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Best Nikkor lens to shoot artwork/paintings?

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ScottnLaguna

ScottnLaguna

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Opinions please on what Nikkor lens can shoot oil paintings up to 40 x 60" and keep them square and sharp with minimal distortion. Using D800.
Would 14-24 be a good one?
 
60mm Macro Nikkor or

The 105 Macro would work too but it depends on how far you can get back from the artwork.

Use open shade with a full sky illuminating the artwork. Stay out of the sun as it will eggagerate the weave of the canvas and cast shadows from impasto in the paint. There will be a size and distance that will give you Moire. If you get it, just change the distance to the subject which will shring or enlarge the size of the artwork on your detector. A very small change in distance can completely eliminate the Moire. Don't be fooled into thinking you have it till you look at the artwork at high magnification because you will always get Moire from the overlap of the pixel density in the screen and the frequency in the canvas but that is an artifact that will not be there in the print.

If you shoot in open shade with the "blue sky" as your illumination source, you will need to add about 12 points of yellow, to your image to tone down the excessive blue.
 
60mm micro, apparently the G is better at distance, but I still use my D version. Use the 105mm if you have the distance, I'm guessing not since you mentioned the super wide.
I think the 24-70 is a terrible idea. Too much distortion for artwork.

Lighting is just as important. Do a search, but basically, you want a polarizer on the lens or polarizing gels on 2 lights at 45 degree angles to the canvas. I believe I've heard of some people polarizing both.
 
maljo
 
BJN said:
The best flat field, low distortion lenses Nikon makes are Micro Nikkor primes.
Click to expand...
I actually do this kind of work frequently as I my mom is a printmaker, and all of her fellow printmakers have been using me for years.

BJN is on the money as unless you enjoy spending hours in Photoshop correction distortion, you need a lens that has as little geometric distortion as possible. This means macro lenses (zooms are generally a bad idea for this kind of work). Most people use a 60mm macro on a copy stand, but a 60 or 105 will work perfectly depending on how large a space you are working in. And unless the artwork is small, just hang it unframed with no glass, on the wall and light it with a tradition two light setup (continuous or flashes in umbrellas/softboxes are fine).

The Nikkors are all great, but the third party macros (Tamron 90, Sigma 105, Tokina 100) are also extremely good.
 
Thank you all for your help! I used to have a Micro 55mm on my very first Nikon F, back in the late 70's. It was a tremendous lens in every way. I suppose the Modern 60mm is that one upgraded.

Anyway, I asked about the 14-24 because that is the first "pro" lens I plan to buy to go with my D800. The latest 60mm micro 2.8 is around $600, which is pretty reasonable. After I finish the painting I am now working on I can get both. I have the old 28-105mm micro, which I got years ago for this purpose. It could be sharper.

Shooting an oil painting correctly is full of challenges. First you have color, which you can mitigate by including a color chart for print matching. Some pigments don't translate to RGB very well (like cobalt blue). Next, is reflection from semi-shiney surfaces.(polarizer would help here) After that, in my case, the impasto areas need to be shot to their full advantage. (Impasto is thick paint layers that help give the work a 3-D texture.) Impasto looks best lit from above, as painted.

In the past I have used large flatbed scanning service. This is expensive ($300 and up depending on size) and they can't ever get the impasto right.

My hope is to use the D800 to shoot a sharp, faithful image with the option to include zoom versions of certain areas on a website. Like you would click on a face and it would fill your screen in rich detail. Or just and eye.

Lighting is something I really need to learn about. I think a combination of even downward light plus soft on each side would be the best for me.

Thanks again for your help guys.
 
$1,300 extra cost for inferior results?

I'll grant that the zoom offers more versatility, but we're talking about a specific assignment.
 
ScottnLaguna said:
Thank you all for your help! I used to have a Micro 55mm on my very first Nikon F, back in the late 70's. It was a tremendous lens in every way. I suppose the Modern 60mm is that one upgraded.
Click to expand...
Still have my Nikon F and 55mm Micro from 1970. I modified it to work with current Nikons and found it to be less sharp than the AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D. The AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED is supposed to be sharper.

I also have the 105mm Micro VR and find the 60mm to be much sharper.

The 60mm Micro lenses were designed for copy work. I would choose one of them over the 105mm. Both versions of the 60mm are still available.
ScottnLaguna said:
Anyway, I asked about the 14-24 because that is the first "pro" lens I plan to buy to go with my D800.
Click to expand...
Very difficult to use filters with the 14-24, and a very bad choice for copy work. It is sharp for ultra-wide, but that doesn't hold up against a 60mm Micro.
ScottnLaguna said:
Shooting an oil painting correctly is full of challenges. First you have color, which you can mitigate by including a color chart for print matching. Some pigments don't translate to RGB very well (like cobalt blue).
Click to expand...
If you are using Lightroom 4, or Photoshop CS5 or CS6, you can make camera color profiles with either a ColorChecker Passport or a QPcard and their free software.

http://www.qpcard.com/en_b2c/color-reference-cards/qpcard-203-book-colorcard-profile.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NU5UW8/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

The ColorChecker Passport can be used with the included X-Rite software, or the free Adobe DNG Profile Editor. The color is a little different with each.

There have been reports that QPcard chart and software produces more accurate color. I plan on trying it, but haven't gotten it yet.

I have used the ColorChecker Passport with both software profile makers. While it is an improvement over the canned profiles, skin tones could be better.
ScottnLaguna said:
Next, is reflection from semi-shiney surfaces.(polarizer would help here) After that, in my case, the impasto areas need to be shot to their full advantage. (Impasto is thick paint layers that help give the work a 3-D texture.) Impasto looks best lit from above, as painted.
Click to expand...
My brother used to have a special effects animation house in Hollywood. When he had to shoot animation cels (glossy acetate painted on the back) he would put polarizing gels over the lights and a polarizing filter on the camera. The gels are available from Calumet.
ScottnLaguna said:
My hope is to use the D800 to shoot a sharp, faithful image with the option to include zoom versions of certain areas on a website. Like you would click on a face and it would fill your screen in rich detail. Or just and eye.
Click to expand...
Should work. You need to insure that the camera is centered on the painting and the sensor is perfectly parallel to the painting surface.

One way to do it is to place a small mirror at the center of where you will place the painting. The mirror needs to be parallel to where the painting will be. So, you could mount a small mirror on the wall you will shoot against. Aim the camera at the mirror and move the camera until the lens is in the center of the mirror when you are looking through the camera. Then place the painting flat against the wall.
ScottnLaguna said:
Lighting is something I really need to learn about. I think a combination of even downward light plus soft on each side would be the best for me.
Click to expand...
Two lights at 45 deg. to the painting will work if they illuminate the entire painting evenly. For larger paintings, you may need four lights.
--
Robin Casady
http://www.robincasady.com/Photo/index.html
 
Hi Robin, thank you for your thoughtful response. I pulled out my old 55mm today and took the prong off with an eyeglass screwdriver. After a few test shots on the D800, I was pretty impressed. Have not put it on a tripod but handheld with 36mp is pretty sharp. I will get the 60mm version for the road ahead.

The mirror idea is fantastic. Best thing I have heard in quite a while. Thanks. Also the polarizing filters for lighting and color software.

I have been trying to make decent shots of paintings for years and usually hired it out. I know a guy who shoots for museums but the shots I get from him are always low rez. The scanner guy is an hour away and is a pain to deal with. I will shoot my own and maybe take on some side work with all the artists I know$

In the back of my mind, I thought the 60mm was a gold ring $2000 lens for some reason. Happy it is "only" about $600.
Thanks again
Robin Casady said:
ScottnLaguna said:
Thank you all for your help! I used to have a Micro 55mm on my very first Nikon F, back in the late 70's. It was a tremendous lens in every way. I suppose the Modern 60mm is that one upgraded.
Click to expand...
Still have my Nikon F and 55mm Micro from 1970. I modified it to work with current Nikons and found it to be less sharp than the AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D. The AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G ED is supposed to be sharper.

I also have the 105mm Micro VR and find the 60mm to be much sharper.

The 60mm Micro lenses were designed for copy work. I would choose one of them over the 105mm. Both versions of the 60mm are still available.
Robin Casady said:
Anyway, I asked about the 14-24 because that is the first "pro" lens I plan to buy to go with my D800.
Click to expand...
Very difficult to use filters with the 14-24, and a very bad choice for copy work. It is sharp for ultra-wide, but that doesn't hold up against a 60mm Micro.
Robin Casady said:
Shooting an oil painting correctly is full of challenges. First you have color, which you can mitigate by including a color chart for print matching. Some pigments don't translate to RGB very well (like cobalt blue).
Click to expand...
If you are using Lightroom 4, or Photoshop CS5 or CS6, you can make camera color profiles with either a ColorChecker Passport or a QPcard and their free software.

http://www.qpcard.com/en_b2c/color-reference-cards/qpcard-203-book-colorcard-profile.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NU5UW8/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

The ColorChecker Passport can be used with the included X-Rite software, or the free Adobe DNG Profile Editor. The color is a little different with each.

There have been reports that QPcard chart and software produces more accurate color. I plan on trying it, but haven't gotten it yet.

I have used the ColorChecker Passport with both software profile makers. While it is an improvement over the canned profiles, skin tones could be better.
Robin Casady said:
Next, is reflection from semi-shiney surfaces.(polarizer would help here) After that, in my case, the impasto areas need to be shot to their full advantage. (Impasto is thick paint layers that help give the work a 3-D texture.) Impasto looks best lit from above, as painted.
Click to expand...
My brother used to have a special effects animation house in Hollywood. When he had to shoot animation cels (glossy acetate painted on the back) he would put polarizing gels over the lights and a polarizing filter on the camera. The gels are available from Calumet.
Robin Casady said:
My hope is to use the D800 to shoot a sharp, faithful image with the option to include zoom versions of certain areas on a website. Like you would click on a face and it would fill your screen in rich detail. Or just and eye.
Click to expand...
Should work. You need to insure that the camera is centered on the painting and the sensor is perfectly parallel to the painting surface.

One way to do it is to place a small mirror at the center of where you will place the painting. The mirror needs to be parallel to where the painting will be. So, you could mount a small mirror on the wall you will shoot against. Aim the camera at the mirror and move the camera until the lens is in the center of the mirror when you are looking through the camera. Then place the painting flat against the wall.
Robin Casady said:
Lighting is something I really need to learn about. I think a combination of even downward light plus soft on each side would be the best for me.
Click to expand...
Two lights at 45 deg. to the painting will work if they illuminate the entire painting evenly. For larger paintings, you may need four lights.
--
Robin Casady
http://www.robincasady.com/Photo/index.html
Click to expand...
 
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