good camera?

[EZ mac]

Hey btown, I have just filled my tax stuff and decided that with part of my tax refund that I want to buy a good camera that works well for close ups (Painted minis). As everyone who I have ever sent pics to can verify my current mode of camera (iPhone) sucks.

anyway I have no clue as to what a good camera is but i guess, like air brushes, you get what you pay for and I am looking to spend around $200 or less (possibly more if it is that drastic of a difference in quality over price)

so please help me out by either posting a good camera type or a link for it

and as always thanks!

[MagickalMemories]

I've had a lot of luck with the panasonic Lumix family of cameras.
You don't need much if you're only taking digital pics with it.
If you also want it as a general use camera, you don't likely need more than a 10X Optical Zoom (18x digital, maybe). Around 6 to 8 Megapixels will be fine, too.

Make sure that your camera has a macro function. That's the setting to use when photographing minis.

You can try your luck on feebay. Personally, I'd suggest trying Tiger Direct (www.tigerdirect.com). GREAT electronics prices.


Eric

[govannon]

I usually find better prices at www.newegg.com

[MagickalMemories]

ORly Baby.gif

[getupandgo]

Hey btown, I have just filled my tax stuff and decided that with part of my tax refund that I want to buy a good camera that works well for close ups (Painted minis). As everyone who I have ever sent pics to can verify my current mode of camera (iPhone) sucks.

anyway I have no clue as to what a good camera is but i guess, like air brushes, you get what you pay for and I am looking to spend around $200 or less (possibly more if it is that drastic of a difference in quality over price)

so please help me out by either posting a good camera type or a link for it

and as always thanks!

It might be a little out of your price range; but if you can find a Nikon D40 body (which you probably can for around or about $200), then you can find lenses fairly cheap, and you'd be all set with a very nice set-up that you could expand on.

[Ironhide]

Seriously, you don't need to pay top dollar for what you need it to do. A Kodak Easyshare + a Targus mini-tripod + a memory card will work great for what you need. All that together should cost you around $100. Then all you need to do is build yourself a good lighting box and maybe a rotating photo base for taking 360 views.

[EZ mac]

Seriously, you don't need to pay top dollar for what you need it to do. A Kodak Easyshare + a Targus mini-tripod + a memory card will work great for what you need. All that together should cost you around $100. Then all you need to do is build yourself a good lighting box and maybe a rotating photo base for taking 360 views.

a much nicer price range! And I love the name! (ez share)

how is the zoom? Will it actually show detail close up?

[Ironhide]

If you are mainly going to use it to take pics of minis, the zoom won't matter. As you will be positioning you camera about a foot away from the model on a tripod. Also remember there are 2 types of zooms; digital and optical. See: http://pcworld.about.com/news/Feb222005id119519.htm This will help you on deciding what camera to get.

My wife's is 2 years old and it is an 8 megapixel camera. The ones at Walmart are 10.7 megapixel and go for about $70. With digital cameras it has always been about the higher pixel rating, as that will get you better picture quality.

Like I said, if all you are looking for is a camera to take pics of minis, then you don't need a top of the line camera. Leave those for the real photographers.

[MagickalMemories]

My wife's is 2 years old and it is an 8 megapixel camera. The ones at Walmart are 10.7 megapixel and go for about $70. With digital cameras it has always been about the higher pixel rating, as that will get you better picture quality.

This is the only part I disagree with... and only sort of.

Megapixels won't affect your picture quality in regards to what you're doing (of what most of us do). All other factors being the same, you'll get as good a quality image with a 6 MP as you will with a 12 MP. Where Megapixels come into effect is when you go to enlarge the image. The higher your MP's, the larger prints you can make without losing image detail. A 12 MP camera will make better posters than a 6 MP. In the 8 to 12 range, though, you won't likely see a difference, even if you make a door poster out of your picture.


Eric

[Ironhide]

It's good to have the option though, and it's not expensive to get that option. You can take a large pic and shrink it down without losing quality, but when you go to enlarge a picture you lose quality. KWIM?

I have a digicam I bought way back in 2004. 3.1 megapixels. I remember paying around $120. So when I see a digicam with 4 times the MPs I paid for, for less, I consider it a good deal.

[MagickalMemories]

It's good to have the option though, and it's not expensive to get that option. You can take a large pic and shrink it down without losing quality, but when you go to enlarge a picture you lose quality. KWIM?

I have a digicam I bought way back in 2004. 3.1 megapixels. I remember paying around $120. So when I see a digicam with 4 times the MPs I paid for, for less, I consider it a good deal.

I agree.
My first digital camera was bought mostly for taking pics of painted minis for feebay.
Bought it when my daughter was nearly two, soo (calculates)... 2000. Paid nearly 250 for it and it was a BARGAIN.
I see what $250 gets now, and I cry. LOL

Does the camera still work, IH? That 3.1 still isn't a bad camera. Would take GREAT mini pics, if it has macro, I'd bet.


Eric

Eric

[Ironhide]

Yes it does. And I still make good use of it.