I'm hoping to get a new digi camera soon...so after some advice. My little 3mp just cannot do what i want it to...closeups are hopeless to try to get *L*...it wants to focus on the background...damn thing!

** It MUST be able to do close ups...and i mean really really close *L*...as in every wrinkle or little whisker on a pinkie mouse.

** True colours, some cameras mess with the colours and i don't want that at all.

** Action shots to a certain extent (mice really are quick little buggers)

** Software for putting on the puter, and one that doesnt require a pilots licence to work out how to get it from camera to puter.

Prefer 8mp or above....i'm really after detailed pics. Anything else you think i should be looking for

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No real suggestions as mine is just 5MP, but I had trouble with trying to focus on closeup shots and learned that to compenate for auto-focusing "methods," change to manual focusing. That seems to allow better control of what you focus on. Might check if your current camera has that capability.

Nah it doesnt DB...it only does auto focus...and its damn frustrating *L*

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I have a 3mp Olympus w/ 3x optical zoom & 10x digital zoom, but I've found the best way to get good detail is not to use the zoom so much, & use the hi-res settings, then crop out what ya don't want with the software...& the Camedia software that came with it is pretty simple & intuitive to use...when I need more flexible or comprehensive software I use PhotoSuite III that someone gave us years ago...

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I'm finding it's not so much the number of megapixels you have as the optics you're focussing through. Invest in quality brands with good lenses and your pics will be better. Look for coated lenses with bigger diameters and stay with major maunfacturers. Of course more resolution allows for bigger prints without losing quality.

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Thanx for ya input all...

I'm looking at a Fuji that i like...it will do macro focus....i think it was 1cm away from the subject and still get really clear pics....*does the Tim Allen thing* LOL

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I'll can share the little bit of close-up insight I have.


Prefer 8mp or above....i'm really after detailed pics. Anything else you think i should be looking for
First I'll agree with BigBear about the lens almost to the extreme. My last 2 cams have been good lenses with a digital camera attached. I'm shooting a Sony F-717 and it's capabilities for close-up are better than my abilities. Unless you are shooting commercially, 8mp is the most you need to pay for. My feeling is that the megapixel count has become more of a sales tool than a usable value after they reached 5mp.


** It MUST be able to do close ups...and i mean really really close *L*...as in every wrinkle or little whisker on a pinkie mouse.
Sorry to say that close-up photography is not a point-&-shoot situation. DB is spot on about the manual mode being needed for anything much closer than 30 or 40 cm. When you talk about "every wrinkle or little whisker" you may have to go to tripod mount for steadiness. Depth of field gets involved as an issue when you start getting to the true close-up stage of macro photography. I believe that micro is considered as any photo that shows something larger than the actual scale. You normally will have to add a set of close-up lenses at this point to get >1:1. Macro is considered <1:1 and is the same or smaller size pic than the subject.


** Software for putting on the puter, and one that doesnt require a pilots licence to work out how to get it from camera to puter.
This may be the easiest part of your endeavor. You are right that most of the software programs that come with most cams are a complicated and the slow way to get the pics to your puter. Most all digitals now use a some type of the memory card storage. Today you can use a tiny card reader that plugs into any USB port and lets you transfer them around lake any file. Then you can open it with your photo editing program which is much better than most editors that come with the cams anyway.


** True colours, some cameras mess with the colours and i don't want that at all.
When you talk about "true" color, you may have to get into some of the deeper parts of your editor program. Knowing you want this for your mousies, you will be learning to color calibrate your cam and monitor.


** Action shots to a certain extent (mice really are quick little buggers)
Action shots and close-ups are not mutually complimentary most of the time. Because focal lengths become so critical with close-ups, you may have a much more difficult getting good pics of anything that is not still. My best experience has been to focus at a point I can cause or bait an event to take place and be ready to catch the shot. The closer I want to be, the more important tripod rigidity and focus becomes.





I hope this helps more than it confuses.

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I have a few examples that I hope helps explain what I was trying to explain.

First you have to have a worthy subject to warrant the extra effort involved with close-up work.

Attached Images

WorthySubject-e.jpg (141.8 KB, 568 views)

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You can see that the same mounted set up gets poor results when an auto focus mode is used. Like you cam, the background was better focused than the important subject with auto focus. Whit manual focus I got a much better image of the important matters.

Attached Images

	AutoFocus-e.jpg (123.3 KB, 555 views)
	ManualFocus-e.jpg (131.8 KB, 558 views)

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In comparing these pics, you can see that good focus becomes very critical the closer you want to be. (and I like to be VERY close to my subject )

Attached Images

	CloseupWothy-e.jpg (130.4 KB, 552 views)
	RealCloseupWothy-1.jpg (136.5 KB, 548 views)

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With true macro, sometimes found as setting mode on some cameras, you can get very pleasing results. When I add close-up lenses I am able to do micro work and get as close as I like.

Attached Images

	MacroWorthy-e.jpg (140.5 KB, 549 views)
	MicroWorthy-e.jpg (137.4 KB, 552 views)

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Wow, PF, you really know your stuff. I love photography but haven't gotten that much into the technical aspects before now. Do you suggest taking a photography class to beef up knowledge?

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My camera locks the focus on macro (the flower setting on most digital instamatics), so I have to move closer or further away to hunt the focus.

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Where did i say that close up was going to be point and click?. As with any new 'toy' ya gotta play with the setting til ya find what ya like. At this point anything would do a better job than my old digi camera...it just cannot do any close up work...but still takes a nice normal pic

I've spoken to a few that have Fuji's and they rave about them...and having seen some of the pics they take i must say i quite like them too.

The other one i was looking at was a Canon...it just had a few more bells and whistles is all *L*

Whichever i choose i'm hoping to get a tripod with it

I'll be sure to pick the assisstants brain to be sure i get something that will do what i need.

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I wish I DID know something worthwhile.
I haven't taken any courses lately but you just 'beefed' up things in my pants.






Actually I do if you can find one available for the right price in your area. I recommend doing it only after you have been through some reading material though. I am a novice that use to expose a lot of film and was fortunate enough to have a friend that made a living at it (and NOT taking wedding pics ) and willing to shared some serious insights while not selling cameras.

Starting with the manual that came with your cam is a good beginning but ONLY to find how to get it back to the default mode. They only print up what is necessary to present their product and sell it. Read through the whole thing that will tell you where all the gears and clutch is at. They will tell you about a BUNCH of things that have little meaning or information on how and when to use one to compensate for something else. You only want to learn the nomenclature and location of all the knobs and handles and almost what NOT to touch the first day. Then, through the miracle of digital photography, take a LOT of pics in the auto mode. Look at about 25 at a time and you'll want to delete at least 15-20 of them. Take 25 more and sort them again. After a few times you'll find consistent issues that you'll want to focus on. (no pun intended )

THEN ............ You want to maybe read the shortest 'how-to' book on general photography you can get your hands on. You now are familiar with your tool (camera) and you only are looking for the general principles and factors involved with everything outside the camera (subject) and getting it's image inside the camera.

As you sort your next batch of pics, you will be able to start making a connection with what it is that made a pic good or not so good and how your camera can change it.

THIS is when I would recommend taking a course and getting your $$ worth. Most aspects of the presentations then will have meaning and you will be able to confirm and connect what you have learned so far and ask specific and meaningful questions. Otherwise you are dumped on with an overwhelming amount of disconnected and meaningless information and facts.

Most school systems and/or community centers have basic photography courses and finding one of 4-8 classes for less than 1/2 yard. I think it can be $50 well spent if you truly have the interest in taking picture for display.

Just my thoughts.

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