Digital camera, what specs should I look for to take and post gut shots?

[Willabe]

I need to buy a digital camera. My friend says $50 or so will get me there. Is he right?

What are the minimum specs I should look for to be able to post gut shots on line?


           Thanks,      Brad

[LooseChange]

Macro mode is great for closeups.  I use a tripod so I don't shake while the camera does a slow exposure with the flash off.

[FYL]

Most digital cameras are OK. Get one with 7M+ pixels, preferably a macro mode and a switchable digital zoom.

I like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX33S - $299 list, around $70 street price as it's being replaced by a (yawn) new and (not really) improved model.

Use it at ISO100 settings with plenty of light (no flash, no high ISO settings which bring grain and noise), preferably mounted on a small tripod, and you'll produce some outstanding gut shots..

[PRR]

Macro mode, lots of diffuse light.

My latest is a pink Canon, $5 at yardsale. Hadda spend $7 for a cable.

[Willabe]

LC, FYL, PRR,

Thanks you guys! I'll look around and report back.


             Brad     

[sluckey]

I like the little Canon powershot point and click but most any brand will be sufficient for gut shots.. $100 will buy a very decent new camera.

Don't forget... You'll also need a graphics editor to crop, resize, touch-up, etc. I use Paint Shop Pro 9, mainly because I've been using it since version 2.

[Willabe]

Thanks sluckey.

Will Windows 7 paint work?


                    Brad     

[PRR]

> I use Paint Shop Pro 9, mainly because I've been using it since version 2.

Yuck!! I own it jus-in-case, but it really blows chunks compared to PSP7. (And is a very different codebase.)

Well, whatever.

> Will Windows 7 paint work?

Dunno; but WinXP Paint is nearly useless. Awkward to crop, re-size, don't have control of JPEG compression level, don't have basic lighten/darken functions....

If that's all you got, get Picasa. Free download from Google. Picasa will offer to scan and catalog all images on your machine and upload selected to the G-cloud; I used the cataloging when I webmastered but it obviously means a long lunch-break (if you have many-many images). The manipulation controls are simple but sufficient.

Again: it's just light. You can't take a good picture without light.

And for shiny-stuff, not on-camera flash. In a low light-ceilinged room, a 500W work-light bounced off the ceiling may be effective.

[Shrapnel]

There's also PhotoShop --- gotta pay Adobe big $$$ for it.

And there's also Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/), a FREE graphics program (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP).

[Frankenamp]

There's a bunch of cameras out there that will do the trick.My Kodak DC290 finally died, so I went looking on ecost (plenty of goodies under $100). I use Photoscape (free on the web) even for my stepbrats college camera class. Wife got her a new (used) Cannon rebel on Amazon for a bout 3-400 with lens, extra batteries, origional documentation and schtuff. All because the prof wanted "raw" output. (and the wife likes Canons) I wasnt gonna get nearly that fancy- there's plenty of Fujis and Kodaks for cheap. I avoid Sony's because the memory schtick is more expensive than other media.

[Willabe]

Thanks a lot guys. You are gonna save me alot of grief, time and $$.


           Brad

[kagliostro]

When I shot for an image to be posted on forum that don't can menage big images, I discovered that is more easy (and give good results) to select in the camera a low resolution than to use a graphic program to resize the image

this is my 2c experience about

Kagliostro

[Willabe]

I'll keep that in mind, thanks kagliostro.


         Brad     

[PRR]

> select in the camera a low resolution

Well then, the local Walgreens drug-store has a 640x480 camera for $10, and reading-glasses for $10. The camera is fixed-focus at near-infinity. A 2X reading lens shifts that to 19", a 3X to 13".

[EL34]

Most digital cameras are OK. Get one with 7M+ pixels, preferably a macro mode and a switchable digital zoom.

You don't need but 2 megapixels for web images
High mega pixel modes are for printing only, but the camera is gonna come with more than 5 megapixels these days anyway.

I rarely turn my cameras up past 2048 x ???
You end up resizing things down to 1600 x 1200  or lower for web images.

You do need a close up mode so you can focus down closer than 12 inches

> I use Paint Shop Pro 9, mainly because I've been using it since version 2.
Yuck!! I own it jus-in-case, but it really blows chunks compared to PSP7. (And is a very different codebase.)

1++++++ for Paint shop pro 7
I have been using PSP since version 5
It also comes with animation shop which I use all the time to make animated gif's

I made the mistake of buying the upgrade from 7 to version 8 and went right back to PSP7.
PSP 8 sucked dog nuts!

I think Corel bought up Paint Shop Pro and then buried it because it was so much better than their product

PM me, I know where you can get PSP7

[PRR]

> I know where you can get PSP7

No big secret:

http://www.oldversion.com/Paint-Shop-Pro.html

I forget if that version needs activation code. I've been cloning an old from-CD installation for years.

My mate sticks with PSP5, also a fine version (less fancy-tricks).

[Willabe]

Well I bought a camera on Sat. It's a Fujiflim finepix JX310, $100. 14 Megapixels, 2.7" LCD, macro mode, 5x zoom.....

Now I just have to learn how to use it.                        I'm still way behind with these kind of things.

Thanks to all for your help in what to look for!


              Brad       

[PRR]

Fujiflim? Sounds like a knock-off.   

[Willabe]

Doh!!!           I can't spell to save my life. It's Fujifilm.         


            Brad       

[Willabe]

All right, I've been trying to figure out how to use this camera and post a gut shot, so let's see if this works?

Any comments/suggestion's are welcome.


            Thanks,     Brad      


Hey, not too bad for a first try?            I had 2, 300w bulbs pointed at the ceiling (8') in my workshop room, it's 11'6"x 9' light green walls, white ceiling. Macro on, 2 second delay, ISO at 1600. I tried lower ISO settings, couldn't get it to work as well.           I used Picasa to edit.     

      

[FYL]

Good shot. I'd suggest better lighting.

[SLW]

I think lighting is always the most important part.  Like I mentioned in the other topic I don’t consider myself much of a picture taker.  I have two of the fluorescent 4’ fixtures above my workbench.  Each has two bulbs, no covers or anything, just a box with two bulbs mounted to it.  Enough of the bulb is above the work surface of my bench that I don’t get any real shadows and it doesn’t matter where I stand.  The walls are finiched and painted white in this part of my basement so there is really good light.  I tinker with stompboxes and small componenets there and need good light.

I use GIMP to edit my photos.  It is free and works great.

[Willabe]

Thanks SLW, I'll try playing with the lighting some more.


                   Brad       

[Willabe]

FYL, kagliostro, I don't know why I could'nt get a good pic. before using 100 ISO, but I did it this time.      
Have a look see and thanks guys!       


           Brad      

[John]

Just a few minor criticisms.

There aren't a bunch of Sharpie markings all over the board, some of which are written over several times.

There aren't burnt ends on a lot of the wires.

And there aren't any "spare" lug holes.



Udder'n dat, it's just like mine!