twjolson Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Cameras are completely foriegn to me, I checked out some camera sites, but I can't make heads or tails of it. So maybe if anyone would be so extremely kind and give me camera recommendations? I'm looking for something cheap (under 300 if possible) and digital. I want an everyday point and shoot camera, real idiot proof; but also something to take some good decent mini pictures. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kheprera Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Everyday point and shoot won't take decent miniature pics, although they are easy to use. You're going to need to learn how to take macro portraits. What this means is you're going to need a camera that has a good focal length (measured in centimeters). Two centimeters minimum distance is good for minis. This is how close your camera can get to a subject and still be able to focus. You need something where you can control the depth of field, or at least the apeture (which will allow you to control the DoF). You also need that option to work with the Macro mode. You also want at the very least 3 Megapixels and the ability to choose how high of a quality pic you want to take. Built in flash, at least, and a tripod mount (almost all cameras come with a tripod mount). Self timer, usable in Macro, is very useful as well. Options: Wide angle, zoom/telephoto, and other bells and whistles. You want the camera to physically feel comfortable in your hand with a manual that makes sense to you, as well as having the functions easy to maneuver. You want a screen that is easy to see and read. Camera cost for a decent mini taking camera is going to run around $250+. Check out the Nikon Coolpix line. They decent with good prices, in general. Also, check out Digital Photography Review for excellent reviews on cameras (they've got just about every camera on the market) and you can sift through the forums to see how people like their particular camera. Remember, though: What is a good camera for one person may not be good for another. Controls, how it sits in the hand, and the experience of the photographer all make a difference. For instance, an inexpensive point and shoot, does everything for the photography camera would not work for me. I need something I have more control over. Totally manual is my camera of preference. For someone without my experience, though, a totally manual camera is too daunting (and expensive if you're looking at digital). My camera of choice is an SLR digital, which means I can switch out lenses and the cameras look and feel more like a traditional 35mm. It's also over $1500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted February 28, 2005 Author Share Posted February 28, 2005 I am very grateful for your help, that's alot of info, and although some of it went right over my head, I can read that Camera Review site enough to muddle through. I searched and found Nikon Coolpix 5600. It has a "Macro Focus Range" of 4cm. What does that mean, that I can be 4 cm away, or what? If I could impose, even though I can understand a tiny bit, can someone else look at the specs and tell me if they are good for a mini camera; keeping in mind that it has to do double duty as a household camera. Nikon CoolPix 5600 Or would someone recommend a differant camera? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kheprera Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Okay, 4 cm means that the closest you can get to your subject in Macro is 4 centimeters. Also, the Apeture Priority says "No," which means you have zero control over the depth of field. What does that mean for minis? It means your 3D mini could have problems with being in focus. Say, for instance, your mini is thrusting forward with a sword and you take a straight on shot. The sword and arm will most likely be out of focus, the face might be in focus, and the back will most likely be out of focus. This is what makes Apeture Priority and Depth of Field so important. The Coolpix 4300 is in your price range and has the Apeture priority, which will allow you to work the Depth of Field to your best advantage. Being an older camera that was put out in 2002, you might even be able to find some really good deals on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Java Fiend Posted February 28, 2005 Share Posted February 28, 2005 Speaking as a camera novice, I'd like to underscore one of Aryanun's implicit suggestions. Aryanun mentioned making sure the camera has a tripod mount. Get a tripod, and use it. It really, really helps with the stability of your miniatures photos. It seems obvious but it wasn't to me, not for the first six months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted February 28, 2005 Author Share Posted February 28, 2005 Ok, I've been doing some more searching. I'm trying to get as much bang for my buck with this. So I searched for 5mp, apeture priority. The top three "bang for the buck" cameras are: Fujifilm FinePix E510 Zoom HP Photosmart R707 HP Photosmart 935 Comments urgently needed, as well as other camera recommendations. Also, how hard is those "xD" photocards to find? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted March 4, 2005 Author Share Posted March 4, 2005 Well I got it. Last night after a week of research and headaches I got the Fujifilm FinePix E510 (there is a link above). I took just a quick snap on the auto settings, and it came out awesome. I'll be playing with it more this weekend and upload on Monday I think. I found it for 349 canadian, and well worth it!!! A super huge thank you to everyone that helped teach me the little that I know to get my new camera; especially Pat and Aryanun. Without you guys I would have gotten just any digicam and then get pee'd off because it doesn't work for mini's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Fuji is a fine brandname. They have been around for awhile and compete very well, I would say, against Kodak (whom I despise). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted March 5, 2005 Author Share Posted March 5, 2005 All I've done so far is test shots and some experiments, nothing I'm going to post yet. But, already I can tell that this is a kick butt camera. And for only 350 canadian, I get a high end digital camera and a awesome mini cam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted March 5, 2005 Share Posted March 5, 2005 Welcome to the wonderful world of digital. (I assume this is the first digital camera you've owned). The real beauty of digital is that a beginner or novice photographer can take tons of pics and get instant results, therefore learning quickly what works and what doesn't. If your camera came with photo-editing software, then it is likely that when you download images from camera to computer, there will be file-details with each image that tell you what the apeture setting was, what the range was, how much flash was used etc. Don't be afraid to experiment with all those fancy controls and settings. Also, if you're anything like I was when I got my digi last December, you'll be taking pictures of your house, the dog, the neighbour's dog, trees, the sunrise... just because you no longer have to pay the developers and wait five days. :) Have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 Well, I've been playing wtih it, but not with the "fancier" settings as much. I already have all my mini's snapped and will be putting them on the message boards tomorrow. The camera is working beautifully, the only things stopping me from amazing pictures is yellow lighting and a lack of program knowledge to fix it, but I did manage to get them amazingly close to RL colors on the mini's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kheprera Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 For the yellow cast of tungsten lighting: It's an orangish yellow. Add blue and cyan. More blue than cyan, but you'll have to figure that out for your settings. Blue is the opposite of yellow. Cyan is the opposite of red. You should, however, see if you can manually set the White Balance of your camera, or have it do it for you automatically and see how those results come out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twjolson Posted March 6, 2005 Author Share Posted March 6, 2005 It's an orangish yellow. Add blue and cyan. More blue than cyan, but you'll have to figure that out for your settings. Blue is the opposite of yellow. Cyan is the opposite of red. Yea, I kind of got that figured out, however there is a few pictures that are just being horribly stubborn. I'll post and point out which ones tomorrow. But it's cool, I'm learning, so I'm having a blast!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demon Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 The main thing to do since you're new to it is this. Take some test pics then play around with fixing them on your editing program.....see the possibilities. If you want a new program there are many available. For some good photoshop abilities without the business use price tag try Photoshop Elements 3.......it's around $60 US and pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kheprera Posted March 6, 2005 Share Posted March 6, 2005 Sometimes the "tungsten" yellow color is oversaturated, and there's nothing you can do to get the colors perfect. Examples: Unaltered: Best Fix: Notice how the "white" walls are still yellow, but the highlights and shadows on the girl's face are turning bluish/pink? Blue is basically a mix of cyan and magenta, and that's where the pink comes from. If we were to correct for the white walls, she would end up completely blue. Sometimes the yellow lighting is just too saturated for a perfect fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.