Printman
Member
I'm trying to find an easy to use digital camera to post pics of my S&Ws. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Digital Camera Advice
- Thread starter Printman
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SWID
SWCA Memebr
I think the best advice I could give you would be go to a good camera shop, they have all the models and can answer all your questions.
Other than that, most of the $300.00 or so ones (point and shoot) are pretty simple. Make sure that you know the method to get the pictures into your computer. (USB adaptor)
Other than that, most of the $300.00 or so ones (point and shoot) are pretty simple. Make sure that you know the method to get the pictures into your computer. (USB adaptor)
Smithhound
US Veteran
Check here, some good advice to get you started, expand your searchs online before pulling the trigger on one (pun intended!). The new, small cameras will do about all the large ones will, current technology is just amazing in this field.
Hope this helps:
Digital Camera Buyers Guide - Tips to find the Best Digital Camera
RD
Hope this helps:
Digital Camera Buyers Guide - Tips to find the Best Digital Camera
RD
jeffsmith
Member
I used to work for a digital camera company
I am not going to suggest only that make
but tell you what the Photo Pros told me
Don't buy a Digital Camera from an electronics company that started to make camera
Buy one from a Camera Company that moved into Digital
The Difference?
Camera Companies know how to do Lens Grinding right
and have been doing it for years
Electronics companies are just getting started
Its not the Electronics that make a good digital camera
its the lens quality
I am not going to suggest only that make
but tell you what the Photo Pros told me
Don't buy a Digital Camera from an electronics company that started to make camera
Buy one from a Camera Company that moved into Digital
The Difference?
Camera Companies know how to do Lens Grinding right
and have been doing it for years
Electronics companies are just getting started
Its not the Electronics that make a good digital camera
its the lens quality
sourdough44
Member
Just get a Sony 'Cybershot' & be done with it.
I'm not recommending a brand of camera, but a feature. "Image Stabilization". This is a feature that helps eliminate the "camera shake" which caused pictures to be soft and fuzzy. I also agree with jeffsmith, look at camera mfg's that now build digital cameras, and not electronics companies that started building cameras.
My preference is a Cannon. They make numerous models, all with Image Stabilization.
Second feature is a zoom lens, pretty standard on any camera today.
Third is a close up feature.
Be prepared to spend in the $250 - $350 range and you can get professional quality pictures.
My preference is a Cannon. They make numerous models, all with Image Stabilization.
Second feature is a zoom lens, pretty standard on any camera today.
Third is a close up feature.
Be prepared to spend in the $250 - $350 range and you can get professional quality pictures.
I agree on image stabilization, which can on occasion (but not always) save you the trouble of setting up a tripod to get a good result. I would add that you should make sure the camera you get has a pretty good macro option. Sooner or later you will want to take close-ups of some feature of a gun.
I use a Canon G9, which fairly successfully mashes a bunch of high-end features into a fairly compact body, though it feels like a brick compared to most people's ideas of a shirt-pocket camera. Image stabilization is good and the macro feature allows pretty tight close-ups. It actually permits use of add-on lenses for telephoto, wide angle, or extreme close-up photography. The newest version is the G11. G-series cameras are a little pricey, and you get more power and options than most people will need. If you want and can use all those features, perhaps you should be looking at a full size digital camera. But if you want a full-featured smaller camera, you can't go wrong with one of these.
I also have a very compact Sony Cyber-shot camera that takes pretty good grab shots of entire guns, but is really not the Canon's equal in terms of close-up capability or image stabilization.
I use a Canon G9, which fairly successfully mashes a bunch of high-end features into a fairly compact body, though it feels like a brick compared to most people's ideas of a shirt-pocket camera. Image stabilization is good and the macro feature allows pretty tight close-ups. It actually permits use of add-on lenses for telephoto, wide angle, or extreme close-up photography. The newest version is the G11. G-series cameras are a little pricey, and you get more power and options than most people will need. If you want and can use all those features, perhaps you should be looking at a full size digital camera. But if you want a full-featured smaller camera, you can't go wrong with one of these.
I also have a very compact Sony Cyber-shot camera that takes pretty good grab shots of entire guns, but is really not the Canon's equal in terms of close-up capability or image stabilization.
Dennis The B
US Veteran
Here are a couple of tips of things you'll need:
Look at pictures you think are great, and contact that person, if possible. Most will share their "secrets".
It's entirely possible to use a small electric light to "paint" the subject. This is one method used successfully, and evens the light, eliminating bright spots.
Few people "get it right" the first time. But share your photos. The critique you get is usually helpful.
- A digital SLR, with a lens having macro focus capabilities.
- A removable electronic flash programmed to your particular camera. If you get a Nikon, get a Nikon flash, etc. Indirect flash is imperative. Direct flash can cause hot and cold spots on a firearm.
- A solid tripod. Don't put a $25 tripod under your $1k rig.
- Background fabric, cheap, at a fabric store.
- Find a location that will also serve as an environmental backdrop.
- Practice, practice, practice.
- A book on still life photography, and use it to get ideas, etc.
Look at pictures you think are great, and contact that person, if possible. Most will share their "secrets".
It's entirely possible to use a small electric light to "paint" the subject. This is one method used successfully, and evens the light, eliminating bright spots.
Few people "get it right" the first time. But share your photos. The critique you get is usually helpful.
it's the light...
For gun photography, it's the light and focus - a $100-200 camera is more than adequate to take better than average pictures of guns. Some of us are also photo-bugs (don't ask how much I have in Nikon gear over the last 45 years!) but you don't need to get anal about photography to take a decent gun photo.
Here are 3 simple suggestions that I think anyone could use to get a good gun photo:
1. Use a camera with macro ability (most all have this) and do not ever use the on-camera flash (shut it off-read the manual.)
2. Put your gun on a table next to a north-facing window and put it on a neutral background like a piece of carpet or something (grayish but not black or not white as this will affect the exposure).
3. When you look at your picture in the viewfinder (screen etc) pay attention to the light on the gun rather than the gun itself - move the gun around to accentuate the features with the light coming in the window before you take the shot (take several!)
I think those three things would give decent results with the least aggravation.
For gun photography, it's the light and focus - a $100-200 camera is more than adequate to take better than average pictures of guns. Some of us are also photo-bugs (don't ask how much I have in Nikon gear over the last 45 years!) but you don't need to get anal about photography to take a decent gun photo.
Here are 3 simple suggestions that I think anyone could use to get a good gun photo:
1. Use a camera with macro ability (most all have this) and do not ever use the on-camera flash (shut it off-read the manual.)
2. Put your gun on a table next to a north-facing window and put it on a neutral background like a piece of carpet or something (grayish but not black or not white as this will affect the exposure).
3. When you look at your picture in the viewfinder (screen etc) pay attention to the light on the gun rather than the gun itself - move the gun around to accentuate the features with the light coming in the window before you take the shot (take several!)
I think those three things would give decent results with the least aggravation.
+1
I have 3
an old DSC-W1 that I bought in 2005 for ebay/gunbroker, (and fun) that is a bit heavy but works great, (It's an older model and the pic quality, and battery life are suffering now)
bought a DSC-W55 for an England Vacation trip in 2008, use it for the ebay/gb stuff now, it was $150ish, and works even better than the original,
just got as a gift, a DSC-w220 as a Christmas Gift, for family photo's, trips etc,
it's amazingly good for a point and shoot,
eta, if you want to shoot good firearms photos, you will need a good background,
I use a table, covered in fabric, with a homemade light bar above it, (4 compact flourescent natural or sunlight light bulbs shining down on the area)
for the times when I cannot get out in natural sunlight
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Cannon, Sony are all good. I have a Sony Cybershot with a 12x optical zoom lens and a really nice Macro.
My only suggestion is do not get caught up in the Megapixel wars. Anything over 5-6 is over kill, You will never blow up a wall sized photo. Spend the money on the glass (lens) Even Kodak has very good glass. I also like having a viewfinder and not just the LCD display which can be hard to see in the sun.
Cameras are like most electronic technology, It's obsolete the day you buy it.
My only suggestion is do not get caught up in the Megapixel wars. Anything over 5-6 is over kill, You will never blow up a wall sized photo. Spend the money on the glass (lens) Even Kodak has very good glass. I also like having a viewfinder and not just the LCD display which can be hard to see in the sun.
Cameras are like most electronic technology, It's obsolete the day you buy it.
