Need some help on which Digital Camera to buy.

[tippyhound]

My wife and I are planning on buying a new digital camera, and I would like one that would take really good up close pictures. She bought me a new Cannon digital a couple years ago and it works fine for ever day photo's, but I just can't get good clear up close photo's of my finds.

I see you fellas get some great pictures here on the forum and was hoping you would share the information about what camera's you are using and maybe where I could purchase the camera. I have went to places like Best Buy and Sears and all they want to do is sell you the most expensive one they have, and when you ask questions about up close photo's they don't seem to know what they are talking about. Well I'm already in that situation with my lack of knowledge, I don't need someone who knows no more then me trying to sell me a piece of equipment.

Your assistance and information would be greatly appreciated here.

Thanks Rick

 

[etracjoe]

Im with you Rick, and look forward to the replies. I have about the same situation here and when I try to take an up close photo I delete them because the come out so out of focus. My last post I deleted about 50 pictures.

 

[tippyhound]

Received a Message to look into a Pentax K-x. Will check it out and will post what I learn. Hope this request can help as many of us as possible.

Thanks Rick

 

[101numlock]

I have a Nikon coolpix L100 witch is now the L110 12MP digital camera. very good quality pics for a point and shoot. only 190 or so at walmart.

 

[Nick A]

I replied to your PM, but now I see you have a Canon and I am wondering why you can't get good macro photos? Use the macro mode (little flower icon) and natural daylight and you should get great closeups.Every Canon I have had for the past 10 years has done a great job. I also use the highest resolution setting and then downsize the photos before posting them, but that shouldn't make a huge difference.

 

[etracjoe]

Nick A your a lifesaver.......I had a closeup feature all along on my Nikon but did not know thats what the flower icons were for. I am completely camera illiterate lol

 

[tippyhound]

Hi Nick A - Thanks for the come back.

I own a Canon Power Shot A540 Digital Camera.It is a 6 Pixel Digital camera. It is a 2006 model. I have read and used the users guide for using the Macro and Manual settings. I even bought a tripod trying to get better close up photo's and I can't even get close to the photo you posted yesterday. Though I have tried your suggestions you posted yesterday I still could not get the close up, and clarity you are showing me.

The manual shows a close up lens for this camera. I contacted Canon about purchasing one and was told it was no longer available. I did find one on the Internet, but the lens along with the attachment to use it are expensive, so now I need to decide whether to purchase those or find a better camera.

Five years ago I purchased a cheap 3 pixel digital camera from Aldis and it did a much better job then this Canon, unfortunately it didn't hold up very well and that's when I purchased this Canon.

Going to go shopping around this week end to see whats out there and at what prices.

Again thanks to you and to all who have come back on this post. It is much appreciated.

 

[Nick A]

Not to be mean, but I have to say now it's starting to sound to me like you haven't read the manual on your current camera or you're just itching to get something new. I find it hard to believe that a fairly recent Canon digital camera doesn't have a macro mode, but I suppose it's possible. With digital cameras, good pictures have more to do with technique than the camera. If you really want high quality photos, nothing will beat a DSLR if you want to spend some real money. Patience, practice and a steady hand are important too. If your hands aren't steady, perhaps a short tripod will help get good shots. These were all taken with my cheap Walmart Canon, using macro mode and pushing the button halfway down to auto focus. Three are in natural daylight, and two are taken indoors with a lamp angled to give the best light. None of these pictures took more than a minute or two setup and get a good shot.

 

[Nick A]

Nick A your a lifesaver.......I had a closeup feature all along on my Nikon but did not know thats what the flower icons were for. I am completely camera illiterate lol

Lol, good luck trying it out! Looking forward to seeing some results! Modern cameras have so many fantastic features built in, it really does pay to read the manual. It's amazing what you can get in a camera for less than $200.

 

[Idaho PRB]

Everyone should look at this link. I built one of the boxes and it works great! Click on the link below;

Macro Studio Box

 

[Bill M]

I bought a Nikon CoolPix L20 about a year ago and I'm very pleased. The new Model is the Nikon CoolPix L22, good deal at Best Buy right now for $99.

 

[tippyhound]

Nick A -These two photo's are the best I could get Using my Canon A540 and all the settings you suggested in your post. I did it in both Auto Macro and Manual Macro. It didn't seem to make much difference. I am only able to get with in 2" of my subject and zoom just makes is worse. I have read where some of these newer camera's you can get with in 4 tenths of a inch.

I am obviously not the shutter bug that you quite obviously are. The kind of photo's your showing us on this forum are coming from one hell of a good camera or someone with many years of experience with what he is using.

By the way I have no interest in spending money any where I don't have to, so at least for now I'll stay with my A540 do a little experimenting and see if I can get anything better out of it. But I will never see the quality your putting out. That old Aldi cheapo I had put out just as good a photo as you are, to bad it didn't last. Rick

 

[Nick A]

Hi Nick A - Thanks for the come back.

I own a Canon Power Shot A540 Digital Camera.It is a 6 Pixel Digital camera. It is a 2006 model. I have read and used the users guide for using the Macro and Manual settings. I even bought a tripod trying to get better close up photo's and I can't even get close to the photo you posted yesterday. Though I have tried your suggestions you posted yesterday I still could not get the close up, and clarity you are showing me.

The manual shows a close up lens for this camera. I contacted Canon about purchasing one and was told it was no longer available. I did find one on the Internet, but the lens along with the attachment to use it are expensive, so now I need to decide whether to purchase those or find a better camera.

Five years ago I purchased a cheap 3 pixel digital camera from Aldis and it did a much better job then this Canon, unfortunately it didn't hold up very well and that's when I purchased this Canon.

Going to go shopping around this week end to see whats out there and at what prices.

Again thanks to you and to all who have come back on this post. It is much appreciated.

It could be that the A540 just does not have the capability? The camera body looks just like my old A70 and A75 though, but the lens does look like it is different. The A75 lens is a 3x, 5.-16.2mm 1:2-.8-4.8 which is different from the A540. In the past 10 years I have used Canon Powershot A70, Powershot A75, Powershot SD1000 and Powershot A1100IS (current camera). All were under $200. All have taken excellent closeup photos like I have posted. The only other thing I can think of is that I have a large SD card and always have the camera save the photos as the largest file size possible, then I crop them in a photo editing program, but cropping and possibly straightening is all I do... no enhancements. I'll try to get together and post a sample setup and pictures and see if that helps any, regardless of the camera you're using.

 

[Nick A]

Here are some photos of a setup with my Canon Powershot A1100IS. I used the tripod for this example, and show how I use macro (flower) setting, auto focus and the largest photo size. The cropped photos are the results. I hope this helps.

 

[King-John]

It all depends on if you are looking for a DSL or a point and shoot, Canon came out with a decent mid size point and shoot, unfortunately they up graded to newer models that are not quit the same, I own a Canon SX10 IS, it has super Macro, you can shoot with object right against the lens, unfortunately the newer models don't take as good of pics, you may find one on E-Bay.

 

[tippyhound]

Nick A - Looking at your Macro setting they seem to match my set up pretty close.I use the Auto focusing but one of the biggest differences I'm seeing is your photo sizing, it is much larger then I am able to achieve. I also noticed your table top tripod, something I will be purchasing real soon. As near as I can tell your distance from the object is about 2''s the same as I am able to use.

Thanks for all your help, I will continue to work with mine for a while longer. If I can't get out of it what I want I will look around for something better. Right now with Christmas coming up and a wife, two children, 9 grand kids and 7 great grand kids to buy for I need to focus my money else where for the time being.

To you and yours (and that's for everyone on this forum) a very Happy Thanks Giving and all the Holiday upcoming. Rick