Any Tips???

[ChrisL]

Hello,
I am new here and trying to figure out how to take pictures to put in my album. I have a digital camera, Olympus C-5000 to be exact, and I am having real troubles with the photos I have taken. They are either all blurry or there are real bad reflectios off the pens. Anybody have any tips for taking digital pics of pens?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Fred in NC]

Chris, look in the main page for "John's Photo Booth". I also suggest you read the postings on this subject.

 

[Daniel]

Chris.
read the stuff about light tents. also the comparison photo stuff, and see if that does not help you trouble shoot what is going on with the light problems.
my first guess abouthe focusing problem is that you are not using the macro setting on your camera adn are to close for the cameras min distance. or you are using macro and are to far away. just keep trying different distances and be grateful that the pictures are free.

 

[daledut]

Chris,
I also have an Olympus and had fits getting good photos. Mine are still not great, but have improved.

Definitely have to use macro mode (only available in manual setting) and either do a light box thing like others recommended, or set up where you get good sunlight.

Don't use the flash.

And I highly recomend a tripod. I got one at Walmart for about $20.

I am certainly not the best at this, I still have to take a dozen photos to get one good one. And even then I almost always use "Unsharp Mask" in Paint Shop Pro to clear the image up.

Honestly I find for most applications that my scanner gives better results and if easier to use.

 

[ChrisL]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will give them a shot tonight. Hopefully will get something decent to show.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[Daniel]

And you thought the skeew was the only tool that had to be mastered.
He He He. Bummer when you finally get that perfect finish and then can't get a photo that looks better than a semi gloss. Hint I found by mistake. the finish shows up best by shooting outside on a cloudy day. See my cocobolo Perfume pen pic.

 

[melogic]

Chris,
Another thing I learned on this site was to use a scanner if you have one. Scanned pictures turn out awesome as well.

 

[daledut]

Daniel, that is truly a very nice pen and photo.

 

[jkirkb94]

I agree that a scanner works well in taking pictures to post on the site. If you want to use a camera, which does give more versatility, you MUST use a tripod or some other means to stabilize the camera.
Use of a light tent will also help soften the pictures. Kirk[8D]

 

[Guest]

I know my picturesaren't great,but for just"showing off" i have found fill flash will work for a "viewable" picture on my 2 meg Kodak digital.

 

[Fred in NC]

My photo booth is only partially completed. The framing is PVC pipe. I need to complete the light diffusing panels.

In my opinion, learning how to use the camera in manual mode is very important. The automatic mode is great for pics of people and places, but does not work well for ilustrations of small objects. To get proper depth of focus the camera needs to be set to a small aperture and longer exposure. This is why we need a tripod or some other steady camera mount. Otherwise part of the pen can be out of focus. And so on, there are a lot of manual controls that need to be used.

 

[btboone]

A got one of those photographic domes for taking pictures of my rings. It took a long time and lots of experimentation before I could take decent pictures with it though. Like Fred says, the trick is in those fine settings and getting the camera steady.

 

[dougle40]

I use a Kodak Easy Share DX4330 for all my pics and I've found the best way (for me)is to use the macro with fill flash and take the pic at a slight angle (front to back) . As long as you are using a flash , either full or fill . you don't really need the tripod because the flash duration is so short that any movement is eliminated .

 

[wayneis]

I would also highly suggest a tripod and if your camera has a remote control for the shutter it will help mucho. If you want to get really nice close ups using the Macro mode and manual controls a tripod is a must. Another that that a lot of individuals that have ebay store's use what is called a copy stand, it works even better than a tripod. If you look at my album and on either page 2 or 3 I have a photo of mine. Yes that is a lamp shade to defuse the light, it's a little tip that a friend gave me and it works good. My copy stand is a home made model that I purchased from someone on ebay that makes them because a lot of the big guys cost so much.

Wayne

 

[PenWorks]

How I take my Pics,

1.Camera is in MACRO mode, on a Sturdy trip pod. The pen is in a light tent. ( buy one, make one, but get one)

2.Use your zoom lens to crop your pen. ( no one wants to see 80% background and 20% pen)
Unless there is something in the background to see, besides a towl.

3. Camera is in manual mode set to me determaning the shutter speed, I pick the speed and the camera automatically sets the F. stop, the slower the speed, the camera increases the depth of field or focus. Depending on the light source and the intensity, I am usually at a shutter speed of a 4th or eight of a secound, with no flash. (you can not hand hold a camera and get a decent focus under a 60th of a secound.)

4. If you have a good light sourse, which I do, then I take another using the flash, I go to a 60th or 90th on the shutter speed and the flash will ussually not wash out because of the other light source being used, it is more of a fill flash, some shadow will appear, but not bad.

5. Choose a non reflective background. Muslem is a great non reflective material. Also, make your background appealing. The reason I try to make them attractive is I don't want to shoot the same pen twice. Showing a quikie photo on this forum is fine, but if you want to post it on your web site or e mail it to a potential client, you don't want to have to reshoot it, so take your time and do it once. You want to make your photo appealing to some one. Since that potential client is not holding your beautiful pen, your photo has say BUY ME ! I'm gorious ! Not look what I found on the carpet.

I have a little egede, as I took photography classes 25 years ago and did allot of B&W and had my own little dark room at one time. But I am still learning with this digital stuff, and have not committed the money to stepping up for a real digital camera.

Hope some of this was usefull.

Anthony