Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message
...
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk


I have a Samsung GX 10 and am very pleased with it.

However it is a 'professional' camera and I do use it for professional and
official work
With a zoom lens you can get very good close ups from a distance.

Mike


--

....................................

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

....................................

On 30/09/2011 12:14, Jake wrote:
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

It might be worth practising with your camera to see how well it
performs at macro. Some will only focus correctly in macro mode if the
lens is at a very particular focal length usually shortest, but
sometimes middle or longest. If the front element of your camera lens is
threaded then you could get close up lenses to put on the front.

A handful will focus right up to the surface of the front element - most
will lose focus lock at about 2"/5cm.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

For macro photography a proper viewfinder is a big disadvantage unless
you have a through the lens DSLR. The viewfinder parallax errors when
you get close to something are huge. If it is centred in the viewfinder
then it is not in front of the main camera lens!

You should not need to spend much more than £100 to get something fairly
capable in this department - for instance the Lumix FS35
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-Lu...f=pd_rhf_p_t_1

(though other slightly more expensive ones may be better suited)

I find my Ixus 100IS somewhat frustrating to use in macro mode. If you
are serious about high quality close-ups then a DSLR is the best bet.

Worth asking specifically in rec.photo.digital (but beware of the
trolls) - someone might have experience of best buy P&S for macro work.

Regards,
Martin Brown

On 30/09/2011 12:14, Jake wrote:
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

I have used a Ricoh Caplio R6 for the last 4 years. It was bought as a
handy replacement for my old Minolta X700 SLR. The main reason I settled
on the Caplio was the inbuilt macro mode which allowed focussing down to
1 cm - ideal for plant photography. The 28 - 200 (35mm equivalent)
optical zoom was a bonus.

But I miss the ability to change depth-of-field so that what is in
closeup is in focus whereas much of what is in the background isn't.
That's the problem with the small sensors in compact digital cameras -
basically everything is always in focus (the aperture is fixed at f3.3
wide angle, f5.3 telephoto)! I also miss the ability to connect an
off-camera flash (the inbuilt flash is only usable to a couple of metres
at most. It is possible to get something further away lit, but you have
to turn up the ISO sensitivity, and then you get more noise and grain.

As to needing a viewfinder, I understand that some digital SLRs actually
use a small version of the LCD on the back that you look at through the
viewfinder. In that case, you might as well just use the back screen
(unless there is too much light to see it clearly).

Read as many different reviews as you can when you have a shortlist; you
may find that someone has discovered something which you would
absolutely hate to have to put up with on an otherwise perfect camera!

--

Jeff

"Jake" wrote ...

Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.


For a "proper" viewfinder you need to go to a Digital SLR and for those the
sky is the limit and they fill fit interchangeable lenses of all shapes and
sizes. A DSLR viewfinder looks through the lens you are taking the photo
through so you see what you get, any other type you have problems especially
photographing in close up as what you see will certainly not be what you
photograph. If you seriously want to get into this type of photography you
will also need a ring flash to fit on the lens.
Work out how much you want to spend and have a chat with a good camera shop.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
"Jake" wrote ...

Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.


For a "proper" viewfinder you need to go to a Digital SLR and for those
the sky is the limit and they fill fit interchangeable lenses of all
shapes and sizes. A DSLR viewfinder looks through the lens you are taking
the photo through so you see what you get, any other type you have
problems especially photographing in close up as what you see will
certainly not be what you photograph. If you seriously want to get into
this type of photography you will also need a ring flash to fit on the
lens.
Work out how much you want to spend and have a chat with a good camera
shop.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK


Mine with other 'bits and pieces' cost just under £1000.00, but then money
was not the criteria then.

Mike

--

....................................

Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive.

....................................

In article , Jake
writes
Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

http://www.dpreview.com used to be an excellent review site for cameras
and guided my last purchases. I'm assuming it still is.

--
regards andyw

On Sep 30, 12:14*pm, Jake Nospam@invalid wrote:
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

You need a camera with changeable lenses . The lens is the important
bit, not the camera. You need a lens with a "macro" setting.
This brings the difficulty that the depth of field might be less than
a centimeter in macrophotography.
So then you are into tripods etc.
Sigma used to do a zoom lens that had a macro setting, maybe they
still do

Best bet is to get familiar with Adobe Photoshop. Then anything is
possible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_photography

I have had a bit of a dabble, it's a whole different world.

On 30/09/2011 12:14, Jake wrote:
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

If the surrounding foliage is in focus, try setting your camera to spot
focus.
A 2nd hand digital SLR will do flowers and spiders. Slow compared to the
latest versions but fine for things that don't move that fast.

On Sep 30, 12:14*pm, Jake Nospam@invalid wrote:
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

Unless you want to spend £1000+ on the very lastest DSLR, something
like a used Nikon D50 for about £200 will work just fine for what you
want, and will allow you to take photos which are pretty much the same
quality as a newer camera costing 5 times as much!

Can't recommend a model, but a couple of comments:

What Martin says about viewfinders is dead right.

I currently use an Olympus C310. It has a Supermacro mode which gives a focus down to about an inch. What makes it possible to focus on spiders and their like is the ability to press the buttom half down - this is enough to fix the focus and show the result on the screen. It's intended so you can focus on your subject then move the aim and produce a photo with the subject off-centre but still focussed. But it's great for making sure before you click that the focus has picked up the spider and not the bit of grass it's standing on.

Finally, for close up work, the biggest determiner of sharp focus seems to be light level.

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. It seems there's more to this
than meets the eye! Incidentally the reason for a viewfinder is that
whilst I would use the LCD screen for close ups, I'd also want to use
the camera for other stuff and I find the LCD useless for panoramic
shots, usually in the sun when with the brightness turned up full I
can't see the screen clearly. Plus holding the camera against the
face, so to speak, steadies it more.

My current camera supposedly has a macro feature but seems to define
something small as the size of a house brick!

Harry - I don't think I'll stretch to Photoshop though I've got
Photoshop Elements (now apparently called "Lite"). I find Serif
Photoplus X4 to be a lot faster and just as capable (if you phone
Serif and ask for the price, then say that's too much, you should get
it down to around £25 after a short while).

Now on with the research. Thanks again.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

"Jake" Nospam@invalid wrote in message
...
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. It seems there's more to this
than meets the eye! Incidentally the reason for a viewfinder is that
whilst I would use the LCD screen for close ups, I'd also want to use
the camera for other stuff and I find the LCD useless for panoramic
shots, usually in the sun when with the brightness turned up full I
can't see the screen clearly. Plus holding the camera against the
face, so to speak, steadies it more.

My current camera supposedly has a macro feature but seems to define
something small as the size of a house brick!

Harry - I don't think I'll stretch to Photoshop though I've got
Photoshop Elements (now apparently called "Lite"). I find Serif
Photoplus X4 to be a lot faster and just as capable (if you phone
Serif and ask for the price, then say that's too much, you should get
it down to around £25 after a short while).

Now on with the research. Thanks again.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

Hi Jake, there are so many very good cameras on the market today that it
would be difficult to decide the best for your purpose. I use Canon
equipment - DSLR for my "main" photography, but on the occasions when some
real close-up is required, I find my Canon G11 superb and more convenient.
using the sivel-back to view the subject really helps. So much more
conveneint than my DSLR.



Bill
l

"harry" wrote in message
...
On Sep 30, 12:14 pm, Jake Nospam@invalid wrote:
Trying to photograph spiders today made me realise that I need a
better digital camera as I found it impossible to focus on something
that big (garden spiders with bodies about three quarters of an inch
plus legs are big in my book)! I've got lots of photos of foliage and
brickwork with blurry blobs in front.

Is anyone able to recommend a decent digital camera for close up
photos of little creatures/flowers and the like? I'm happy to spend a
few hundred squid for a good one though for that money I'd like a
proper viewfinder.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

www.rivendell.org.uk

You need a camera with changeable lenses . The lens is the important
bit, not the camera. You need a lens with a "macro" setting.
This brings the difficulty that the depth of field might be less than
a centimeter in macrophotography.
So then you are into tripods etc.
Sigma used to do a zoom lens that had a macro setting, maybe they
still do

Best bet is to get familiar with Adobe Photoshop. Then anything is
possible.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macro_photography

I have had a bit of a dabble, it's a whole different world

As you say Harry - it's a different world. The use of interchangeable
lenses obviously extends the versatility of a camera, but that is not the
last word on the matter. I was amazed at the excellence of the modern
compact cameras especially in the macro field.

Bill

On Sat, 1 Oct 2011 12:39:50 +0100, "Bill Grey"
wrote:

Hi Jake, there are so many very good cameras on the market today that it
would be difficult to decide the best for your purpose. I use Canon
equipment - DSLR for my "main" photography, but on the occasions when some
real close-up is required, I find my Canon G11 superb and more convenient.
using the sivel-back to view the subject really helps. So much more
conveneint than my DSLR.



Bill
l

Thanks Bill. In the past I've had various Canon Ixus models and an
early Powershot and they were all good for what I wanted at the time.
The G11 has presumably been overtaken by the G12 which looks good and
Paul's post about a minute after yours links to some examples of
photos taken with the G12 and which seem to meet what I'm looking for.

I think I'll pay a visit to Jessops and see what they recommend (if
different) before finally making up my mind.

Cheers, Jake
================================================== =====
URGling from the less wet end of Swansea Bay in between
sweeping up leaves by the cubic metre!

IMPORTANT: To those seeing this message in Garden Banter
or other "forums": The forum you're in is pulling stuff
from something called Usenet, in particular the UK Rec
Gardening newsgroup.There's a lot more to this but if you
see a message from someone calling himself "Mike" and using
an email address ending "woollies.com" the best thing you can
do is ignore the idiot. He does not, in any way, speak for
the group. He admits that he knows nothing about gardening.
He is simply what the internet calls a ~troll". You have
been warned.

www.rivendell.org.uk