Help with camera choice.

[SYKES3]

Hello. This is my first visit. I was hoping to get some information here about photographing with the intent to make giclees.

I am about to buy a Canan RebelXT SLR, 8 megapixel. Will this camera give me the resolution I need to make giclees? My interest in photography is shooting my watercolor paintings for giclees and in general fairly close photography for things for reference to paint.

Tell me what you know about this camera as far as giclees.

I don't know if I asked the right questions. Move this post where it belongs, I couldn't decide where to put it. Thanks. SYKES3

 

[Big Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

First of all, the Rebel XT is a great camera and should be able to do just about anything that any other digital camera can do for you.

Next, I have no idea what you mean by "giclees"...so I can't answer your questions about it/them.

 

[SYKES3]

Thanks for the welcome Big Mike. A giclee is a high end reproduction of limited addition art. I can research this myself. I just thought someone here might know.

I have a COOLPIX 5700 5mg pixel now and I'm just not getting enough information with it. SYKES3

 

[The_Traveler]

giclees are usually produced from files generated by very high end, high res scanners with well calibrated color printers. You wouldn't be getting the same resolution and the color may not be as satisfactory.

 

[wildmaven]

We have 5 watercolor artists in our gallery who produce giclees (pronounced jzee-clay or zhee-clay) from photos they have taken of their work and them come out lovely. The most important aspect is lighting your piece when photographing it, making sure there are no dark areas, no shadows, etc. You also need to make sure the final photograph doesn't have any dust artifacts showing, as that will show up on the giclee. Be careful where you get your giclee printed. Some places are saying they produce a giclee, but they are actually using a standard inkjet printer. A true giclee is produced with special nozzles. An art dealer will look at a giclee with a loupe (that magnifying glass jewelers use) and they can tell the difference! Giclees, since they are hand color-matched to your original, can truthfully be called prints. In contrast, Watercolors reproduced on a personal printer are, in the art world, referred to as "reproductions". However, with the ever-changing world, this line is becoming more blurred by the day...