What type of camera would be best?

[BCguy]

Hi everyone, and thanks in advance for any help you might be able to give me.

My situation is this, my girlfriend and I are starting a jewelry business, using gemstones and such, not really gold and silver etc. I need a camera that can take nice, clear, close up shots of what are, at times, very reflective materials / tiny, yet detailed stones. Using just a basic digital camera, it's either not in focus as well as it probably could be, or the reflection wreaks havoc on the picture.

Any ideas on what type of camera I should be using? What type of lighting/background. Most of these photos will end up on the web. I know next to nothing about taking pictures, so again, any help you can provide is greatly appreciated. Price wise, I am looking at whatever it takes to get the job done effectively. As you can imagine in the jewerly business, image is everything.

If I haven't provided enough info, please ask me some questions.

 

[gsgary]

Take them to someone who knows what they are doing

 

[Dominantly]

Bitter will help you with this I'm sure.

But my suggestion is to see if you can get a local guy to shoot them for a good price, if you do the cost analysis and decide that it would benefit you in the long run to shoot them, then you are going to need to shell out a little coin.
I would recommend you head over to your local photo shop (if you have one). There you can actually get a feel for the equipment and an idea of what you'll need via demonstrations.

The basics are going to be a body, a macro lens, a tripod, a light tent, and lighting. Then add in software, memory, remote, and an additional lens or two.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Like this?

Canon XSi with the 500mm 2.8 Macro lens. Body $500-600, Lens $500.
The 500mm is super sharp, a great lens for the price. Avoiding facet reflections is the real trick, and is pretty much trial and error, especially when introducing flash. Depth of Field can also be problematic.

Bitter will help you with this I'm sure.

 

[gsgary]

Bitter will help you with this I'm sure.

I hope so i held back

 

[BCguy]

Wow! Yes, exactly like that Bitter! Beautiful photos. I appreciate everyone's help so much. As this is going to be a full-time business, I would like to own the equipment and become adept at taking the photos myself, however, perhaps in the beginning I will enlist the help of a professional until I can at least learn the basics. Thanks again!

 

[rufus5150]

Canon XSi with the 500mm 2.8 Macro lens. Body $500-600, Lens $500.

He means the 100mm macro

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Canon XSi with the 500mm 2.8 Macro lens. Body $500-600, Lens $500.

He means the 100mm macro

:lmao: Ooops!

 

[Overread]

Canon XSi with the 500mm 2.8 Macro lens. Body $500-600, Lens $500.

He means the 100mm macro

:lmao: Ooops!

heh for a moment I thought he meant the 50mm f2.8 macro from sigma :lmao:
Though for ring work an EFS 60mm macro or a sigma 70mm macro would work just as well as the 100 and be a little cheaper.

 

[djmoonlight]

Wow,,
THe photo is so so great!!!

Best Shot:thumbup:

 

[PhotographyPool]

A macro lens, Canon body

 

[c.cloudwalker]

BitterJeweler, there is something missing from your post. How long did it take you to learn to get those shots?


To the OP, getting the camera is the very easy part. Learning photography to get to the point of getting this kind of shot consistently is another story. Unlike some people I will not tell you to hire a pro. You can learn but you need to be realistic about it. It will not happen overnight.

Keep in mind also that bad photos will not help your sales.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Canon XSi with the 500mm 2.8 Macro lens. Body $500-600, Lens $500.

He means the 100mm macro

:lmao: Ooops!

Not much would get me to switch brands, but a super sharp 500mm f/2.8 macro for $500 might do the trick!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

BitterJeweler, there is something missing from your post. How long did it take you to learn to get those shots?

Umm...Overnight?

I did this 8(ish) years ago with a Nikon CoolPix 900.

Fabric light tent, daylight bulbs, in clamp fixtures.

I have been into photography for a loooong time, so I can't give you a guess at a learning curve. Macro is newer to me, and dealing with that narrow DoF takes a bit of fiddling with. I ordered a TSEF 90mm...:thumbup:

Lighting, or should I say, proper lighting is the bigger learning hurdle. Don Kondra was quite helpful in this thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...y/197361-my-first-umm-third-product-shot.html

For me, there is more fussing with pleasing reflections in the metal, rather than focus or exposure. Polished metal and gems are pretty tricky. Too little reflected environment and the item quickly becomes flat, and you lose curve detail. To much reflected environment and as was pointed out in the above thread, it gets distracting. I'm still learning, but I am comfortable throwing all of the images I have taken so far of my work, into a portfolio. I don't know if the OP (it sounds like) is planning on selling loose gems online, that will be tricky to make sure the color is correct, and you show your stones acurately. Once you get a working set up, you are free to fly, because not much will need to change.

I have to do this myself because I often have, literally, hours from the time a piece is finished to pick up or delivery. No time to get a "pro".