My current camera is a PITA and the auto focus flat out refuses to take any closeup pics. No matter how i have it set the camera needs to be at least 50 cm away from the target. This make trying to take pics of flowers, pods, etc, all most impossible as they just come out as a blob. can anyone recommend a cheap camera that will do closeups? a current easy to find model preferably.
-
We welcome content that is not political, divisive, or offensive. If we feel your content leans this way or has the potential to, it may be removed at any time. A hot pepper forum is not the place for such content. Thank you for respecting the community!
recommendations for cheap camera that will take closeups?
- Thread starter TheFanMan
- Start date
It's not the camera itself, per se, that is the problem, but the lense. Pretty much all point-and-shoot cameras come with a wide-angle lense, some better and some worse, but "wide-angle" should tell you it's not really meant for close-ups. What you can try (if your camera has a zoom feature) is, instead of trying to get close with the camera, back a way and zoom in with the lense. If you don't have a zoom feature, you're kind of stuck. You have two options with a new camera - zoom and macro. Most cameras don't come with a macro feature, certainly not in the "cheap" range. However, you might do better getting a cheap camera body that will accept both a wide-angle lense and a macro lense, then find each of those to manually mount on the body as desired. I'd recommend going to a few camera stores and have the person helping you demonstrate both zoom and macro, and make up your own mind about which better meets your needs, whether you go with a body/lense combo or just a point-and-shoot with better features.
what's the price range?
Nikon 1J1 is @$350
http://reviews.cnet....7-35020104.html
1J2 is @$400 http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/nikon-1-j2-with/4505-6501_7-35411010.html
Nikon 1J1 is @$350
http://reviews.cnet....7-35020104.html
1J2 is @$400 http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/nikon-1-j2-with/4505-6501_7-35411010.html
Unless I missed it, the above links do not describe the closest focusing length. That is the most important answer when selecting for MACRO. For example, my Canon 100 mm MACRO can focus at 1 foot from a subject and is 1:1 ratio.
I used a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27 point and shoot for almost all my pics last season. Takes really good macro, but focusing can be tricky. I am now using a Canon EOS...I still find myself grabbing the lumix from time to time. Great little camera. You can also try forcing it to focus on the object you're trying to shoot by putting your hand or something behind it to keep it from autofocusing on the wrong thing...good luck!
Here are a few lumix shots...
Anyway...great little camera, but I think I will be using the DSLR for most of my pics this season. Good luck!
Here are a few lumix shots...
Anyway...great little camera, but I think I will be using the DSLR for most of my pics this season. Good luck!
+1 on putting a hand behind the object. You can pull your hand out of the way and shoot before it tries to refocus. You can resize the pics too. Your camera can't be any crappier than the cell cam I use. How close do you want to get? See the pollen in the flowers or just a clear shot?
Afraid willard3 is right. You can get the occasional good pic from a cheap camera but you're going to shoot 25-30 of them to do it. I have a point and shoot myself but it wasn't cheap and it does a great job for me. I'm not into camera's so I don't want to spend hundreds/thousands on bodies and lenses. I use a Sony DSC-HX9V.
any canon powershot with a macro setting will take a halfway decent close up if there is enough light. the MACRO setting is the little flower thing that reminds me personally of the Super Mario World fire flower... I mean they're not going to be stunning art gallery photo quality, but shots for your glog will be fine. There are a wide range of power shots. I've found that the Macro setting on my phone's camera actually does a pretty good job too... just make sure its set to macro, and try putting something behind the subject to give the camera a clear object to focus on like the others have suggested with your hand, or a white piece of paper.
btw, this was taken with my camera phone:
Super mario world fire flower vs macro sign
btw, this was taken with my camera phone:
Super mario world fire flower vs macro sign
I bought this for that purpose. My good stuff was ripped off and after doing a lot of review searching I got this for about 200-220 at Fry's. It has a macro feature and can focus down to less then half a inch. While it will not give you the results of a really nice dedicated setup, its good enough. pp
http://www.dphotojournal.com/nikon-coolpix-s8200-reviews-sample-photos/
Samples
. If you zoom in on the moth you can see what kind of detail you are dealing with.
I would use a tripod if you were going to do super closeups, or rest it on something solid.My 2 cents. pp
http://www.dphotojournal.com/nikon-coolpix-s8200-reviews-sample-photos/
Samples
. If you zoom in on the moth you can see what kind of detail you are dealing with.
I would use a tripod if you were going to do super closeups, or rest it on something solid.My 2 cents. pp
Very good advice, especially if the shutter speed is 1/60th of a second or less.
And, when using a tripod I suggest you use the self timer feature on the camera or a cable release, using your finger to depress the shutter will cause the camera to move.
I don't know what the budget is here, but I do know a thing or two about photography, and I completely agree with Sudostahp. In the world of Canon (and Nikon) you are buying the glass. The camera body can be as inexpensive as the features you are looking for will allow it to be. Camera bodies are upgraded and released for sale MUCH faster with MUCH larger abilities than their lenses... and those camera bodies that are being replaced by consumers go on sale for discount prices on EBay, etc. all the time.
If you want to do serious macro photography SLR cameras are truly your only option, but since this thread started out with the word "cheap", I'm guessing that's not the case. I have an old Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150 that I bought, yeesh, probably a decade+ ago that I used for close up photos of my architectural models in college. It's a point and shoot with a macro function. Worked like a champ... still does.
I'd suggest you look into used cameras that have the functions you are looking for. That's your best bet if you are looking for something that isn't a budget-buster.
Define "cheap?"
I bought this FujiFilm Finepix S5200 back in 2005 and although it is only a 5.1 megapixel camera it takes great photos including macro shots.
They stopped making it years ago but used ones can be found for a good price. It was highly rated by every review I saw when I purchased it.
Here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co...=fujifilm s5200
Here is a macro shot I did with mine:
But then there is a real MACRO lens...Define "cheap?"
I bought this FujiFilm Finepix S5200 back in 2005 and although it is only a 5.1 megapixel camera it takes great photos including macro shots.
They stopped making it years ago but used ones can be found for a good price. It was highly rated by every review I saw when I purchased it.
Here it is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.co...=fujifilm s5200
Here is a macro shot I did with mine:
But then there is a real MACRO lens...
True but at what price?
I come from a family of photographers so I know what money can buy, I was recommended something "cheap" as per the OP.
Well there is this from a Sony DSC-N1 - I was just proving the points above, you get what you pay for and if you want a point and shoot you need to know what you are doing to get epic MACRO shots. I am not a pro by any means but have sold photos and have 12+ friends that shoot for a living. Your shot is good but would not consider it MACRO, most groups I belong to on Flickr would reject the shot as MACRO since to them it means details unable to be seen with the naked eye. Not knocking your photo so do not take it that way, guess it all depends on the level of shot this person wants on their peppers.True but at what price?
I come from a family of photographers so I know what money can buy, I was recommended something "cheap" as per the OP.
