lenses just for macrophotography. Extension tubes and adapters are more economical. Your best results will be obtained by using manual focus and a greater depth of field such as f16 or f19.

If your old film SLR has some decent lenses you would probably do best buying a digital SLR that will accept the same lenses, which may mean buying the same brand. If the lenses you have will suit your needs for other types of photography you could buy the digital SLR body alone and add a 100 mm macro lens instead of buying a kit that comes with a general purpose lens that may be redundant with what you already have. Then again, 10 years is a long time with technology and you may not be able to use your old lenses at all.

For $1000 you can get a very nice digital set-up. Don't be overly concerned with the whole megapixel race. The camera companies are trying to convince people that they need a 20 megapixel camera when I have had posters made from images shot with the finest setting on a 2 megapixel camera. I'm not saying that more megapixels aren't good, I'm just saying that the cameras have already gone past the megapixel rating necessary for excellent photography and that number has become silly.

I recommend B&H Photo. You can get a nice SLR with a multi-purpose lens like a 28-80 mm and still have money left over from the $1000 to buy a 100 mm macro lens, especially if you look at some of the less expensive, but good, brands like Vivitar or Tamron instead of the Canon, Nikon, etc. lenses.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Michael

 

[jamesc]

camera

I am looking into getting a digital camera for taking pics of my collection and this is one guy that had some great ones http://atshq.org/forum/showthread.php?t=730
He is using a Kodak Z700 4mp digital camera. That camera is fairly inexpensive and and it takes great pictures of his T's and other stuff too. You can pick one up on ebay for like $100. So if that one takes such good pics then that should give you an idea.