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| *SoulEyes Photography>>>Digital Photography |
I am looking for a decent digital camera for macro photography. Any suggestions? |
I'm looking to get a digital camera, specifically for macro photography. I'd only like to spend around $500 (or less). A friend has the Canon Digital Rebel XT and it seems nice. It appears the Nikon D70 is a comparible camera. I'm not looking to go crazy with photography, but have been meaning to pick it up as a hobby for awhile. I have a decent sized cacti collection and would enjoy getting some good pictures of them. I'm just looking for a good quality camera that will last a while. Any suggestions on a camera that would suit my purpose? First of all you should decide whether or not you want to get into a camera with interchangeable lenses (a Single Lens Reflex called a SLR or dSLR). There are few models that DO NOT have interchangeable lenses that would fit your price range and would be excellent for Macro photography and you could also consider some non-slr models that have built in macro capability. Some advantages of an SLR are the ability to change lenses (usuallly), direct view of the subject in the viewfinder, very precise light measurement of the subject and greater flexibility. SLR's with interchangeable lenses allow you to purchase a wide range of specialty lenses and accessories that can increase magnification. They usually have a significantly faster shutter response time which could be important if your cactii are camera shy and zip out of range whenever they see the camera coming : ^). Seriously, that can be important if you plan to shoot insects or wildlife that is skittish or sports/action. Disadvantages of SLRs are that they are usually larger and heavier and more complicated to use and many more $$$. In your price range I think I would look at a good non-interchangeable lens camera unless you think you will want to do many other kinds of photography. Check out Steve's Digicams for good, objective reviews of a large selection of camera models. I would take a close look at the Fuji (Fujifilm) FinePix S700 to see if this would meet your needs (See link, and be sure to check out the section Steve's Conclusions). http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_revi... This is non- interchangeable lens model with a good zoom range a "Flower" setting for Macro Photography in the moderate magnification range appropriate for cacti and easy to use features. At $250 or less that gives you enough money in your budget to buy some extra rechargeable batteries and memory cards and a decent quality lightweight tripod which would be advisable to get good quality shots (higher magnification increases problems with camera movement which a tripod helps to offset). Also note that the Fuji has a Picture Stabilization mode to help offset this problem. The other advantage to this approach is that you can find out what level of interest you really have in photography and, if you get the "bug", you don't have a great deal of money invested in a camera that isn't quite right or expensive lenses that don't meet your needs. Instead you get to shop in the future as a better informed consumer. Hope this helps. Good luck. Email me if you have more questions. P.S. Steve's Main Menu has MANY LINKS to other resources. Source(s): Former camera salesman, part time photographer and photo enthusiast and Macro Photographer. http://www.steves-digicams.com/default.h... The Eos and the d70 ARE GOING TO CHALLENGE THAT $500 BUDGET You should get the PENTAX Optio W30. It has TONS of features, VERY good picture quality, its sleek & stylish. And to add to all that, its waterproof! You can see the camera here: http://www.pentaximaging.com/products/pr... I have had the PENTAX Optio W10 (a slighty older version) for a few years now and I absoloutly LOVE it! The Optio W30 also features the Face Recognition function and Macro Photography mode to allow image capture at under half an inch for stunning close-ups of photography subjects such as flowers, insects, jewelry and much more. Hope I could help! my suggestion go to yahoo shopping digital cameras digital camera GUIDE be sure to check titles on the left side the guide should answer your questions The real key to macro photography is not so much the camera but the lens. Both models metioned above would give you great results. My suggestion is to do more research into the lenses that will give you the sharpest macro shots. You might also want to check out fredmiranda.com They have a lot of lens reviews, photography forums and there and a forum where pros sell their used equipment. You can get good gear at a great discount. |
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