For close-up macro photography I need a digital SLR.

The Olympus D-2500 is one possible choice for a digital SLR camera under $1500. (see http://www.olympusamerica.com/product.asp?c=57&s=12&p=16&product=380)

The reason is that for macro photography one really must have an SLR camera. The vast majority of digital cameras are viewfinder point & shoots. This means looking thru a separate viewfinder to compose the picture, and the camera sees a slightly different view through the lens. This is okay for distances of 1 meter or more, but for close up photography, the disparity between the viewfinder and the photo lens becomes significant. Therefore the SLR is mandatory. Also important is the ability to take interchangeable lenses, and altho the Olympus can take add-on lenses, I do not know if there is a suitable lensing option for my requirements of imaging a 14mm x 16mm subject with a 110mm working distance. However it is a 2.5 megapixel (about 1400x1700) and is retailing for less than $1500 USD. This is a significant price breakthru since traditionally, digital SLRs have cost $5-10k.

Although this camera is close to what I need, I think the lens does not change out and I don't wnat to have to stack up close-up lenses on the filter threads.

Any suggestions for a digital SLR with interchangeable lens and support for external flash and external electrical shutter release (and costing less than $2500)???

-- Jon (jonmiles@pacbell.net), January 15, 2000

Answers

Correction: The Model Number of the Olympus SLR is C-2500L.

-- Jon (jonmiles@pacbell.net), January 15, 2000.

yeah, not many SLR options other than 2500, great camera. You're overlooking something major though. You can still frame shots with LCD. Anyway, even using a viewfinder, you'd quickly learn to adjust for parallax, you get immediate feedback from LCD how to adjust the shot. You just don't need to spend much to do awesome macro, I think you'd be floored at what people have done with a nikon 950 costing less than $900. This thing focuses 2cm. The hardest problem for me with macro is lighting. Actually that's the biggest problem for most of my photography, but especially macro, where harsh shadows or flash overexposure are nightmares. The trendy answer is ring flash, but can do just fine with a cheapo $20 slave triggers and vanilla external flashes. As a side effect, this solution means you do not need any flash sync ability built in to the camera. Finally you mention external shutter release as a must have, most of the digicams have a self timer you can use instead. I now have a sony 505, I already built a simple external slave flash, I just need to get a cheap $10 macro coupler so i can hook up a reversed 24mm lens. If this works I'll have one of the best digicam macros i

-- benoit (foo@bar.com), January 15, 2000.

Jon, we would all like to have what you describe at the preice you want to pay. I'm afraid it doesn't exist at this time. Digital cameras with interchangable lenses make a big jump up in price.

Keep in mind that most digital cameras with good macro capabilities also have an LCD viewing screen. It shows exactly what the lens sees, so parallax is not a problem.

-- Steve (milwaukeechrome@aol.com), January 15, 2000.

The illumination system I use is a custom built one (see http://www.miles research.com/main/products.htm for examples, and focussing needs to be within 0.1mm or less (I thought the LCD screen might not be adequate for such fine focus, but maybe so), so this is a specialized application (the subject is the iris of the eye), with a need to integrate the custom illuminator (both focussing light and flash are delivered thru fiberoptic lightguides). However there is also a demand for lower cost units which could use a reversed lens and a front-mounted strobe. I will keep an eye out for a good solution and post more info when I find it...I think it's just a matter of time, really.

-- Jon (jonmiles@pacbell.net), January 16, 2000.

Olympus will be offering a 5MP interchangeable lens SLR at the PMA Feb 21-27. See http://www.google.ca/search? num=100&hl=en&newwindow=1&q=Olympus+kaf5100ce+OR+kaf-5100ce

-- tOM Trottier (tom@abacurial.com), January 20, 2002.