Choosing A Camera For Pictures In A Book

[blakers81]

I don't want to really say that a P&S camera will be better...just that IF you are looking for some really close up shots of the food, it would be much cheaper with a P&S camera than going with a DSLR AND a macro lens.

If you don't need super close up shots, then a DSLR will likely be the 'better' choice. And yes, you could probably get some decent close ups with a long zoom lens like that.

Although, as mentioned at the start, the actual type or brand of the camera will matter less than the skills of the person behind it.

Ok, well i think I will stick with a DSLR and look into getting a macro lens to add on it...if that is feasible.

 

[Dwig]

...
So, you are thinking a simpler, cheaper point and click camera might actually be better? ...

Actually, shy of using a cellphone camera, the camera is the least important part of the equation. The quality of the lighting (not quantity) is vastly more important. And even more important than that is the photographer's skill is setting up and lighting the subject and post processing the image.

A $1000 spent on a DSLR and using only ambient light and/or the builtin flash along with the software that comes with the camera will yield less successful results in anyone's hands than what I could get with a $300 P&S combined with $200 worth of better software and a $500 budget for lighting equipment (stands, lights, and light-modifiers like umbrellas, softboxes, grids, ...). And that's with me being no better than a competent studio photographer, hardly what could be terms "highly skilled". You need lighting equipment that allows you to control shadows, reflections, specular highlights, ... .

 

[Big Mike]

You need lighting equipment that allows you to control shadows, reflections, specular highlights

Well, technically you don't need all that. As I mentioned before, it might be enough just to use window light an a reflector.
Of course, a good lighting kit allows you a lot more control for creating your own light in any situation, which is very handy...but skill & creativity are still more important than gear...whether it's camera gear or lighting gear.

 

[Dao]

One of the advantage of using a lighting equipment is you can do it even at night or anytime you prefer.