--I need to take very detailed pictures of gemstones for listing them for online sale so I need to do macro. I need to do macro cheaply ( I know this is a misnomer) Ive looked at standard digital cameras and none seem to be able to do the detail I require so im looking at digital SLR im looking for a cheap body currently. One of the ways im looking to cut cost is to us an older lens what D type Nikons will safely take and older lens without damaging the camera. Also what are my other options is there a digital that takes good macros for less cost. For a scope of size I need to take high detail on something that is as small as a match head. Im open to anything right know im looking at getting a body form http://www.keh.com and a cheap used lens to curb my cost if anyone knows of any place eles to look pleas help me out.
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cheap macro
- Thread starter Teljkon
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barl0w
Forum Enthusiast
BR-2A Macro adapter ring + 50mm 1.4 or 1.8
D300, 50mm 1.4D
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Regards,
Scott
http://flickr.com/photos/barl0w
D300, 50mm 1.4D
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Regards,
Scott
http://flickr.com/photos/barl0w
f8pc
Forum Enthusiast
If you have proper lighting, a point and shoot has excellent macro abilities because of their small sensors. You couldn't just use one of those and use the macro function with low ISO and a tripod? They'd have a better depth of field as well.
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ive tried point and shoots with macro and every one at best buy couldnt capture the clarity that i need for this application I oh so wish it would work that way but i dont seem to be that lucky is there a modle that u suggest in a point and shoot that u think would work.
ive tried point and shoots with macro and every one at best buy couldnt capture the clarity that i need for this application I oh so wish it would work that way but i dont seem to be that lucky is there a modle that u suggest in a point and shoot that u think would work.
David Lal
Forum Pro
I think you need to turn this question the other way round. First of all, what do you intend to do with the images? If you are going to print them out you will need to fill the frame.
Nikon DSLR sensors are approximately 15mm tall and a match head approximately 3 or 4mm so you will need to obtain a reproduction ratio ('magnification') of around 4x lifesize. No macro lens will give you that. If the images are destined only for display on a screen, e.g. on a website you can get away with a lot less magnification but even so, I suspect you'd need to go beyond lifesize. You should also be aware that as the reproduction ratio rises so DOF falls. It could easily be that your DOF will be less than 0.5mm - will that be a problem for gem stone images?
This is not easy territory for somebody who is new to macro. This image:
was made using a Rodenstock Ysaron enlarging lens mounted on a plate carried on Novoflex bellows and the reproduction ratio is approximately 5x lifesize. This kit is not cheap but if you are good with your hands you could make something similar. I would suggest a cheap, non-auto, non-Kenko extension tube set. Make a round aluminium plate to fit the end of the extension tubes and fit an enlarging lens into the plate. D70 bodies are cheap now.
Another idea might be to fit a D70 to a cheap 'student' class microscope.
Good luck anyway.
David
Nikon DSLR sensors are approximately 15mm tall and a match head approximately 3 or 4mm so you will need to obtain a reproduction ratio ('magnification') of around 4x lifesize. No macro lens will give you that. If the images are destined only for display on a screen, e.g. on a website you can get away with a lot less magnification but even so, I suspect you'd need to go beyond lifesize. You should also be aware that as the reproduction ratio rises so DOF falls. It could easily be that your DOF will be less than 0.5mm - will that be a problem for gem stone images?
This is not easy territory for somebody who is new to macro. This image:
was made using a Rodenstock Ysaron enlarging lens mounted on a plate carried on Novoflex bellows and the reproduction ratio is approximately 5x lifesize. This kit is not cheap but if you are good with your hands you could make something similar. I would suggest a cheap, non-auto, non-Kenko extension tube set. Make a round aluminium plate to fit the end of the extension tubes and fit an enlarging lens into the plate. D70 bodies are cheap now.
Another idea might be to fit a D70 to a cheap 'student' class microscope.
Good luck anyway.
David
I may be missing something, but if your listing them for online sale only, why would you need high res, now if your running some kind of print add (not in the local paper that might be different)? You will downsize to 660x440. And any p&s on the market can give that kind of resolution in such a way that you will not tell it from a dslr.
However, if you insist. Any camera you want+50mm 1.8 (110$)+kenko ext tubes (180$)
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When you turn your camera on, does it return the favor?
However, if you insist. Any camera you want+50mm 1.8 (110$)+kenko ext tubes (180$)
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When you turn your camera on, does it return the favor?
-- Im only trying to match my competators picture quality I dont see how there doing it with a point and shoot the stone is taking up the majority of the frame without the blur that croping a P&S picture seems to bring. the quality and clarity of there photos leads me to belive there using macro on digital slr.
f8pc
Forum Enthusiast
There is one solution. Get a Canon 50D with this lens:
Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro Lens
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-MP-E-65mm-1-5x-Macro-Lens-Review.aspx
It will give you 5X magnification (aka what David Lal said was impossible). It is absolutely the highest magnification lens you will ever, ever find.
However,
"DOF on the Canon MP-E 65mm Macro Lens ranges from 2.240mm (1x, f/16) to .048 (5x, f/2.8). At 5x and f/16, the MP-E gives a minute .269mm DOF. "
It's $840 from B&H
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/183199-USA/Canon_2540A002_Macro_Photo_MP_E_65mm.html
Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro Lens
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-MP-E-65mm-1-5x-Macro-Lens-Review.aspx
It will give you 5X magnification (aka what David Lal said was impossible). It is absolutely the highest magnification lens you will ever, ever find.
However,
"DOF on the Canon MP-E 65mm Macro Lens ranges from 2.240mm (1x, f/16) to .048 (5x, f/2.8). At 5x and f/16, the MP-E gives a minute .269mm DOF. "
It's $840 from B&H
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/183199-USA/Canon_2540A002_Macro_Photo_MP_E_65mm.html
If your Nikon SLR will take an old AIS lens, you can get a cheap second hand manual macro lens. You manual focus and setup the exposure manually, using the camera's screen, by trial and error to get the aperture/shutter setting.
See these threads for photos with this type of lens
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=30019290
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=23501210
MUCH easier and possibly as cheap - there are many compacts with good enough close focus to do sterling macro work. I have a Nikon CoolPix4500 and a Ricoh GR8 which do fantastic macro, particularly the CP4500. As far as resolution goes, all I can say is that, for my work, I use the CP4500 daily for macro shots, hand held, about 3x2cm (but will go closer) which have sufficient resolution to put in a powerpoint and project on a lecture theatre screen. If that isn't adequate, I don't know what you're after and you won't find a cheap solution! You said it's only for online auctions, so the resolution of these cemeras is easily adequate.
Coolpix 4500 hand held, built-in flash (no special lighting setup, no tripod, no post processing, apart from a crop). If you are taking photos of static objects with a tripod, you will get even better resolution than this.
David
See these threads for photos with this type of lens
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=30019290
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=23501210
MUCH easier and possibly as cheap - there are many compacts with good enough close focus to do sterling macro work. I have a Nikon CoolPix4500 and a Ricoh GR8 which do fantastic macro, particularly the CP4500. As far as resolution goes, all I can say is that, for my work, I use the CP4500 daily for macro shots, hand held, about 3x2cm (but will go closer) which have sufficient resolution to put in a powerpoint and project on a lecture theatre screen. If that isn't adequate, I don't know what you're after and you won't find a cheap solution! You said it's only for online auctions, so the resolution of these cemeras is easily adequate.
Coolpix 4500 hand held, built-in flash (no special lighting setup, no tripod, no post processing, apart from a crop). If you are taking photos of static objects with a tripod, you will get even better resolution than this.
David
In that case, post some examples so we can see what the problem is. My guess is that your particular (compact?, which one?) camera doesn't have a close enough focus OR your technique needs tweaking; there a few special considerations you need to be aware of for successful macro or Ebay photos. Post some photos and someone should be able to help.
David
David Lal
Forum Pro
.. about the remarkable Canon MP-E 65mm but it is not exactly a cheap solution.
Even so, if a Nikon fit were available perhaps I would be tempted.
David
Even so, if a Nikon fit were available perhaps I would be tempted.
David
If you get a compact with a macro ability cose enough to not crop, your golden. Plus, technique is very important (even more so with a DSLR), remember, a camera can't make you a better photog, I say again, in no way, will you be able to tell the differences in a web size format if proper techinque for both was used. The added dof of a p&s might even be a boon.
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When you turn your camera on, does it return the favor?
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When you turn your camera on, does it return the favor?
VictorZ
Leading Member
... the best P&S for the job, in my opinion, is the Ricoh Capilo R6. I've got one and it is absolutely stunning for macro work. As a general purpose P&S, it does quite well in good light. I wouldn't ask it to do low light or high(er) ISO, and the flash is horribly underpowered, but man oh man, this tiny camera does fabulous macro photos. It can be had for around $200 as it is now out of date. I would not go with the more recent versions as they upped the pixel count on the small sensor and image quality has suffered IMHO. At 7.1 megapixels, the R6 should give you plenty of image to play with.
Plus, you'll end up with a very capable, pocket-sized P&S that has a 28-200 super-zoom capability in the bargain.
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Victor Z
Plus, you'll end up with a very capable, pocket-sized P&S that has a 28-200 super-zoom capability in the bargain.
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Victor Z
--as of yet I dont have a body so thats one of my questions what nikon body will take old bodys ive heard that the d50 gets damaged while other bodys dont what body go cheap used that will take a old lens and have a lcd for trial and error shooting.
All Nikon camera's will mount AI and beyond. Some won't meter, but you just have to trial and error. But not a big deal for something as slow as macro. D70 could serve you well. Dx00 and over can mount with non-AI lenses, but those are so rare (I believe pre-1950s?) that you won't worry about that. Unlike canon, nikon never changed their mount in any substantial way.
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When you turn your camera on, does it return the favor?
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When you turn your camera on, does it return the favor?
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I cant seem to post images so im posting links.
At the bottom of this page there is a dime next to some .25 of a cart gems
http://cgi.ebay.com/Natural-3.5x1.5mm-Ruby-Marquise-faceted-gem-stone-NR-_W0QQitemZ120339758925QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081125?IMSfp=TL081125151011r29188#ebayphotohosting
The red stone is .06 cart stone.
This is a 1 cart stone roughly 4x the size but still smaller than a dime
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-02-ct-Beautiful-Natural-Violet-Blue-IOLITE-Madagascar_W0QQitemZ250334477269QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item250334477269&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting
I cant seem to post images so im posting links.
At the bottom of this page there is a dime next to some .25 of a cart gems
http://cgi.ebay.com/Natural-3.5x1.5mm-Ruby-Marquise-faceted-gem-stone-NR-_W0QQitemZ120339758925QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20081125?IMSfp=TL081125151011r29188#ebayphotohosting
The red stone is .06 cart stone.
This is a 1 cart stone roughly 4x the size but still smaller than a dime
http://cgi.ebay.com/1-02-ct-Beautiful-Natural-Violet-Blue-IOLITE-Madagascar_W0QQitemZ250334477269QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item250334477269&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318#ebayphotohosting
bluescreen484
Leading Member
How cheap do you want to go? US1 Camera has the D40 body for 349$ new. http://www.us1photo.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=64_760_1211_1473&products_id=7651 .
I'm not positive about this, but, I don't believe the D50 is any different from any Dxx Nikon DSLR as far as fitting an older lens. I'm sure someone with a D80 or 90 can fill us in about this. The more recent bodies like D80 and D90 give you more metering options with the older lenses. Some of the pre AI lenses extend further beyond the lens mount into the camera body and they don't clear the mirror. I'm pretty sure that's what you have to watch out for (as long as metering and autofocus aren't an issue.)
Cheers,
John
I'm not positive about this, but, I don't believe the D50 is any different from any Dxx Nikon DSLR as far as fitting an older lens. I'm sure someone with a D80 or 90 can fill us in about this. The more recent bodies like D80 and D90 give you more metering options with the older lenses. Some of the pre AI lenses extend further beyond the lens mount into the camera body and they don't clear the mirror. I'm pretty sure that's what you have to watch out for (as long as metering and autofocus aren't an issue.)
Cheers,
John
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