taking super close up photos

[GandalfPC]

You can take some great shots with your digital camera by placing a loupe over the lens (as if it were your eye). You should set the camera on "Macro" or close-up mode if it has such settings.

You can even use optical and digital zoom to really bring things in close.

My camera has autofocus, which also seems to work just fine through the loupe (I used a 5x and a 10x, both perfect)

In order to do this effectively you should have the type of camera that has a small screen on the back, as you will need it to focus and aim through the loupe.

Here's a sample photo of a pallet from a size 12 Elgin (this is 1/3 of the actual pictures size, so it will display here easily - imagine it 3 times bigger!)

http://jasongoldman.com/elgin-pallet3.jpg

[This message has been edited by GandalfPC (edited 10-01-2002).]

[GandalfPC]

You can take some great shots with your digital camera by placing a loupe over the lens (as if it were your eye). You should set the camera on "Macro" or close-up mode if it has such settings.

You can even use optical and digital zoom to really bring things in close.

My camera has autofocus, which also seems to work just fine through the loupe (I used a 5x and a 10x, both perfect)

In order to do this effectively you should have the type of camera that has a small screen on the back, as you will need it to focus and aim through the loupe.

Here's a sample photo of a pallet from a size 12 Elgin (this is 1/3 of the actual pictures size, so it will display here easily - imagine it 3 times bigger!)

http://jasongoldman.com/elgin-pallet3.jpg

[This message has been edited by GandalfPC (edited 10-01-2002).]

[GandalfPC]

Here's the closest my Canon PowerShot S300 gets - 7.5x zoom on the camera, in macro mode, with a 10x loupe in front of the lens.

It is the upper balance jewel from my 12s Elgin. The photo is 1/2 size for display here...

http://jasongoldman.com/elgin-jewel.jpg

[Tom McIntyre]

These are great close-ups.

If your camera has both optical and digital zoom, only the optical zoom truly enlarges the image. The digital zoom is "empty" magnification in that the resolution does not change, only the size.

It may be slightly better than just enlarging the image with your picture software since the camera might use smart interpolation between the real pixels.

------------------
Tom McIntyre
NAWCC 2nd VP Candidate
Tommy the JOAT's Web (http://www.AWCo.org)

[Photogeek]

I have the luxury of having a macro lense through my line of work--being a photographer..
But if you are using a digital camera with a lense that has a macro setting, bring the ISO or ASA down as far as you can to 100 or even 50.
Shoot the piece you want, then crop the image. So even if the piece you want is half of the frame, cropping it tight will give the illusion of a close shot without losing too much resolution.
As suggested, the loupe idea is good too. It's a little tricky getting everything in alignment, but will work fine.
There are also closeup filter you can buy and put in the front of your SLR lense.
If you want to spend the money, a bellows attachment works like a charm.

Eric
Halifax

[This message has been edited by Photogeek (edited 10-01-2002).]

[Tom McIntyre]

If you are shooting digital, a bellows can be a bit of a challenge. My friend John Cote can put one on his new camera, but I have not been able to work my enthusiasm up that far yet. :smile:

------------------
Tom McIntyre
NAWCC 2nd VP Candidate
Tommy the JOAT's Web (http://www.AWCo.org)

[Photogeek]

I agree with the bellows. They are tricky. When I went to college to learn photography, we had several assignments with a 4X5 camera. That thing has more tilts, pans, shifts, etc. than you never want to deal with. However, having a 4" X 5" slide or negative was really nice.

The digital SLR's have a slight advantage. Most has a 1.3 enlargement of the image. So a 24mm lense is more like 35mm.
With a lense that has a macro setting, having a digital SLR can "squeeze out" a little more.

Cheers,
Eric
Halifax, NS

[Jerry Freedman]

My Nikon 995 can focus to less than one inch in the macro setting. I find this close enough for dials and movements. Super closeups would seem to call for a person with four hands. How can you hold a loup steady enough for the shot?

[Buchaneer]

Jerry:

I have a Nikon coolpix 995 too, any tips for shooting close-ups of watches and dials would be greatly appreciated.

Larry Buchan

[Lindell V. Riddle]

Jerry, Larry and all...

There seems to be only one camera design really suited to what we are all trying to do. The Nikon "family" of cameras with the "joint" in the middle such as the 995 you mention allow the user to do things that are otherwise impossible. I e-mailed some e-bay sellers with consistently post magnificent pictures for some advice, and the resounding response was in favor of these particular cameras! One even called me and explained how to properly set the camera. I think Tom McIntyre also uses one of these.

My immediate goal was to have a camera by my computer hooked up and ready to share pictures with our members at a moments notice. I also intend to keep it set up only for watch-related pictures in order to simplify matters, at least in my learning stages.

Being all thumbs with a camera and also a bit of a bargain hunter I called around to camera shops in my area and found a barely used Nikon 950 with box and papers which had been traded in on the newest model. I got the whole package including new rechargeable batteries and then also picked up the voltage adapter and a card reader. For less than $400.00 I seem to have everything I need! And besides, "950" is a natural RR watch number!

Now already I amaze myself with what I'm capable of doing with this very easy to use camera! My only problem is focus, it seems there are times the camera "over-thinks" itself but most of the time the results are amazing. The intense closeups are exceptionally clear and highly detailed. As you guys already know, you can see far more detail in the pictures than you will with a loupe!

You can hold a loupe over the lens between the first two fingers of your left hand and operate the 950 camera with the right. However, I've found that on my 950 if I keep pushing the "T" on the zoom in buttons it goes into an intense close-up mode. I'm sure someone with more knowledge can describe better what I'm trying to say but it works really well!

This discussion is very helpful to someone like me and I really appreciate it.

Lindell V. Riddle

NAWCC Life Member# 253-150074
Member of Chapters 10, 28, 37, 174, and NAWCC-***

<southbend@adelphia.net>

Phone: (440) 461-0167

[GandalfPC]

Well, my Canon PowerShot is a digital Elph (Canon's smallest cameras) and a loupe fits nicely over the lens (the lens fits inside the end of the loupe.) I still have to hold it between my thumb and first finger to keep it on, but it is very easy to keep steady. The left hand also provides some support to the camera, but the camera is mostly held in the right hand, with one finger on the button to take the shot. Because my camera is so small I have no trouble keeping things together and aimed, I can even easily adjust the zoom with my thumb.

For those with larger cameras, or with a need for free hands to manage manual focus, I would imagine that a piece of wire could be bent into a proper harness for the loupe to attach it hands free.