Need help picking a camera

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Imaging Resource Discussion : One Thread

I'm not very computer savvy, but have the need to take pictures of jewelry to put out on the net and would like to buy a camera. I know I need a macro lens, but that's about all I know. Anyone with experience out there with photographing jewelry with a digital? Any help most appreciated.

-- Grace Maxwell (kkat@erols.com), February 08, 1999

Answers

I think there was a thread on this forum a little while back about jewelry - you might try doing a search on the word "jewel" and see what turns up.

Depending on the camera, you may not need a separate macro lens - the built-in macro on many cameras will be sufficient. Check the "macro" test shots in the Comparometer to see how different models perform. (http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM) - Scroll down the left-hand nav bar when you get there, and click on the "macro" entry. Then, click on the links at the top of the screen to see how the different cameras did.

A big part of getting jewelry to look good is the lighting! You'll want to experiment with diffusers, etc (pros use big "soft boxes"), to get large expanses of white area for the metal and gem facets to reflect. One approach is to even build a little "light tent" around the object, out of tracing paper or other diffuser material. Poke the camera lens through a hole in the top, and shine bright lights on the sides. If you're serious about getting good results, it's worth a trip to a pro camera store with a well-equipped book section. Find some books on pro lighting tips for product photography, and buy them. - Lighting is THE trick to good-looking product pictures, *especially* jewelry!

Good luck!

-- Dave Etchells (web@imaging-resource.com), February 13, 1999.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ