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Author Topic: Need a digital camera for work  (Read 4418 times)

zahc

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Need a digital camera for work
« on: October 25, 2011, 11:17:01 AM »
Need a digital camera for work

    I need a camera for work. They will be buying so money isn't a big issue. 90% of the time it will be used to take close-up shots of silicon wafers.

    Basically it needs to have an idiot mode (for everyone else) and I need decent low-light performance, basic manual controls and ability to focus close. The last camera I had was a Kodak P&S that was F/3.5 and went up to 1600ISO. It had manual control but no manual focus, which was sometimes difficult since the subjects I need to photograph are often mirror-finished. It did have a macro mode but minimum focus distance was still 6-8 inches and I would like better macroability.

    I have no idea what is currently available, can someone please at least point me in the right direction? A DSLR is probably too big, even EVIL cameras are kind of clumsy.

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2011, 11:26:37 AM »
I use this site for my camera research.
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #2 on: October 25, 2011, 11:35:55 AM »
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Brad Johnson

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #3 on: October 25, 2011, 11:51:49 AM »
SLR with a variable zoom lens that is macro capable.  Pretty much any entry-level SLR will do.

*dang, looks like Harold beat me to it by a couple of minutes*

Brad
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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2011, 12:08:34 PM »
i would also consider setting it up in a copy stand

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zahc

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2011, 12:26:12 PM »
None of that elaborate equipment will get used. The camera has to be able to fit in a pocket and be hand-holdable. Its the nature of the job.
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mtnbkr

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2011, 12:32:53 PM »
With very good light and careful handling, my Nikon S4100 delivers decent macro results.  Nothing like what you would get with an SLR and by good light, I mean outdoors on a bright, sunny day.  The flash alone isn't enough.

Chris
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zahc

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2011, 12:49:29 PM »
"very good light" is something that I DO NOT HAVE in the factory.

Sorry; I'm a photographer myself so I know how to use a tripod and lighting. This isn't for "photography"...it's work. This camera is used in the factory and there is no way using, bringing, or having a tripod or lighting is possible. Quality just has to be good enough for an email attachment or full-screen powerpoint, usually. The number one problem is motion blur and OOF, which includes not being able to focus close enough, and not being able to get AF to lock onto glossy surfaces.

Articulating screen sounds pretty nice. I looked at Canon G10/11/12 and they look like they would fit the bill, but even the S95-type cameras probably would.
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mtnbkr

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #8 on: October 25, 2011, 01:01:51 PM »
Sorry, but all of the issues you bring to the table are those that pocket-able cameras tend not to handle well, which is why we still have SLRs.  Most of the non-slr digicams use the same size sensor, you're not going to get a huge improvement between models.  You *might* get what you want out of one of the newer switch-lens Samsung cameras, but they're nearly as big as an SLR and just as expensive.  Some of the larger P&S models are a little better than the really small cameras, but again, they're not that much smaller than an SLR.  One thing you might be able to do is get a good non-macro shot and crop out the part you want.  Some cameras do a bit better out of macro mode and with 10mp+ resolution, you can crop/zoom the heck out of an image and still get something useable.  I've gotten good results that way. 

Chris
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never_retreat

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #9 on: October 25, 2011, 01:35:05 PM »
How about a cheap DSLR with a fixed 35mm lens, something with a low fstop? That way light would not be an issue and you could just get closer to the subject to zoom in.
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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #10 on: October 25, 2011, 01:54:23 PM »
A photog/physicist/EE buffy of mine examined the output of two Canon cameras, one an entry-level DSLR and one the almost-DSLR and determined that they likely used the same chipset, but the non-DSLR's output was deliberately degraded.  Sort of like the Camaro was never allowed to be as fast as the Vette.
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2011, 02:25:12 PM »
the G-12 is a nice camera  getting a close macro might still need a ring light as the built in flash is blocked by the lens for close shots

http://www.amazon.com/Macro-Light-Canon-Powershot-Adapter/dp/B002VAXTKU
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HankB

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2011, 02:25:57 PM »
I have a Canon A620 with an articulating screen - works well, was arguably the best camera at that price point a couple of years ago.

We just bought a "cheap" camera for the lab, a Nikon Coolpix L120. It will focus down to about 1/2" in macro mode with the lens set to wide angle - this means a postage stamp will fill most of the field. Downside is that when you focus that close, the edge of the lens barrel shades the flash, so unless there's plenty of ambient, lighting can be an issue. We haven't explored all the features and capabilities yet, but I used it to document a couple of teardowns of competitive products and it worked well . . . a colleague who shot a short internal training film with it said the HD video (720, not 1080) was "adequate."  (No audio was required.)

Both of these cameras are a bigger than "pocket size" and neither one has the capability of a DSLR, but maybe something from the same family will work for you.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2011, 09:23:44 AM by HankB »
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KD5NRH

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2011, 09:59:55 PM »
Quote from: zahc on October 25, 2011, 12:26:12 PM
None of that elaborate equipment will get used. The camera has to be able to fit in a pocket and be hand-holdable. Its the nature of the job.

Get bigger pockets.  It's the nature of cameras.  Asking for a small P&S that will do good macro shots in crappy light is like asking for a Jenga set that will work well in the bed of a moving monster truck.

Either a ringlight or an off-camera light is going to be needed to get a good shot.  A sync cable or some cheap RF slaves to run one of the small Sunpak strobes will handle that cheaply without too much extra bulk.
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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2011, 10:02:50 PM »
Quote from: zahc on October 25, 2011, 12:49:29 PM
This isn't for "photography"...it's work.

Then tell your boss "Dis kant be dunn."  After all, it's not for English class, it's for work.

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Quality just has to be good enough for an email attachment or full-screen powerpoint, usually.

Nothing says "we don't really care about the quality of our work" like a crappy photo in a Powerpoint presentation.
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zahc

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #15 on: October 25, 2011, 10:17:54 PM »
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Asking for a small P&S that will do good macro shots in crappy light is like asking for a Jenga set that will work well in the bed of a moving monster truck.

Look, our old Kodak P&S worked perfectly fine. We took hundreds of pictures, and if you aren't a hack you can make them turn out fine. You are telling me that NO point and shoot camera can do something we managed to do just fine with our old Kodak with AA batteries? I'm not looking for perfection here. I'm looking for practicality. I was assuming maybe P&S digicam technology has marched on somewhat, but maybe its regressed. Based on the comments here, the damn things are utterly unusable.
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #16 on: October 25, 2011, 10:47:10 PM »
They don't tend to be biased to good macro

i like the canon sx110 or 120is:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081903canonsx120is.asp

the new 150is are F3.4 - F5.6

the old ones are 2.8 - 5.6

they also run on AAs and have a 28-300mm zoom
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erictank

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #17 on: October 26, 2011, 06:09:22 PM »
Quote from: Harold Tuttle on October 25, 2011, 10:47:10 PM
They don't tend to be biased to good macro

i like the canon sx110 or 120is:
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0908/09081903canonsx120is.asp

the new 150is are F3.4 - F5.6

the old ones are 2.8 - 5.6

they also run on AAs and have a 28-300mm zoom

My stepdaughter has that one (the 120is linked), and I recently replaced an older Canon Powershot with the SX130is.  We like 'em, for point-and-shoots (and that's all I'm competent with - Alison is a better photog than I am, and went to summer camp this year for photography.  Makin' noises about getting a Rebel for Christmas this year...).
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Harold Tuttle

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Re: Need a digital camera for work
« Reply #18 on: October 26, 2011, 07:40:30 PM »
the main issue with the SX1X0s is they are a 4x3 imager

its not a 3x2 imager like dslrs

it makes mixing the image sources and framing ratios wack

it's fine for the 1024x640 Powerpoint realm
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