Need Dig Cam For Close ups of my Flashlights

I need a Digital camera that will do good macro shots.
Under $500.00
Compact flash type 1
AA batts
These params are not set in stone.
TIA

Sony DSC-F717 or Sony DSC-F707 are excellent at macro shots.



that was taken with the F707, macro w/flash. The images are outstanding quality. ~$600

EDIT: It used the sony Memory Stick, which i have always liked. It can use the pro which i think you can get up to a gig.

Nice shots /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif
What mem doe's it use? Mem stick?
And what batts?
Thanks for quick response.

Its the Sony Memory stick, It uses a rechargable Lithium-Ion, that lasts for a LONG time. http://www.memorystick.com/en/
Pretty Much any sony device with a memory port uses the memory Stick, so you can use them for multiple things.

oh and it can also take pics in night vision, uses two IR LEDs, I dont know if you need that, but its a really cool feature.
It is a fantastic camera.

I just ordered a Canon A95 , its due to arrive on Friday /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I played with an A80 the other day, and it would let me get about 2" away, and focused great.
I also plan to get a few macro lens for it, that can make it take NIICE shots.
http://www.lensmateonline.com/A80macrocomp.html

I struggled with my choice of cam, I wanted to jump to DSLR, but, they are still too expensive, alittle over rated, and just plain out of my range. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I found the Canon A95 to be pretty much the BEST bang for your buck you can get.

Here are some macros I have taken, mostly with an HP 912, and a Canon A60.
http://www.jtice.com/images/galleries/macro/index.htm

hmm, my appologies for some of the thumbnails being missing, I will have to check on that tonight.

~John

I haaven't played much with the macro function in my Nikon 4300, but I know it's available... for waaaay less than $500. Maybe you can research the 5100 model? I had a friend who absolutely loved his 5100.

this is where i do most of my starting research, hopefully it will help:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/default.htm

[ QUOTE ]
mccavazos said:
Sony DSC-F717 or Sony DSC-F707 are excellent at macro shots.

that was taken with the F707, macro w/flash. The images are outstanding quality. ~$600

EDIT: It used the sony Memory Stick, which i have always liked. It can use the pro which i think you can get up to a gig.

[/ QUOTE ]

The F707 is only able to use up to 128mb. The F717 is able to use MS Pros which currently goes up to 2GB.

I've found nightshot better on the F707 when compared to the F828.

Geoff

taken with an ancient sony fd-71

Lots o' cameras now have good macro functionality. A buddy let me borrow his Nikon E990 back in 2000.
Here's a picture I took of my old Nokia 6100.

.

I can't imagine what they can do now...
Oh, wait, I can, I went to ticey's site. Cool Pix, jtice!!

Danno

Most cameras these days can take fine macro shots, but don't overlook something as simple as using an external magnifying lens if you want to get even closer. It sounds fairly lame, I know, but it works pretty well.

Here are some examples (the first ones were taken with a lens that wasn't very strong, the last ones are obviously pretty darn close up.)


LS Semi Close
Blade o' grass
Little furry looking catepillar, about the size of a smallish fingertip joint.

Arc AAA Knurling (I didn't resize this one as much as the others.)
5W Die

As you can see the lens provides a very small field of focus, but for those of us who are cheap, it's an adequate substitute!

Thanks for your input folks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif
Jtice I just picked up the A95 and WOW! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif

Beamhead,

Sweet ! hope you like it, cuz I cant wait to get mine this Friday ! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I love it. I am no photo buff and must study the manual, but so far it takes great shots! Macros are great.
Thanks again!!

Any camera that has threads on the lens should be OK, since you can use the screw-in macro lenses. I have some for my HP 945.

[larger 1024x768 image]

The 945 uses AA batteries, has 5 megapixels, and has an 8x optical zoom, but downside to the 8x zoom is that it's a bit larger than most cameras in its class.

(Disclaimer: I work for HP)

Just to clearify something Tyler said...

Just cuz you dont see threads at the end of the cameras lens doesnt mean it cant take add-on lens.
For example, and A series cameras from Canon are all able to take add-ons, there is a ring that you unscrew from around the stock lens.
Then an adaptor is screwed onto that, that allows you to attach the add-on lens.

Heres some lens I plan on getting for my A95.
http://www.lensmateonline.com/A80adapter.htm

There are other things you can do to make macro closeups. One of my favorite tricks is to use the highest possible setting (something around 2560x1920) and the macro. Then I crop it to the 640x480 section (or smaller) that I really want before posting it to the web. That gives another 4x magnification.

Daniel

check out any of the Nikon coolpix,they got good close ups.

I have the least expensive Nikon Coolpix digicam, all in this series have the same close-up focus capability. You can get in very close...but larger lenses usually give sharper images. All lenses that are not a dedicated macro only lens, will be a compromise in quality of image. Best macro only lens for digicams are naturally, the high priced lens for the high-end professional digital SLR's. Slightly lower in quality/sharpness of image would be the less expensive digital SLR's like the Canon EOS digital Rebel or Nikon D-70. Both will cost you more than $1,000, but you will get superb results. Any of the other digicams sacrifice quality for utility, and lower cost considerations.

I do not recommend any auto focus macro lens capable digicam. My Nikon is a PITA to use for quality close-up work. Manual focus and exposure control, allow you to get better pictures. A problem with lower quality macro lenses is that they are not sharp at the corners of the image frame. Using macro lens will also limit your depth of field. A true digital SLR with dedicated macro only lens, will allow you to use the highest aperture setting for the lens (if you have enough light to take a proper exposure) and gain some depth of field. If you want to have the entire body of a flashlight in focus, sometimes a zoom lens at extended to maximum zoom, will focus close enough to get a large enough image of the flashlight in the frame. With manual control over focus and exposure, use a magnifying glass to enlarge the puny LCD screen, to help you get best focus. Photographic review sites will typically post a resolution chart to show how sharp an image(high resolution) an lens can capture, as well as of axis/corner aberrations. They don't often post resolution chart shots for the macro function of less expensive digicams. The link to Steve's digicams is good, but check these picks :
http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM?view=dp_macro

Word to the wise, notice the specs on just how close these cameras focus, some will not get in all that close, so you might not get the magnified image you want. Also, just because the camera can focus to a certain number if inches in front of the camera, doesn't necessarily tell you how much magnification will show up in the image. A dedicated SLR macro lens may be able to have 20x magnification, while the lens itself at maximum close-up focus, maybe 12 inches away from the subject. An inexpensive macro capability digicam may focus to 2inches in front of the lens, but the image it captures may be of lesser magnification and more shallow depth of field!

Always use a tripod!, and always use self-timer or remote shutter release (if you must take a handheld shot, then try a model with optical image stabilization feature). A tripod will keep the camera steady and eliminate any camera shake induced blurring, same with using self-timer or remote, your finger pressure on the shutter release will induce some minute amount of camera vibration which will keep you from getting a super sharp image. Use as uniform/low contrast lighting as possible. Digicams have less exposure latitude (dynamic range...except for multi $$$$ pro-digicams) than film based photography. In other words the darkest areas in your image and brightest area in the image are limited to a certain range that the digicam sensor can render detail with. Flat, non-contrasty light, as bright as possible, will allow you to photograph a black flashlight, and have all the minute details of the design show up in your picture.

I had a royal, royal PITA time taking pictures and lighting of the black M*glite parts for my upcoming thread on cleaning M*g electrical contacts.

Use of an image editing program is highly recommended to correct for exposure limitations/errors. Photoshop Elements has many of the capabilities you need to enhance images taken with your digicam; as the professional level full Photoshop program I used extensively, to try to get sharper and better images from the inadequate Nikon Coolpix 775 I have.

From reports by consumer reviewers, the Cannon Powershot line is your best bet. They dont bost big mega pixels but word is the pictures they take are in sharp focus. Consumer reviews also rate sony as "Over rated."