Camera Suggestions for Product Photography
Jul 10, 2016 08:40:22 #
Many recommended the 100mm lens. This lens on either FX or DX format could have too narrow DOF for good product illustrations.
Jul 10, 2016 09:04:37 #
I think that I am the client. Here is what I have to work with, an IPad, Samsung phone, a LUMIX DMC ZS6, and an Oly C5050 that seems to be malfunctioning when trying to focus close up.
This is the reason I am thinking about a new camera body and lens. Aiming for mid range. Pentax K1 appeals, maybe too much camera given my knowledge base now, and on the heavy side.
Suggestions for a good fit?
Much appreciation for input. Very very helpful.
This is the reason I am thinking about a new camera body and lens. Aiming for mid range. Pentax K1 appeals, maybe too much camera given my knowledge base now, and on the heavy side.
Suggestions for a good fit?
Much appreciation for input. Very very helpful.
Jul 10, 2016 09:05:57 #
Jul 10, 2016 09:34:56 #
Sky wrote:
I think that I am the client. Here is what I have to work with, an IPad, Samsung phone, a LUMIX DMC ZS6, and an Oly C5050 that seems to be malfunctioning when trying to focus close up.
This is the reason I am thinking about a new camera body and lens. Aiming for mid range. Pentax K1 appeals, maybe too much camera given my knowledge base now, and on the heavy side.
Suggestions for a good fit?
Much appreciation for input. Very very helpful.
This is the reason I am thinking about a new camera body and lens. Aiming for mid range. Pentax K1 appeals, maybe too much camera given my knowledge base now, and on the heavy side.
Suggestions for a good fit?
Much appreciation for input. Very very helpful.
I have a Nikon D70s and a Nikon Df but when I have to shoot products to sell on Ebay I found both of these cameras gave me too narrow DOF at close up so I use my Nikon Coolpix 5000 and it works better.
Jul 10, 2016 10:10:37 #
Sky wrote:
Would greatly appreciate suggestions for a great camera for product photography.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
A LUMIX GH4 (or any m43 camera with articulating screen) with 30mm f/2.8 macro lens would be perfect for this. If you use a neutral gray seamless paper background, and create a light tent using a translucent white shower curtain, you should have a great setup. YouTube is full of great videos showing how to do it. Even eBay has videos on it...
Jul 10, 2016 10:13:23 #
Peterff wrote:
Any decent camera will support raw. Pentax is a good choice, but so are others such as Canon, Nikon, and Sony. You may not need a DSLR, nor a full frame. That would be your choice. I would start by looking at your form factor choices of articulated LCD and NFC. NFC is likely to to eliminate more options from your shortlist given its relatively recent addition to the feature set. Why do you need NFC and how important is it?
He would probably be much better off with built-in WiFi than NFC. WiFi supports more devices and connectivity options.
You can download images to smart phones, tablets, and computers directly from a WiFi camera, even using hot folder applications to auto-process them upon receipt. You can also control the camera from your phone, and use it as a monitor.
Jul 10, 2016 11:17:10 #
Sky wrote:
Would greatly appreciate suggestions for a great camera for product photography.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
The light and backdrop is really more important than the camera and it sounds as if you've got that. Actually I'd suggest any dslr in the Canon Rebel line.
These are fine dslr cameras and the lenses are excellent. Also, if you don't have a tripod you should consider one. Best of luck.
Jul 10, 2016 11:24:37 #
Effate
Loc: El Dorado Hills, Ca.
Architect1776 wrote:
I would use what camera you have and add the Canon TS lens. Additional depth of field would improve the images.
I concur, I have a couple of Canon TSE's and with the ability to change the plane of focus it gives the appearance of greater depth of field and I can only speak to the ones I own they are extremely sharp!
Jul 10, 2016 12:17:43 #
Old commercial photographer here. Much has been discussed about gear issues and selection but little has been mentioned about aesthetics and the relationship of the gear usage to the said aesthetics and the ultimate goal of your E-business website.
You are creating an online "store" but your potential clients can not touch, feel, or closely examine the quality of your product. It is a "paper product" and so the images have to be tactile and have a geat deal of dimensionality or you may create a seemingly cheap or unimpressive rendition of your products if they are not photographed with some savvy- you want to make a good visual impactful impression of each product. You also need to create some uniformity in your images as to background and lighting so that the site does not look "all over the place", sloppy or distracting as the viewer goes from one image to another. You want enough resolution, depth of field and general sharpness to accommodate full screen or zoomed-in images if your web design includes theses features.
For shooting ease and efficiency, it is best to construct a simple tabletop setup- much simpler that most folks would think. A moderately powerful electronic flash mono-light equipped with a larger softbox type light modifier, suspended over the set, is a powerful, versatile and practical tool for this purpose. A boom type light stand is ideal for this purposes, however, a two stand and crossbar setup or a similar improvised rig can do the job. The light is placed directly over the product and then moved slightly toward the background in order place a "drop-shadow" under and slightly in front the item being photographed. Siple reflectors are used as a fill light source. When done correctly, this method will yield a very three-dimensional rendition.
Available natural light is NOT the best choice for this kind of work. A decent electronic flash mono light has a strong enough modeling lamp so that you can see what you are doing in terms of light and shadow. It will allow you to work at a small enough aperture for adequate depth of field, especially where you have multiple layers of product on the set. Two to three f/stops ahead of your lenses maximum aperture will usually yield its best optical performance. The rapid flash duration of electronic flash precludes any kind of a blur due to camera movement or vibration. The daylight quality of electronic flash is easy to white balance and will help in the rendition of accurate product colors. Hot lights (high ooutput incandecent or quartz) lights can work but the heat generated by theses lights can damage softboxes and be hard on certain products as well.
As others have mentioned, a moderately priced unit from Paul C. Buff (Alian Bees etc.) will do a fine job- their softboxes are extremely well constructed, easy to set up and take down and very reasonably priced for the level of quality they offer. The Buff company's reputation for customer service is impeccable.
White reflectors can be purchased or easily home made from sheets of white Foam-Cor, or Cor-Plast. I use those materials with crushed and re-expanded aluminum foil for greater reflectance when required.
Any good DSLR and a fine lens should do the job. Reflex, through the lens, direct viewing is best for good framing and composition. A lens in the macro range is well suited for tabletop work. A slightly longer than normal focal length for the sensor and format size of the camera body is recommended for a good distortion-free perspective of most products.
This is an ONE LIGHT system that can be adapted for a wide variety of product work. Other units with grids and additional light modifiers can be added to the system if needed, however, for paper products, I have found this one light system to be most effective with a minimal investment in practical gear.
Attached, is an image of postage stamps and an accompanying collectors album, at typical FLAT paper product. I was able to bring out depth and texture in theses products using the aforementioned lighting setup.
When shooting, take the time to create interesting displays as you would if you were designing a store window or showcase display.
Good luck!
You are creating an online "store" but your potential clients can not touch, feel, or closely examine the quality of your product. It is a "paper product" and so the images have to be tactile and have a geat deal of dimensionality or you may create a seemingly cheap or unimpressive rendition of your products if they are not photographed with some savvy- you want to make a good visual impactful impression of each product. You also need to create some uniformity in your images as to background and lighting so that the site does not look "all over the place", sloppy or distracting as the viewer goes from one image to another. You want enough resolution, depth of field and general sharpness to accommodate full screen or zoomed-in images if your web design includes theses features.
For shooting ease and efficiency, it is best to construct a simple tabletop setup- much simpler that most folks would think. A moderately powerful electronic flash mono-light equipped with a larger softbox type light modifier, suspended over the set, is a powerful, versatile and practical tool for this purpose. A boom type light stand is ideal for this purposes, however, a two stand and crossbar setup or a similar improvised rig can do the job. The light is placed directly over the product and then moved slightly toward the background in order place a "drop-shadow" under and slightly in front the item being photographed. Siple reflectors are used as a fill light source. When done correctly, this method will yield a very three-dimensional rendition.
Available natural light is NOT the best choice for this kind of work. A decent electronic flash mono light has a strong enough modeling lamp so that you can see what you are doing in terms of light and shadow. It will allow you to work at a small enough aperture for adequate depth of field, especially where you have multiple layers of product on the set. Two to three f/stops ahead of your lenses maximum aperture will usually yield its best optical performance. The rapid flash duration of electronic flash precludes any kind of a blur due to camera movement or vibration. The daylight quality of electronic flash is easy to white balance and will help in the rendition of accurate product colors. Hot lights (high ooutput incandecent or quartz) lights can work but the heat generated by theses lights can damage softboxes and be hard on certain products as well.
As others have mentioned, a moderately priced unit from Paul C. Buff (Alian Bees etc.) will do a fine job- their softboxes are extremely well constructed, easy to set up and take down and very reasonably priced for the level of quality they offer. The Buff company's reputation for customer service is impeccable.
White reflectors can be purchased or easily home made from sheets of white Foam-Cor, or Cor-Plast. I use those materials with crushed and re-expanded aluminum foil for greater reflectance when required.
Any good DSLR and a fine lens should do the job. Reflex, through the lens, direct viewing is best for good framing and composition. A lens in the macro range is well suited for tabletop work. A slightly longer than normal focal length for the sensor and format size of the camera body is recommended for a good distortion-free perspective of most products.
This is an ONE LIGHT system that can be adapted for a wide variety of product work. Other units with grids and additional light modifiers can be added to the system if needed, however, for paper products, I have found this one light system to be most effective with a minimal investment in practical gear.
Attached, is an image of postage stamps and an accompanying collectors album, at typical FLAT paper product. I was able to bring out depth and texture in theses products using the aforementioned lighting setup.
When shooting, take the time to create interesting displays as you would if you were designing a store window or showcase display.
Good luck!
Jul 10, 2016 12:26:13 #
burkphoto wrote:
He would probably be much better off with built-in WiFi than NFC. WiFi supports more devices and connectivity options.
You can download images to smart phones, tablets, and computers directly from a WiFi camera, even using hot folder applications to auto-process them upon receipt. You can also control the camera from your phone, and use it as a monitor.
You can download images to smart phones, tablets, and computers directly from a WiFi camera, even using hot folder applications to auto-process them upon receipt. You can also control the camera from your phone, and use it as a monitor.
That is an excellent point. In the Canon range of APS-C DSLRs the T6i, T6s, and 80D are all highly rated and have both WiFi and NFC. There must be similar things from other brands.
Jul 10, 2016 12:29:34 #
Sky wrote:
I think that I am the client. Here is what I have to work with, an IPad, Samsung phone, a LUMIX DMC ZS6, and an Oly C5050 that seems to be malfunctioning when trying to focus close up.
This is the reason I am thinking about a new camera body and lens. Aiming for mid range. Pentax K1 appeals, maybe too much camera given my knowledge base now, and on the heavy side.
Suggestions for a good fit?
Much appreciation for input. Very very helpful.
This is the reason I am thinking about a new camera body and lens. Aiming for mid range. Pentax K1 appeals, maybe too much camera given my knowledge base now, and on the heavy side.
Suggestions for a good fit?
Much appreciation for input. Very very helpful.
Check out the Nikon D5500. WiFi, articulated screen, costs $749.00 at b&h today. Pentax K-1 $1,796.00.
Jul 10, 2016 12:45:11 #
Sky wrote:
Would greatly appreciate suggestions for a great camera for product photography.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
If it's solely for website use get a good bridge camera. The Panasonic FZ1000 is a good choice and a great travel camera to boot.
Jul 10, 2016 12:48:35 #
Sorry about the omission of my image on my above post. I was somehow unable to get the image online while editing the post. Here it is- one light method- paper product shot- postage stamps.
Jul 10, 2016 12:57:41 #
Sky wrote:
Would be so interested in learning more about this. Seeing photos too!
Thank you
Thank you
Sky, this is not a paper product but it's pretty representative of how important light is in product. The creation of light and shadows to sculpt is what gives the image dimension. Hope this helps.
SS
Jul 10, 2016 13:05:03 #
Sky wrote:
Would greatly appreciate suggestions for a great camera for product photography.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
Product is cards and envelopes, ribbon, gift bags, tissue paper, therefore larger than jewelry yet not big. Have a tabletop setup to use preferably with natural light. Definitely aiming for articulated LCD and NFC.
I am pretty much an amateur, although I own film Canon and Nikon. Photos will, at this point, be solely for website use.
Thank you so much for suggestions and input.
Just get a Sony RX10 and you are done - 1 inch sensor is plenty good for you and will have good DOF. Spend some on the lighting and set-up too.
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