Buying new camera for e-commerce photography HELP needed please

darkstarrz · Feb 10, 2014

Hello all,
I am new to this forum but figured it was a great place to start and to get good answers to my noob questions. I just started my own e-commerce business, selling luxury designer fashion items, like Chanel bags, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada etc. I also shoot shoes, jewelry, clothing and other fashion goods. I am looking to invest in a new camera. I have been using my Iphone5 and it has honestly been great, no joke. You can check out all my work at Consigned Designs - Upscale Luxury Resale! just click on some of the designers or click "New Arrivals" at the top so you can see all the newer stuff I posted. Anyway, I recently purchased 3 soft boxes (Flourecent lighting and a boom) along with a light tent. I had to put white paper to line the back because the lines were showing on the light tent (even though I ironed it) anyway, I am looking to get the most bang for my buck. I am looking to spend around 4 to 500 dollars and want to get a great camera for what I am doing. That is all I will use it for: Product shooting, nothing else. My buddy mentioned the Nikon J3 or the Sony NEX but I believe he wants it for completely different use than I would be using it for. Anyways any suggestion would be great. I want to produce the best image I can with an all white background (completely white, no gray) Any suggestions here would be great on a new digital camera to purchase. Thanks all. I also heard its good to have a macro mode, not sure what this is, especially for shooting close up jewelry, do i need this?
-Steve

Derrel · Feb 11, 2014

You've done some good work with the iPhone. I stopped by the site. I was...surprised at how good your pics are! FOr THOSE kinds of things, like handbag close-ups, the SMALL-sensor camera, like the iPhone, is actually a benefit, in that it shows almost the entire purse in good sharp focus, even from close range. Shooting those types of close-up pictures with a D-slr is actually going to be MORE-difficult that I think you're ready for. I would stay with a SMALL-sensor digital camera in the $389 range. Not kidding.

minicoop1985 · Feb 11, 2014

He's right-that's some impressive work for a phone, definitely. Would perhaps a very wide angle lens on a small sensor mirrorless-like an Olympus OM-D-help with what he's doing? Just a thought.

darkstarrz · Feb 11, 2014

Thanks, guys you don't know how much that mean to me. I put a lot of time and effort into making sure every picture comes out perfect. The great thing I love about my iphone is that I can center the objects perfectly with the same amount of white space all around it. The biggest issue I have begun to run into is that with the light tent, I am not sure if it is the paper or not, I am getting yellowish lines that show up sometimes. What is this? Anyway I spoke to a camera guy today heres what he told me. Panasonic DMC-ZS5 OR THE DMC-LX7
OR The Sony HX50V or Olympis EP L5 or Fuji XM1 (those are the 4 i was told to look at for what I am doing. Now a buddy of mine mentioned the Nilone J3 or the Sony NEX but I think he wants it for different reasons that what I would use it for. I really want a good easy to use camera, that takes unbelievable images with all white backgrounds. I have the light tent and the flourescent lighting. I shoot jewelry too and its very hard to get close-ups, especially of the hallmarks, so i hear a macro mode is almost a must to have. ANy other suggestions on digital cameras. I am looking to spend anywhere from 300 to 500 dollars. (also how is this: the Cannon E0s 650D E0S Rebel T4i / Eos Kiss X6i or the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25) (Please remember I do not crop or enhance the images, so what I shoot is what goes up so the clearest pictures with the whitest background is best)
Lastly I think I would like to make sure it has auto focus.