Hello - Searching for a good camera

[ZPics]

Greetings everyone,

I'm in search of a good quality camera for my place of employment. We are needing to take pictures of product shipping on flat beds. We need to be able to zoom into pictures to see the product number clearly without it getting fuzzy.
Would like to have it dust proof, anti-shake, option with a flash, also have a hard exterior to keep from being damaged. Would like to have picture quality like a newer cell phone without employees using their own cell phone.
The ability to upload pictures through cord or even wireless.

Currently searching through Amazon and not finding the right one or not knowing how to search for the right one using their categories.

Any help is much appreciated. If needing more information, let me know and I'll do my best to relay what we need.

I found this forum searching Google and looks like I found a good one to start. Who knows, perhaps I may pick one up for myself and do my own photography someday.

 

[Jeff15]

Hello and welcome, there are lots of cameras to choose from, but a lot depends on how much you want to spend.

 

[KJ_North]

Search online lots out there

 

[RScottie]

If this camera is to be used by multiple people that may or may not be familiar with modern complex cameras, you may wish to get a simple point and shoot camera that has a fixed lens and minimal user adjustments.

Some of those take very good pictures and are capable of what you are asking.

 

[gk fotografie]

Greetings everyone,

I'm in search of a good quality camera for my place of employment. We are needing to take pictures of product shipping on flat beds. We need to be able to zoom into pictures to see the product number clearly without it getting fuzzy.
Would like to have it dust proof, anti-shake, option with a flash, also have a hard exterior to keep from being damaged. Would like to have picture quality like a newer cell phone without employees using their own cell phone.
The ability to upload pictures through cord or even wireless.

Currently searching through Amazon and not finding the right one or not knowing how to search for the right one using their categories.

Any help is much appreciated. If needing more information, let me know and I'll do my best to relay what we need.

I found this forum searching Google and looks like I found a good one to start. Who knows, perhaps I may pick one up for myself and do my own photography someday.

For the general description you've given, you can use just about any digital camera or better mobile phone these days.
Check the international websites of well-known brands Nikon, Canon, Fujifilm, and Lumix to get an idea of the current range of models. The biggest question you should ask yourself is how much you want to spend on a camera, and then start by researching the various camera models from the aforementioned brands within that price range. This will leave you with a handful of cameras and will likely make it much easier to decide which models will meet your requirements and appeal to the people who will actually use the camera.

 

[cgw]

Buy an iPhone and a tough case. Done.

 

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day Zp

I use the Lumix FZ-300 for all sorts of stuff and I would reckon your people could also use one to great advantage. A good system, magic zoom lens, auto + other adjustments and if needed, can easily be but into video mode. It's about $us600 ~ us$650 (depending on Tariff movements)
Hope this helps
Phil

 

[ZPics]

Thank you for some helpful information. I should have mentioned the camera we have been using is Kodak PIXPRO FZ152 from Amazon.
I feel it does work well, but I'm being told we need better quality so they can see product numbers when zooming in to the picture when looking at it on the computer.
Needs to be dust proof, durable, better than 16MP, no need for video/audio - not a requirement and have a good flash capability.
Some of our loads goes into shipping containers. The cameras would be handled by several people throughout the day, so it doesn't need be too complicated to learn how to use.
Can connect it to a computer through USB to upload the pictures but would like the ability to upload via Bluetooth or over Wi-Fi.

 

[jeffashman]

Howdy and welcome! An associate recommends a Kodak WPZ2, although it is only 16MP. It's designed for industrial use and is waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof, so can stand up to some rough handling. Finding something with your specs at more than 16MP is going to be tough to find, but 16MP produces nice images and should work for what you want. The image below was taken with a 10MP Canon PowerShot SX10, so as you can see, the detail can be pretty nice.
Boy taking Picture by Jeff Ashman, on Flickr

 

[ZPics]

Here is an example of using the Kodak camera with 16MP on one of our truck loads. It's a little blurry when taking the pictures and when zooming in on the red part, the boxes, the numbers are blurred as well. We are needing to be able to zoom in on parts and boxes which show relevant information if we have claims of something missing/damaged.

 

[jeffashman]

Here is an example of using the Kodak camera with 16MP on one of our truck loads. It's a little blurry when taking the pictures and when zooming in on the red part, the boxes, the numbers are blurred as well. We are needing to be able to zoom in on parts and boxes which show relevant information if we have claims of something missing/damaged.

Just my opinion, but I think the auto-focus on that camera is borked.

 

[VidThreeNorth]

Just my opinion, but I think the auto-focus on that camera is borked.

I don't think so. The problem isn't the camera, it's the photographer. It's going to take more practice and you need to develop a "standard method" (I'd normally call it a "standard practice" but I think that would be misunderstood here). The pictures are taken on an shallow angle. In this case you are not going to get enough "depth of field" to cover everything relevant. If the picture is focused too close to the photographer then the far end of the picture will be out of focus, and if you focus farther, then the near end will be out of focus. Most cameras would not know what you wanted in focus in this situation. That includes cameras on phones too. Now, if you standardize that you always take 2 shots, the first picture including the whole of the payload and the SECOND PICTURE is always a closeup of the "product number", then you have almost solved it. You have to follow that up by checking your pictures to see that they are good enough -- no rushing through it.

COULD a new camera help? Yes. I would suggest getting a camera with an eye-level viewfinder. Those are cameras where you actually look through the eye-cup and not the whole rear screen. Modern cameras will have a rear screen too. But looking through a viewfinder can help you see what you have in focus. It also helps you to remember to slow down and get the picture right. Psychology people would call this "pattern building". There are other beginner tricks that work. You can think of a "5 second rule". A new photographer might simply force him/herself stop and think "ok, now I'm taking a picture, so I have to stop and wait 5 seconds before I press the shutter." While counting to 5, you look at the screen and move your eye (starting in the middle) "upper left corner, upper right corner, lower right corner, low left corner, "back to center". At each point you ask yourself "is the corner of the picture where I want it, or do I have too much in the picture, or have I cut something out that I want in the picture" Yes, you can do that even with a phone, but when you stick your eye in the eye-piece, it's easier to build the habit.

 

[TJMcG]

All of these images show camera shake and indicate that a faster shutter speed is likely all you need to eliminate the "blurriness." If this is an important part of the job, I recommend that you get someone who knows how a camera works to do the photos.

 

[AlanKlein]

Contact B&H Photo and explain your requirements. They'll recommend the right camera.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/helpcenter.jsp