Best settings for taking pictures of small items inside a light box

[no1texan]

Glad to find this forum. 21st technology is great for 'dummies' like me. Makes me feel I am right up there with those who know all about it.

I have a Canon Power Shot A40 camera. It's old but that's all I can have at this time and it works. I am a retired aerospace accountant and wood working is my hobby and extra money. I don't build tables, cabinets, etc. I make "wood art," my largest item is 21 inches long, 'men's wooden tie. A real tie you can wear with a suit.

My understanding of camera settings for a good picture is zero, i.e. why I purchased the point and shoot Canon A40. But there are some manual settings on the camera that I understand can enhance the quality of the picture. I am going to use a light box (plan to purchase even though I have read several ways DIY; don't want to spend lots of time taking pictures to find out that I did something wrong in making the light box) and a tripod.

I would like to know of any settings I can use on the Canon A40 to improve the quality of the photo? I usually use either Auto (which I know settings don't apply?) or P. I am familiar with the timer. And I have the manual. But that is about as much as I know and understand. I will be taking the pictures inside my house, in a room about 12x12 with a single ceiling light with 2 60 watt light bulbs.

Thanks

 

[Robin_Usagani]

tripod + small aperture + low ISO + long shutter

 

[Luke345678]

You really don't need a tripod although it will help tremendously.

 

[Derrel]

tripod + small aperture + low ISO + long shutter

Yeah, pretty much. With a compact digicam a "small" aperture may very well be f/4.5...with that small of a sensor, there is a lot of depth of field even on fairly close-up shots. But yeah, a small aperture, like f/4.5 or f/5.6 or f/6.3 ought to give a lot of depth of field.

With the camera tripod-mounted, the pics ought to turn out well. As you mentioned, the self-timer delay can help. The white balance setting can be a biggie; using household incandescent bulbs, the WB setting probably ought to be set to the Incandescent Bulb icon...somewhere around 3,200 degrees Kelvin...

As far as exposure goes...many times, lightbox images will look a bit dim and gray, or slightly "muddy". To counteract that, it is often useful to add a bit of positive exposure compensation, using the "plus/minus" control, almost always symbolized by the +/- symbols. Adding +1.0 to + 1.5 exposure value (EV) can often whiten-up whites. For shooting on DARK backgrounds or DARK papers inserted into the lightbox, Minus Exposure comp of Minus 1.0 to Minus 1.66 EV can often be a good starting point.