Taking Pics Of Small Items...

[Joe Lyddon]

I personally think that better results would be had with the FLASH turned OFF.

[Doug B]

You have to disable the flash in order to control the White Balance, which is probably going to be the single biggest thing you will work with to get better quality pictures. Of course, we have to get to where the pics are focused before we start messing with any of the settings...first things first...

[rdabpenman]

This is how I take all my photos for pens and other small projects.


Pen Photo Set Up

Camera: Digital Sony
Camera Model: DSC-H2

Lighting: Two Overhead shop florescent lights with 2 Day-Lite tubes

Back ground: A White or Grey cloth.

Camera settings:

•Set on Manual Exposure
•Focal Length: 14.2 mm
•Exposure Time: 0.625s
•Aperture: f/8.0
•ISO: 80
•Timer Setting: 2s
•Macro: On
•Flash: Off
•Steady Shot Mode: ON
•Color Mode: NORMAL
•Metering Mode: MULTI
•Picture Quality: FINE
•Contrast: Normal
•Sharpness: Normal

Set Up:

•I place a White or Grey cloth on a flat backer board directly under two florescent shop lights and prop to an angle to get the wanted light reflection off the pen.

•The color and type of the pen material and plating will determine whether to use a White or Grey back ground.

•Mount the camera on a tripod and set the White Balance with the color of background used.

•Place the pen on the background, zoom in on the pen and move the pen so it is at a diagonal in the camera view screen.

•Set the timer at 2 seconds and take several shots at different exposures until I am happy with the photo.

•Download the photos and keep the ones that I like.

•I don't use any photo editing software.

Les

[Joe Lyddon]

Mar 14, 2010 10:57:05 GMT -6 @rdabpenman said:

This is how I take all my photos for pens and other small projects.


Pen Photo Set Up

Camera: Digital Sony
Camera Model: DSC-H2

Lighting: Two Overhead shop florescent lights with 2 Day-Lite tubes

Back ground: A White or Grey cloth.

Camera settings:

•Set on Manual Exposure
•Focal Length: 14.2 mm
•Exposure Time: 0.625s
•Aperture: f/8.0
•ISO: 80
•Timer Setting: 2s
•Macro: On
•Flash: Off
•Steady Shot Mode: ON
•Color Mode: NORMAL
•Metering Mode: MULTI
•Picture Quality: FINE
•Contrast: Normal
•Sharpness: Normal

Set Up:

•I place a White or Grey cloth on a flat backer board directly under two florescent shop lights and prop to an angle to get the wanted light reflection off the pen.

•The color and type of the pen material and plating will determine whether to use a White or Grey back ground.

•Mount the camera on a tripod and set the White Balance with the color of background used.

•Place the pen on the background, zoom in on the pen and move the pen so it is at a diagonal in the camera view screen.

•Set the timer at 2 seconds and take several shots at different exposures until I am happy with the photo.

•Download the photos and keep the ones that I like.

•I don't use any photo editing software.

Les

Wow, Les! That takes me back to my cameras of yester-year when you could set everything to get it the way you want it! ...and today, you have more to play with using the digital stuff.

I guess you started with f8.0 and played with the exposure time til you got it? ...and went from there?

Now days, I just use a Canon Power Shot the best way I can... and use Photoshop to Balance, crop as required, and insert captioning. Quick & Dirty. ;D

Your work shows that you have your equipment & procedure Dead ON to get the quality results you're after. ;D

Super work!