Small sensor Powershot for macro photography

I have been hired to shoot jewellry. Employer wants more DOF than a DSLR can give. I want to know what is the best Powershot for macro photography. A hotshoe is needed to trigger studioflashes. Raw files are not needed. They can be new or old. I can get a G11 for a low price, how is that for macro?

I'm grateful for any advice you can give me

Geenine wrote:

Employer wants more DOF than a DSLR can give.

Not sure what you mean by more depth of field "than a DSLR can give?"

That statement for me does not make sense; could you please clarify?

Possibly a SX50 which can focus very close to the lens would work. You might need an add-on close up lens but maybe not.

You should also consider the EF-M 28mm macro mounted on an M2 or better.

Increasing DOF can also be achieved by stacking images.

It's a matter of the actual focal length and the aperture being used.  Every sensor smaller than FF will have a smaller actual focal length than the equivalent.  Small sensor cameras have much shorter actual focal lengths.  A 28 mm equivalent lens used with a 1/2.33" sensor will have an actual 5 mm focal length and at a given F# will have more depth of field because the actual aperture is much smaller.

Probably a small sensor camera with a fast lens, as that gives you more latitude for adjustments.  Does the camera need to be a Canon?

One of the best set ups for small objects I have found is a Panasonic FZ200.  The lens is f/2,8, 25-600 mm equivalent, and the lens is threaded for 52 mm filters.  It does well by itself; but I also used mine with a close up lens to get greater magnification.  The FZ200 also has provision for an LA7 adapter to screw into the body to hold close up lenses, which can be quite heavy.

Adding a close up lens to the SX50HS is not as easy, as you need a filter adapter that bayonets onto the lens, and then the thread size is quite large (67 mm) and you can't use a hood at the same time.

Canon G series cameras have good sharp lenses.  To add a close up lens, you'll need a Canon lens adapter made of plastic, which attaches to the body and accepts 58 mm filters.  Kiwi also makes a similar adapter out of aluminum.

Someone in this thread mentioned the Canon S5IS.  Sharp lens; but the camera is prone to chromatic aberrations (colored fringes at high contrast edges).  Later cameras have automatic in-camera removal of such fringes beginning with the SX40HS.  G11 & G12 and later are good about CA.  Canon was late in including automatic CA removal.  I can easily see jewelry, brightly lit and sitting against a dark non-reflective background having bright, colored fringes around the edges.

Many of the S series do good macro, some are better than others. I have used an S120 for four years now, with and without achromats, and it works well (see my gallery for some examples). They can be picked up on eBay for not a lot of money, especially the S90, S100 and S110 (forget the S200).

Alternatively, some of the older SX series such as the SX30 and SX40 are also capable of great results with the 58mm plastic bayonet holder and an achromat. Photo below is from an SX40 and a Raynox 150, for example. These older SX series can also can be found for a great price on eBay. A Raynox (either the 150 or the 250 would be suitable) will be about €50-70 depending on where you buy them.

I have the S90 and the nearly identical S95.  They do not have auto correction of chromatic aberration; but the lens is so good there is very little CA.  Both are still favorites.

I have no hot-shoe on the S120, and have never used flash in any of my macro photography. Instead I use constant LED lighting, typically with home made diffusers over the lights. It's an effective workaround and I currently use a pair of Q8 's for static subjects (this means I always have a pair of really powerful flashlights around the house, too!). These lights have variable-output switches which makes for very interesting lighting possibilities. I mount them on mini Pixis from Manfrotto for table-top work. Other lights can be used similarly, obviously.

The G15/16 will do quite nicely with an attached close-up lens on an adapter. It will do all you that you have said you want.