[timberrr59]

What brand and model camera is OK for making photos of razors and associated projects? Any member wanting to sell or trade one? I need one to share brags, ideas, and projects with all. Thanks, Robert

[Ditch Doc]

It isn't the camera. I got an opportunity to discuss photography with several high end photogs when I was in Baghdad, and they were universal in that it isn't the camera, it's the light.

[timberrr59]

That is the truth. For closeup work light is everything. I am just looking for a camera that takes good photos. I do not care if the camera is not small, smart, cool or whatever. The last time I fooled with cameras-3.0 MP was tops! What is adequate MP these days?

[sicboater]

I think that resolution (megapixels) is also only good to a certain point. an 8MP image at 72 dpi is about 4 feet by 5 feet large printed. I shoot with a rebel XT at a little over 8mp when out and about, and in the studio, I use a digital Hasselblad H3-DII that shoots 39MP Tiffs! Whopping photos. That being said if you want to edit the image and crop a small portion of it out of that space, you will still have a pretty good photo without having to reshoot. 7-10 MP is really a good range to stay in for that kind of stuff. As far as everything else goes, everyone is right, it is all about the light and what kind of optics get that light to the film or sensor. Good lighting is 98% of good photography. The lens quality is another 1.9% and the last .1% is camera settings IMHO. There is a bunch of good linkage and tips and tricks here:

Photographing Razors


hope this helps,

Have fun!

-Rob

[holli4pirating]

For razors, I would suggest shooting on a camera that has full manual exposure control (shutter speed and aperature), or a very tight centerweighted light meter option and an autoexposure lock. I find these to be important to properly expose blades, which tend to be highly reflective.

I'd also suggest making sure you can shoot at a focal lenght that provides a 1x or greater magnification. Wide angles will distort the image, and when the viewer wants to know about the grind or smile/frown/straightness of the cutting edge that can be very annoying.

[timberrr59]

That is a great thread. It all comes back to me after 41 years. I went to Periscope Photography School for a week back then. We were taught the basics of photography (heavy on focus and f.stops/shutter speed) and developing. I'll have to learn the electronic stuff from the botton up. Challenging. This is to be some fun. You folks do some beautiful work. Thanks, Robert

[OLD_SCHOOL]

I'd also say its the person, as well as the lighting etc. I can take some great pics, but when it comes to nice razor pics, I just can't get it right, even with 12.1 mega pixels or that great thread on photographing razors. *sigh*

[icedog]

To look at a great photograph and tell the photographer, "Wow you must have a really good camera" is like eating a wonderful meal and telling the cook, "Wow you must have very good pots and pans".

[superfly]

Originally Posted by sicboater

Good lighting is 98% of good photography. The lens quality is another 1.9% and the last .1% is camera settings IMHO. There is a bunch of good linkage and tips and tricks here:


-Rob

Id's say the 98% share goes to the photographer

Anyhow, I have photographed razors with my cell phone 3.2m cam, various digital pro bodies, and my new and shiny Nikon D60 ( (not the exotic Hasselblad H3-DII, though I would love to see one)), and the trouth is, if you know what you are doing, they all turn fine pictures...

cheers,
Nenad

[sicboater]

Originally Posted by superfly

Id's say the 98% share goes to the photographer

Anyhow, I have photographed razors with my cell phone 3.2m cam, various digital pro bodies, and my new and shiny Nikon D60 ( (not the exotic Hasselblad H3-DII, though I would love to see one)), and the trouth is, if you know what you are doing, they all turn fine pictures...

cheers,
Nenad

I guess I should make allowances for the decision maker too! Bottom line to me is exactly what you say here, the equipment is really just that, equipment. Cameras don't shoot photos, People shoot photos! LOL.


-Rob

*Edit The sad part about the Hassie is I am used to seeing it now and forget sometimes that it cost about as much as a mid-sized car.

[jockeys]

+1 to all the comments about how skill and lighting matter more than the camera.

that said, some cameras do better with macro (very close, high magnification) shots than others. i use a cannon s3 which has a pretty decent piece of glass on it, i can do some good macro work with it. (focal depth < 1cm)

the macro thing is only important if you are doing up close work for details of razors, you can get shots of the whole razor just fine with any halfway decent camera.