This may not be the best place for this post but it does concern photos. I use my iPhone for all the photos I take, with mixed results.
Sometimes I'll get a clean high def pic - in focus - colors about right - etc but I often can't reproduce it even with the same setting (not very many) and lighting conditions. I would like a digital camera - wifi enabled - with decent zoom, depth of field and maybe something akin to an f stop. Oh - and I can't spend more that about 150£ - tops! Does such a think exist? Any recommendations?
Yes,
Have a look at this, refurbished Fuji cameras, often ex press, fixed faults or seconds, enables you to purchase a much better camera for a much cheaper price.
http://shop.fujifilm.co.uk/refurbished-digital-cameras
I have a proper DSLR camera (a Canon D450) with a couple of extra lenses - and I now barely use it, because of the camera in my iPhone (a 6s). The cameras in the newest iPhones are really good, even the ones in the 5s are pretty good.
You know about clicking on the screen on the iPhone to set the focal point, and the exposure point?
There are also camera apps that can give you more settings, but I haven't bothered with these as the basic camera app seems perfectly good enough.
I'd spend some time exploring what it does, as with a £150 budget I don't think you are going to get much more than a point and click camera.
No one is to say....."Techno will help you.....He was a professional photographer, for the Evil Empire."
(I had £10k's worth of equipment to play with there, in the late 80's)
I have two digital cameras to play with now.......A digital 'Instamatic' (Pentax) which cost around £500 20 years ago......I'm sure that'd be a 10th of the price for something similar nowadays.....And a Canon digital SLR (Plus a couple of lenses) which came out at over £1,000......Which I think is complete cr*p.
Some of the guys on the forum get FAR better results from their phones, than the piccies I send to Leon, saying....."Are these what you're looking for ?".
Cheers - Phil
Thanks for the replies.
Fred - yes I do know about setting the focal point but that is still a very good point worth mentioning. Had not considered looking at camera apps - thanks
ML - refurbished cameras I had not thought about so thanks for the link - looked at several other sites also - most are still pretty pricey
And based on what Fred and Techno have said probably not going to find something better than my iPhone 6+ for 150£s. When Techno says that £1000 got him a piece of cr_p - well that's pretty definitive! :)
Rather spend it on little guys anyway. Still wish I could solve the riddle of why sometimes I get good results and other times not.
Quote from: d_Guy on 05 May 2016, 03:27:20 AM
And based on what Fred and Techno have said probably not going to find something better than my iPhone 6+ for 150£s. When Techno says that £1000 got him a piece of cr_p - well that's pretty definitive! :)
I really am genuinely disappointed with the 'posh' camera. The little Pentax still gives better results....(And is quicker and easier to use)...Though I'd have to admit there's FAR more resolution available on the Canon.
The results that Forbes (Fred) gets with his phone, are
hugely superior, quality wise, to the Canon. (Which I find somewhat irritating....Not with you Forbes. ;D ;D.....I'd just expect something whose sole purpose is to take photo's to give better results than a phone. )
Fred's piccies look pin sharp, whereas the Digital SLR's always look the tiniest bit out of focus (at best).
Cheers - Phil
I use a light box, cost £20. Pretty much use any camera if the lighting is right.
Hullo,
If you want a deep depth of focus i.e. more of your tiny chaps are in focus, a small sensor size helps (and a small aperture). That's why the tiny phone cameras are easier than the big DSLRs with their full frame sensors (which are great for the brooklyn hipster approved shallow depth pics). If you do choose a digital camera, you might want one of the smaller ones, and if you go for an exchangable lens body, micro four thirds (m43) is a pretty good choice I think. Panasonic and Olympus for example. Some of the older models might be around on e.g. Amazon deals. I got the missus a Panasonic GM1 with a pretty decent kit zoom from one of the local dealers for a very good price. And you can also use older manual lenses from Nikon, Canon etc on these bodies with suitable adaptors.
Cheers,
Aksu
Quote from: Matt J on 05 May 2016, 07:24:03 AM
I use a light box, cost £20. Pretty much use any camera if the lighting is right.
Lighting is really important.
I don't think I'd go as far as saying I get better photos from my iPhone than my DSLR - but the difference is so small I can rarely be bothered getting the camera out.
Quote from: fred. on 05 May 2016, 11:41:36 AM
Lighting is really important.
I don't think I'd go as far as saying I get better photos from my iPhone than my DSLR - but the difference is so small I can rarely be bothered getting the camera out.
I agree. As the pics are going to the internet, (resized etc. ) I find my smartphone is largely sufficient.
Remember : there's always not-enough-light ;)
Quote from: ronan on 05 May 2016, 11:56:44 AM
Remember : there's always not-enough-light ;)
Ooooh! Controversial!
I would add that the great way to screw up a photograph (or make it) is with greatly differing levels of light.
Again - more good advice, thanks - I really like this board!
Light box is great idea - if I could actually paint stunning figures I would have one immediately and drag out my old Canon A1 with tripod.
(Assuming someone still processes film - oh wait the last time got pics on a CD - who knows what is done now)
My game board is on dinning table on our sun porch - SUN porch!
I did find some decent deals on Amazon (as was suggested) but now pretty well convinced to just stay with my iPhone and buy more little guys.
I use a Fujifilm bridge camera for all the web photos and sculpts, etc. which has done a decent job for me so far. I have a bit of trouble with the lighting at times and have to play about with the images in Photoshop, but it's not too bad.
Phil, something is not right, it sounds like your lens and body are slightly out of tolerance or at least at the opposite ends of tolerance. A good match too body should get pin sharp.
If you want shallow depths of field, then without modern specialist software, the only physical way of doing it is with a large sensor (at least 1 inch) and a long lens or a macro lens.
For deep depths of field the small sensor in a phone or compact is very good. The real advantage of a big sensor is keeping good resolution when printing bigger than A3, but since we are all mostly downsizing images these days for uploading or small screens, then that benefit is not rally relevant.
Your iPhone might perform better if you had a little LED unit for more light, that should substantially bring your ISO down and image quality up. Out of interest, on the shots you think are good and the ones you think poor, just compare their ISO's, that might tell its own story.
Quote from: Leon on 05 May 2016, 02:37:37 PM
I use a Fujifilm bridge camera for all the web photos and sculpts, etc. which has done a decent job for me so far. I have a bit of trouble with the lighting at times and have to play about with the images in Photoshop, but it's not too bad.
I've thought that the piccies you take, with that, Leon...look really good !
Quote from: Norm on 05 May 2016, 02:46:24 PM
Phil, something is not right, it sounds like your lens and body are slightly out of tolerance or at least at the opposite ends of tolerance. A good match too body should get pin sharp.
I think you may be right, Norm.
I know the Canon does NOT focus on 'infinity'....which I find a bit vexing.....Apparently it's not made to. :-\
The other 'problem' that I have, is that having used a 5" x 4" plate camera, with lenses that cost as much as the whole camera 'kit' I've got now ....(That's 25 years ago, now).....I expect the Canon to produce something as sharp as those big 'slides'......and it just ain't gonna do that.... :(
I get '
acceptable' shots from it.......But nowhere near as good as I think it should manage.
Like I've said...I think Forbes' shots from his phone are a far superior quality.
Cheers - Phil
Light boxes are fantastic. I made one with Really Useful Box and white paper, but have chucked that for an Amazon special. Unfortunately, I usually can't be bothered to get it out. The main thing is to diffuse the light so you don't get really directional light that throws a lot of nasty shadows.
My best shots were taken on a compact Olympus job using a mini-tripod using the double-macro setting. I've got a macro lens kit for the SLR, but never tried it.
The problem I have found is that really good photos show up my really s&!t painting.
Quote from: Techno on 05 May 2016, 05:55:51 AM
I really am genuinely disappointed with the 'posh' camera.
Did you buy it from the same people who sold you your PC?
Light boxes do help a lot, but likewise I usually can't be bothered to set it up. Just using a bit of white card can be a good way of reflecting some more light into the figures. Position it to the front, and slightly below so it's out of shot, and you will almost immediately see the image brighten.
A macro lens for an SLR probably won't be much use for figures. I got some macro extension tubes, but they magnify the object so much and have such a low depth of field that you will struggle to even get one figure in the frame. They are great for taking arty shots of coins and other fairly flat things.
Phil it does sound like something isn't quite right with your Canon camera. Have you tried manual focusing it? I find the auto focus on mine great on all sorts of subjects. But manual focus can be handy with figures, especially when used with a tripod. I have a 10x view option on the LCD screen which really helps with manual focus - and also really shows how much vibration is generated. Also if using a tripod switch off of the image stabilisation as this actual adds vibrations to counter the shaking hands of the user - which isn't what you want on a tripod.
I use a homemade lightbox for photoing the figures as well, which helps a great deal. I tend to go with the auto macro function as well.
I use this from Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0064MRG64/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
works a treat - packs into a small satchel and comes complete with two high power flex grip daylight lamps
Quote from: Techno on 05 May 2016, 03:05:32 PM
... having used a 5" x 4" plate camera ...
Ah! Was that in the day when you were photographer to David Livingstone? The expedition began with the immortal words "Aye, Davy, the tobacconist is just out here and to the right."
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/16/3d/8e/163d8ec17389bb84164f25002ccd5acd.jpg)
Quote from: d_Guy on 05 May 2016, 01:52:51 PM
(...) - SUN porch! (...)
You can't control the light, then. Sometimes it adds shadows.
As other people said, use blank cardboard on the opposite side, to light the shadows.
I use halogen lamps, turned to the ceiling.
Quote from: fsn on 05 May 2016, 12:43:56 PM
Ooooh! Controversial!
I would add that the great way to screw up a photograph (or make it) is with greatly differing levels of light.
Yes you're right.
But for taking photos of minis, I'd add many indirect lights. ( and for my poor eyes :-B )
The light boxes aren't useful while playing a wargame..
Quote from: ronan on 05 May 2016, 06:29:10 PM
The light boxes aren't useful while playing a wargame..
You could drape the fabric over the whole table and pretend the battle's taking place in thick fog. :D
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Norm on 05 May 2016, 02:46:24 PM
... Out of interest, on the shots you think are good and the ones you think poor, just compare their ISO's, that might tell its own story.
This is a great idea Norm - at first I could not find a way to get that info BUT because the pics are stored on OneDrive I could look at the file attributes with MS file explorer and there they are: f-stop, ISO, exposure time, etc. SO I'll get to work comparing - thanks.
I have now also downloaded "Camera Plus" from App Store which gives you manual control - I'll see what happens.
i have a bad camera also however if you build a light box it makes the pictures 100x times better you can make it with card board and paper and just need a lamp near by