Camera - used for uploads?

[Ralph Haus]

While reviewing the latest posts one thing, not build related, stood out, and that was the clarity, and lack of, of the photos being used for postings. Fastmongrel's latest post on the P94 fired me up to ask the question.

A question to fellow posters. What are you using to take your photos for uploading, and as a side question are you re-sizing and or photo-shopping? I have seen some 'misted' images and either the lens is really dirty or the image was 'touched-up'?

I have a great SLR with image stabilizing lenses (Canon) and a Samsung Galaxy S8. While the SLR is much better at focus control, it lacks in wanting to take low light photos (as is the case of my work area). Adding light tends to put too much of a 'shine' on the model; enhancing any imperfections that exist only when photographed. The S8 on the other hand, I believe, would take a photo in pitch dark! So I tend to take most of my images with the S8 and put up with the depth of field issues (focus) and the color correction.

Fastmongrel - Great photography

 

[rochie]

I use my samsung A51 phone for my pictures, just for the convenience of being able to send them to my kindle to resize and post.
the camera is pretty good on it too

 

[fubar57]

For some shots requiring everything to be in focus, I use my Canon Rebel and lightbox....

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For quick shots of "in progress" work I sometimes use a point and shoot Canon Elph 300 which has "Low Light" capabilities and usually set on 2X magnification. I use this setup plus two LED lamps for extra light if needed

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For editing I use two free programs, IrfanView.... IrfanView - Official Homepage - One of the Most Popular Viewers Worldwide and paint.net....Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing I use the first to decide which photos I want to keep and upload. It has editing functions as well. I usually take 4-5 photos of the same item shot a different settings and distance. IrfanView has the option of scrolling through your shots and then picking which to keep. I use the second for actual editing and to resize. For me, it is quicker and easier to use the IrfanView, just a personal choice

 

[Crimea_River]

I almost always use my old Samsung S6 for build shots and my Canon EOS SLR with 50mm macro lens for the finished pics. I don't have a fancy light box like Geo so, for the latter, I use a tripod and set the aperture to F32 with ISO 100 and use a shutter release. This gives full depth of field with just room lighting.

EDIT: forgot to mention that I do reduce the pics to 1000 pixels wide using photoshop.

 

[GrauGeist]

A DSLR (Canon, Nikon, Pentax, etc.) can take superior low light images, but it requires slower shutter speeds and a wider aperture setting on the lens, plus keeping the camera completely still.
Many of the DSLRs have a preset for low-light (night time) captures, or go to manual mode and manually set the shutter speed & f-stop.

 

[fubar57]

I should have said "easy to find" Low Light option on my 300. My Rebel takes forever to find

 

[Crimea_River]

And while we are at it, I'll use this opportunity to vent. Some of the pics we judges need to deal with are truly atrocious so hopefully some members will take away some tips here. Just saying.

Now I feel better.....

 

[Ralph Haus]

For some shots requiring everything to be in focus, I use my Canon Rebel and lightbox....

View attachment 615409

View attachment 615413
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For quick shots of "in progress" work I sometimes use a point and shoot Canon Elph 300 which has "Low Light" capabilities and usually set on 2X magnification. I use this setup plus two LED lamps for extra light if needed

View attachment 615410

View attachment 615411
​

For editing I use two free programs, IrfanView.... IrfanView - Official Homepage - One of the Most Popular Viewers Worldwide and paint.net....Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing I use the first to decide which photos I want to keep and upload. It has editing functions as well. I usually take 4-5 photos of the same item shot a different settings and distance. IrfanView has the option of scrolling through your shots and then picking which to keep. I use the second for actual editing and to resize. For me, it is quicker and easier to use the IrfanView, just a personal choice

And I though you were kidding on the 'sprue grey' carpet colour! Light box source?

 

[fubar57]

I got mine out of London Drugs of all places, just under $100. It came with cloth backgrounds which I trashed and use cut to size poster board instead. There are quite a few DIY versions out there which I may look at as mine just fits 1:48 single engine fighters. Amazon has several different sizes and brands...put this into Google Images...."amazon light box photography"

 

[fastmongrel]

Fastmongrel - Great photography

Nothing to do with me. I simply switch on my lights, point my phone and press the button on screen.

I don't edit anything just upload them and let the forum electronic goblins do their thing.

Phone is just a cheap Motorola G 7 using the built in software. It's just stunning what phone cameras can do nowadays. A friend is a very keen amateur photographer and owns thousands of £s of cameras but he reckons his Apple iPhone is as good as most non professional SLRs for general point and shoot.

 

[Crimea_River]

Gotta agree with that. I used to cart my DSLR and lenses on vacations but don't do that anymore given the excellent quality of my old S6 pics. However, airshow pics still need my bulkier kit for the flying shots.

 

[GrauGeist]

Modern cellphones definately provide high quality captures, but still lack the high-definition and option range of a DSLR.

One thing many folks don't know about a cellphone's camera, is that you can over-ride it's auto function, by tapping the screen - like for a landscape shot: if you want to darken the image, tap a brighter area of the scene and it will adjust accordingly (or the reverse, to lighten the scene, tap a darker area).

 

[N4521U]

I do the same as above with color paper clipped to a table. I use a color of paper stock that contrasts with the plane colors.
I just use the back screened in room with lots of indirect natural light from outside in mid day light. An old canon digital with shutter and f-stop controls.
I shoot lots at different settings and choose the best ones. I resize in Corel Photo Paint, old version of course.

 

[fastmongrel]

One thing many folks don't know about a cellphone's camera, is that you can over-ride it's auto function, by tapping the screen - like for a landscape shot: if you want to darken the image, tap a brighter area of the scene and it will adjust accordingly (or the reverse, to lighten the scene, tap a darker area).

Well I never !!! How on earth have I never noticed that. Any other tips for phones

 

[Leonidas]

For some shots requiring everything to be in focus, I use my Canon Rebel and lightbox....

View attachment 615409

View attachment 615413
​

For quick shots of "in progress" work I sometimes use a point and shoot Canon Elph 300 which has "Low Light" capabilities and usually set on 2X magnification. I use this setup plus two LED lamps for extra light if needed

View attachment 615410

View attachment 615411
​

For editing I use two free programs, IrfanView.... IrfanView - Official Homepage - One of the Most Popular Viewers Worldwide and paint.net....Paint.NET - Free Software for Digital Photo Editing I use the first to decide which photos I want to keep and upload. It has editing functions as well. I usually take 4-5 photos of the same item shot a different settings and distance. IrfanView has the option of scrolling through your shots and then picking which to keep. I use the second for actual editing and to resize. For me, it is quicker and easier to use the IrfanView, just a personal choice

I am noob and literally use anything.

 

[ARTESH]

for photos of upcoming "Model"s , and all other photos taken by me, I use Canon Powershot ELPH 330 HS. For editing, I use several different programs.

 

[cvairwerks]

A decent software package for minimal editing is picresize.com. It's online only. I use it simply to resize photos to within posting limits. Takes about 30 seconds to knock a 6 meg photo down to under 300k for posting. It has a bunch of other editing capability, but I've never explored it.

I currently use both my iphone and an old Kodak EasyShare, but have started searching for something that has good macro capability for some restoration documentation.