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General discussion

What is the best close up camera you can recomand??

Feb 14, 2006 9:05AM PST

I do e-bay sales , and I need a good close up Digital camera what is the best.
Mark

Discussion is locked

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eBay photos
Feb 14, 2006 10:32AM PST

Just about any digital camera can produce good photos for ebay.

Before making any suggestions, it would be helpful to know something about the size of the object to be photographed.

Is it as small as as stamp?
Or as large as a car?

What is your budget for the camera.
Cameras start at about $100 and go into the thousands.

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I take images of watches and I need to show the Swiss made
Feb 14, 2006 1:15PM PST

Very close images I need to show the Swiss made at the bottom of the dials.

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Watch Faces
Feb 15, 2006 12:24AM PST

That is a job for Macro.

Nikon has always been noted for macro capability.

Here is a look at three of their cameras.
All released at the same time.
All use the same lens/sensor assembly
You can choose the one that fits your budget.

All have a minimum macro focus distance of 4cm (centimeters), which is about 1 5/8 inches from lens to target. That should produce the shots you want.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=nikon_cp4600%2Cnikon_cp5600%2Cnikon_cp7600&show=all

Here is a link to a short course in table-top photography:

http://www.shortcourses.com/using/tabletop/chapter7.htm

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I still marvel at the macro images I get from my Nikon 4500.
Feb 14, 2006 2:29PM PST

It does an excellent job, and can come to within an inch or less of the item being photographed. You can probably find them on eBay.

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E-bay...no problem
Feb 15, 2006 11:24AM PST

Just google digital macro and pick your price range. If all you want is to get a .jpg image that is good enough for E-bay you should have many options - many under $200.

On the other hand, if you think you may use the camera for other purposes - vacations, family gatherings, nature photography etc. - you might want to spend a little more and get a camera that has more potential.

The 5 megapixel cameras are dropping in price and give excellent results - check E-bay...Happy


Steve

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Check out the Pentax Optio S5i
Feb 17, 2006 1:52PM PST

I purchased this camera for this exact purpose - close-ups for Ebay. I sell womens accesories and need something that will capture tags, serial numbers, ebossings etc. clearly. This camera is EXCELLENT and I highly recommend it for this purpose. I have been wanting to upgrade as it isn't the greatest in low-light distance situations but have yet to find a camera that can compete with its close-ups.
Good Luck!

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Canon's Super Macro mode- right to the lens surface!
Feb 23, 2006 1:52PM PST

Many Canons have Super Macro mode (like my PowerShot S2IS) which allows you to actually get right up to the surface of the lens! The S2IS is overkill for your needs in the zoom department (12x optically stabilized) though the stabilizer is good for those sharp closeups. You will have virtually NO depth of field, so get square to the object if it all needs to be in focus, also many macro photographers end up with a ring flash since the camera's own flash will be partly shadowed by the lens barrel that close up. The Canon does let you reduce the flash power, but it's not designed for macro flash (look for a "soft box" with lights on eBay for even lighting).

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ebay pics
Feb 25, 2006 1:55AM PST