kuntrygal
Texas Rose
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 1717
PlantStew: 51 |
| Posted: Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:04 pm Post subject: What's your cameras mega pix/zoom |
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So many of you post such beautiful pictures.I know of lot of it may be experience in using the camera, but I am wondering what MegaPixels and zoom you need to get the really up close beautiful shots and pictures of the moon, sunset, etc. Any advice for a very green novice would be most appreciated. The camera I currently use is 4.1 MP x 10.8 total zoom. Maybe it is the operator  that is the problem  My camera is a FinePix (never heard of it before, but it was what I could afford  ). I would like to capture dew on a rose and that type of intricate things, like I have seen on the Stew. Does that involve "big bucks?"
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Gaylyn ~ 2277 ~ 
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Sjoerd
Enlightened One
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Location: West - Friesland
Posts: 2577
PlantStew: 93 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:36 am Post subject: |
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That camera of yours sounds perfectly fine to me.
It has a setting choice on it whereby you can set the degree of resolution that you want. I have set mine on the highest resolution choice...you get fewer pics on your memory card because a pic with higher resolution takes up more space, I just got a larger memory card to compensate.
I use the macro setting sometimes to take close up fotos of flowers, but not always. I usually take fotos with more than one setting such as "portrait", "landscape", "auto" and "macro", then see which I like best after downloading.
I have noticed that if I use the "zooming-in" setting, that I must rest the camera on something or use a tripod to avoid hand movement, otherwise I might get a blurry image.
The dewdrops absolutely do not require big bucks...just a little knowledge of your equipment and then sometimes some image adjustment and/or cropping with some sort of software program.
Like this:
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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html
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kuntrygal
Texas Rose
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 1717
PlantStew: 51 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:05 am Post subject: |
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Thank you for the info, Sjoerd. My daughter had used the camera and didn't like it. Said it was cheap, (she has a Cannon that I bought for her that was broken). So I thought that maybe it was the camera but it seems that it is the operator . I will re-read my book and try the different type shots. Thanks again for your response 
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Gaylyn ~ 2277 ~
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Droopy
Slug Slaughterer
Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Western Norway (Map)
Posts: 4817
PlantStew: 5804 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 8:07 am Post subject: |
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I've got a compact Pentax Optio with 6 Mp and 3x zoom. It's an ok camera in the sense that most photos are acceptable quality wise, but it's no good for close-ups and small critters photos.
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Biita
Arctic-ally Challenged Forager
Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Location: Norway (Map)
Posts: 1809
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 10:38 am Post subject: |
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I just have a Samsung Digimax 5.8 mega pixel. Not the best of camera, but like Sjoerd said its all in how you use it. When i take landscape pics, i also need something to set my camera on or they end up like this
same pic, just this one i am leaning on something.
Just experiement with the different settings and it will come to you what works an what doesn't.
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SongofJoy57
Showing Great Promise
Joined: 20 Oct 2007
Location: Foothills of North Carolina Z = 7a & 7b (Map)
Posts: 726
PlantStew: 46 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:18 am Post subject: |
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Great question, Kuntrygal. I was also wondering about this. I will follow the advice, and see if it will help.
As for your daughter, my youngest son is the same way about things . . . It makes me come to wonder how I did not feel the handle of the silver spoon in his mouth when I was carrying him for 9 months.
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Sjoerd
Enlightened One
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Location: West - Friesland
Posts: 2577
PlantStew: 93 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 11:50 am Post subject: |
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HA HA HA...good one, SOJ! You have a great sense of humour. Chuckle.
Biita... that is an excellent way of making a point. It illustrates your point perfectly and very well.
I have what the kids would probably call a cheap camera, but it really does do the trick for me. I neglected to say what type it is-- it's canon powershot A530. Very basic and very inexpensive.
We got this a couple of years ago to take garden pics for posting on my website and to show aquaintances only. It was time to replace the other one that we had.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that for those purposes, I do not need anything any more professional...or more expensive.
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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html
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bethie
Highly Skillful
Joined: 08 Jun 2006
Location: WestTennessee (Map)
Posts: 1593
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject: |
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This is all great advice. My little canon is 3.2 mega pixels. When you have a good subject take as many as 20 pix, in and out of macro mode with and without flash. Take shots from several different angles in the quest for an excellent pic. Come in and put them on the computer and go right back out if neccesary. 
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kuntrygal
Texas Rose
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 1717
PlantStew: 51 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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Great advice and thanks to everyone. I tend to get something new and just start using it (or trying). I don't like to read instructions
Biita thanks for the example. That was really helpful and definitely gets the point across.By the way that is a beautiful picture.
SOJ... nor did I feel that 'spoon'. That is sooo funny  She still acts like she must have had one 
Bethie, I hadn't thought about taking the pictures and getting them on the computer right away. I tend to take the picture and go on about my business. But if it is something really special that I want to capture, I do need to take several shots and then see how they turned out. Otherwise I may not ever have the chance again 
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Gaylyn ~ 2277 ~
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toni
Mistress of Garden Junque
 Moderator
Joined: 07 Jan 2006
Location: North Texas (Map)
Posts: 5555
PlantStew: 521 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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I have a Kodak Easy Share C330 and love it.
I take several shots of the same thing using different settings....regular with auto-flash/with and without zoom, landscape and macro. Sometimes all of those with and without the flash. Then come in to the computer to see how they came out so I can retake if needed.
I like the look on some pictures using Macro, the way the focus is on the flower with the background out of focus. But most of the time I use landscape then crop the picture to make the flower/object closeup.
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petunia
Highly Skillful
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 1573
PlantStew: 165 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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Atb Christmas I received an olympus 4.0 digital w/zoom. It has a few differant settings that I haven't tried yet. It does have closeup menu-that comes in handy. As with anything else, its been fun to use so I haven't taken the time to read up on everything. I'll see how it does this summer on close up of flowers and insects as we have been seeing by others. Not sure about the good bee pictures as I am allergic to them. I want to try and capture pictures of butterflies and birds.
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bsewnsew
Knows Their Stuff
Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Location: Rural Western Pennsylvania
Posts: 1191
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| Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:09 am Post subject: |
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I am a fuji and canon owner......
Fuji 5.2 mega pix
It was a cheap one I got 3 years ago for under 200 and it is excellent for closeups......Just put it on Macro and you get excellent closeups .........
I bought the canon for zoom effects........SO far I like it also.
b
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Crafty Gardener
On The Way Up
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:01 pm Post subject: |
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I have a couple of digital cameras that I use. One has 5.1 megapixels with 5 times optical zoom. It also has 8 times digital zoom, but for close up you should only look at the optical zoom as that is how close you can get. I have a macro and a super macro setting on the camera as well, which enables you to get right up close and get lots of detail on your photos.
I have another camera with 7.1 megapixels but it has 18 times optical zoom, which enables me to get much closer to the object without actually being there. This camera also has macro and super macro settings. I got this one so that I could take photos of the wildlife in the garden.
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Linda aka Crafty Gardener
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kuntrygal
Texas Rose
Joined: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 1717
PlantStew: 51 |
| Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2008 11:28 pm Post subject: |
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Linda, what brands are your cameras and were they real expensive? That 18 zoom sounds awesome! What is the difference between optical and digital zoom?
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Gaylyn ~ 2277 ~
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Crafty Gardener
On The Way Up
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 91
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| Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:23 am Post subject: |
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| kuntrygal wrote: | | Linda, what brands are your cameras and were they real expensive? That 18 zoom sounds awesome! What is the difference between optical and digital zoom? |
My first camera I mentioned is a Hewlet packard (HP). It is small and compact and easy to carry around. I've had this one about 3 years and it cost about $200. My camera with the 18x optical zoom is by Olympus. I got this for Christmas and it cost around $300.
Optical zoom brings the image in closer to you so the more optical zoom the closer the image. Digital zoom crops around the photo but doesn't bring it any closer than the max optical zoom. I use this camera on a tripod as once the lens is fully opened you can get some movement. You can get camera with more optical zoom but you have to go to the cameras with the removable lens and these cost an awful lot of money. Perhaps later when I'm better at photography I will spend more money and get that type.
It really depends on what sorts of photos you want to take with your camera as to the type you buy.
Good luck in your search for a digital camera.
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