My experience with 'product' type photography is limited to my taking pictures of my own cameras mostly. The one thing I've found is that controlling the light is most important.
I just took this shot with a $20 camera I bought off Goodwill. I actually have four of them that I keep for everyday carry. Canon PowerShot SD1000. Small as a package of cig's or playing cards, 7 megapixel, it has a 'Flower' setting. Works for me when I don't want to haul out the Micro Nikkor on the A7ii.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1521675140.JPG

I did see something that might help you Shaun and it's cheap.
It was a plastic jug like a milk carton, only round, where they cut the bottom out and a quarter section of the wall to shoot thru. Set it over the product. It controls the light by diffusing it so you won't end up with that flash hot spot. I would recommend a tripod and no flash if possible too.

edit: Check this thread out as this is where I saw it....

https://www.talkemount.com/threads/trout-lilies.17922/

Oh gosh- Totally turn off the flash if you haven't already!
If Scott's idea doesn't work (and that is a good idea)- disable the flash, prop the camera on something solid (like a book of something), program a delay into the shutter fire, hit the button, and step away to get a clearer shot in low light.

A lot of these camera's also have different light settings which need to be played with to get what you want.

In addition to my SLR, I also love the canon powershots. I buy them at will and have them laying everywhere. So versatile and convenient, and even they are too powerful for uploads to pp without lowering the resolution. I think it even has a macro setting. The cool thing about the small point and shoots as you can put them on an el-cheapo tripod and they are so featherweight the whole assembly works.

Shaun - were you shooting under fluorescent lights for the pic you posted?
Those can be hard to get the right color to show up under.

That was going to be my next suggestion- you can almost see the flourescent light tube reflections in the macro shot. Flourescent can throw everything off. A lot of these camera's have lighting setting built in to oversaturate things because it "looks" good- for example "nature" settings will accentuate the greens and blues. You've got to really read the owners manual and turn that stuff off.

Here's an example of my Nex-7's capability, without much effort on my part aside from the resizing etc.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1521677385.jpg

Not that you want to play with it, but post processing is interesting too.
Here's Scott's original pic, post 21, on the powershot with about 30 seconds of work in photoshop:
( Well- maybe a 1:30... :) I tried to remove the bluish tint)

Probably a little too overdone. Oh well!

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1521677546.JPG

Thanks Scott, I'll take a look.

No flash, never use it.

I've got a tripod, problem is it's tough to use because I typically have large area (1-2 meters of parts spread out) shots and then close-ups. Been trying to hire an assistant for a month now. I think it's a good idea and time/cost-effective for them to use the tripod.

Yes, fluorescent lights with several big windows behind me of natural light.

I think a contributor is the navy fleece I have down much of the time. The tan ultrasuede above takes much nicer pics.

Thx. Let me talk to my wife.

I have both DSLR (Canon) and mirrorless m43 (Panasonic Lumix).

Last fall I sold off most of my heavy DSLR gear (50 f1.2, 70-200 f2.8, 24-70 f2.8) as it only collected dust.

Now I am mirrorless 99% of time and only use DSLR when I need flash (my flash equipment is Canon-specific).

I actually went so far that I even sold off my Lumix GH1, GH2 and got one of those fancy "superzooms" (Lumix FZ1000) as it has f2.8 lens compared to GH f4.0.

I do not miss the mirror and love decreased size. Besides, it shoots wonderful video!

Ahhhhh yes, the old wife excuse :eek:;)

Hey, wait a minute. Vash never said his wife was OLD. :eek:

Like my Lumix SZ30 with the 20x Leoca lens with its great low light without as much jpeg noise, GPS, Wifi, and Zoom while recording movies. Even does some nice brainless exposure/focus programming if I could remember where to turn what on. BUT, don't photo much any more. Forget I have the pocket sized camera with me, heck usually even forget my iPhone plus can do good impromptu snaps.

yea..i'm old school..i just like to mention purchases to the wife prior to just jumping..

easier that way. not sure what i'm supposedly making excuses for tho..motion.

Looked at this and it's a great idea but I will have to fashion something very large to cover a meter's worth of parts spread out. I may also look at putting some velcro around the lights such that I can put this milk carton style filter (as a semi-opaque sheet) over the ceiling lights when I take pics of finished work.

PM'd you Shaun.

Clean.
What lens?

That was with my Sony FE 2/28. Only native lens I have for my Sony's. 28mm is not wide enough for shooting cars at shows I've found so I use my old Nikkor 24mm. This shot was taken in a mode that automatically chose 'Marco'.
The resizing for posting really doesn't do justice to how sharp it is.