Results 1 to 10 of 11

Thread: Camera For Jewellery.

Hybrid View

Previous Post Previous Post   Next Post Next Post
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default Camera For Jewellery.

    Hi Si,

    Welcome to the forum. How would you like to jump into the deep end with a photography question:

    I have a dedicated photography table with two banks of daylight fluorescents above and one optionally below. But as I know little about photography, I only have a Sony Cybershot compact, which has Magnifying glass, a Macro function and fairly simple programme options.

    If wanted to improve my photographs, particularly the depth of focus and the colour cast on white backgrounds, what is the most basic camera set up I could leave fixed to my table, for jewellery only?

    At present I set the White balance at +2.0EV but the background is still greenish. This is much improve if I use flash, but obviously gives unwanted reflections. Here are pictures from my album:
    http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/mem...tion-2011.html

    Regards, Dennis

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    England
    Posts
    1,902

    Default

    Hi Dennis,

    For increased depth of focus you really need a camera with a macro lens. I use a Nikon DSLR fitted with a 60mm Micro Nikkor lens. This lens has a minimum aperture of f32. which is great for the increased depth of focus on close up photos, but this type of photography comes at a cost. If you are wanting a digital compact then look at the Lumix LX5 or the Lumix FZ45, the LX5 has the best lens but the FZ45 is a great all rounder, both have Leica lenses. For fixing the greenish background colour invest in a decent Photoshop program. I use Photoshop 7.
    James

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    1,743

    Default

    I use a fairly ancient canon G5. It has a macro setting and I disable the flash. for the bigger stuff I use a light cube and lights, but for my smaller stuff and ebay photos I use an ice cream carton with a hole cut in it and a sheet of cartridge paper. Those pictures are more about showing the condition of the item though and not about making an artistic presentation. I really recommend using a tripod.

    I have an iMac so use the software on iPhoto if I need to adjust the balance. Generally the colour comes out ok, but what I do is adjust the exposure to slightly over expose and also reduce the colour saturation a smidge if I get a pinkish cast to the silver. I find photoshop very slow and convoluted to use but i have a really old version which for various reasons cannot be updated.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    Thank you for your input, James and Liz.

    I was within a whisker of ordering an LX5, which seemed more within my ability and price range, when I read in a review that the comparable Canon has better colour reproduction. All this conflicting advice is making me uncertain.

    I do tinker with my pictures using Photoshop Elements 9, choosing the guided option, but when I try to correct colour cast: ‘Click on an area that should be pure white, pure black, or pure grey’, the result is mostly worse. So I shall have to get help with that.

    My camera has Steady Shot, is fixed to the table with an adjustable clamp and I use the 2 second timer just to be sure, so I don’t think shake is a problem.
    My real problem is that, as I don’t sell anything, all this is just for vanity.

    Regards, Dennis.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    England
    Posts
    1,902

    Default

    Dennis I took a couple of test photos for you to compare, they are some stones, spread out about 2 inches from front to back and laid on grey card
    on a window sill in sunlight. One photo was taken using my Nikon DSLR fitted with a Nikkor 60mm. Micro lens set at aperture f32, camera and lens cost me over £1000. The other photo was taken with my recently purchased Lumix FZ45, set on aperture priority and f8, this camera is on sale at amazon for £238.60. I think you will see how good the Lumix is for it's cost.
    James

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	152 Gemstones Nikon at f32.jpg 
Views:	73 
Size:	52.1 KB 
ID:	3095Click image for larger version. 

Name:	151 Gemstones FZ45 at f8.jpg 
Views:	71 
Size:	44.4 KB 
ID:	3094

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Posts
    1,743

    Default

    if it's mostly correcting the colour cast, you should be able to sort that by increasing the exposure slightly and desaturating the colour. Apparently gimp is much easier than photoshop if you don't have a mac and access to iPhoto.

    All my stuff is taken on an ancient old camera using the auto programme and it's looks pretty good, I think...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Central London
    Posts
    8,845

    Default

    Thank you James, that is very helpful, but in my book the Nikon wins hands down for clarity of colour, unless the light was changing.

    Liz, I can only increase my present exposure by raising the EV and the maximum is +2.0, so I think a programme which tinkers with the background is my only further option. On top of that, this spell checker wants me to talk American and I won't do it. Dennis.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •