Camera and photography advice needed

[Boxer_Airhead]

Working with RAW is essentially the same as working with a JPEG file. Whatever you can do with a JPEG you can do with a RAW file. The RAW file is MUCH larger. The main difference is that you can do even more with a RAW file while keeping the image in an original state.

When I think about the difference between JPEG and RAW, I usually come to the conclusion that JPEG takes a picture based on the settings you have selected on your camera. But RAW also stores data as if you had made other original changes to exposure, white balance. So it would be like taking the same picture 5, 10 or 20 times using different settings, but RAW does that in one picture.

For my Nikon camera I simply edit the RAW settings using the free Nikon "Editor" software that came with my camera. I think it is perfect.

[Isabo]

You guys are better than google!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks lots!

[alf]

Isabo
Like Todd said, i think you could do better with a P&S for Macro...as long as you light it well and use a tripod.

The biggest advantage for a DSLR for me other than lots of lens choice is speed and for Macro you do not need speed. I have a DSLR and do not use it for Macro (which is why i am selling that lens), and i shoot A LOT of Macro. I just find the Coolpix 995 easier to use and thus get better results.

But like most said, just go to the camera store and play around with a couple of set ups and see what works for you.

[nostatic]

working with jpg and raw is not the same. I avoid working with jpg if I can at all help it...it is a compressed image and hence you have lost data and some ability to manipulate without increased artifacts.

The macros in this gallery were all done with a Canon SD400 digital elph:

http://www.nostatic.com/photos/random1/

And those are no tripod, available light, and not the best examples. P&S do fine if you get the right one. Compare the macro settings...I like to shoot *really* close so I look for something below 5cm, with 1cm being my ideal. My P&S do not do raw however, but I put up with that because of the increased portability and ease of use. I mostly shoot with a D70 and 105mm Nikon Micro lense when I want the best results though.

[Steve Carlton]

Originally posted by Boxer_Airhead
For my Nikon camera I simply edit the RAW settings using the free Nikon "Editor" software that came with my camera. I think it is perfect.

Check out the Capture NX tutorials on the Nikon website. Perty schweet.

[campbellcj]

Another point to keep in mind is that you need a pretty beefy computer to manipulate raw files...the .NEF's from my D200 are 7-10+ MB each and I typically save them "just in case" but I mainly just use the .JPEG's from the camera, which are fine for my purposes.

[pwd72s]

Originally posted by Isabo

pwd72s - I don't post personal photos on the internet.

Isabo...I was joking. And I said "tats" ...short for tattoo here?

[Isabo]

Originally posted by pwd72s
Isabo...I was joking. And I said "tats" ...short for tattoo here?

I know
However,I would be happier posting my daughters tits (don't ask! I've already said no personal photos) than her tats! I have never come to terms with her art gallery but I have no problem with nudity for attractive people. Of course some folks should keep their clothes on!

[Steve Carlton]

I PM'd a guy on a photography board who's company photographs jewelry for a living. His reply:

"Greetings,
Fortunately I don't photograph jewelry for a living but my company does.

When you mentioned a light box are you referring to a traditional light box for viewing slides or a light diffuser solution such as a Red Wing or Lastolite with a lighting source? Three lights provide the best effect with two at the sides and one from above and slightly behind to get good highlights. This is probably the most difficult to master.

Costume jewelry is much more difficult to photograph than real gem stones due to light diffraction and impurities so diffused lighting is paramount. Using a camera with a good sensor makes a big difference we used to use three shot Leaf cameras to do this but those are long gone and currently do this with PhaseOne P20's on Mamiya 645 bodies. I would probably look at a D50 over the D40 and get the DK-21M or DR-6 eyepiece to save her eyes and back. For a lens the Tamron 90 or Nikon 105 (non VR) would be a good choice since the 85PC is well out of the price range. The P&S route has some good and bad points which include; greater depth of field due to the focal length, aperture tops out at around f8. noisy sensors above 5 MP. So the key for this is finding a P&S that is around 4 or 5 MP with a large sensor. Going through DP Review could probably help in narrowing a search for this and then looking at the image samples.

With all that said the next factor is post processing and this varies depending on web or print needs so the images don't look flat. If shooting gold then adding some black to that will help the definition. Depending on your costume jewelry you might be dealing with multicolored specular highlights that will require some masks to be cut, this is the most frustrating aspect of shooting costume jewelry.

For used equipment, B&H, Adorama and KEH are all good options.

Good luck and let me know how it goes,
marc"

Also- note the well thought of links at the upper left corner of the Macro World forum under "Macro World Resource." And came across this:
http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/jewelry_photography.htm