| Stalkey and Co | 02 Jul 2021 10:12 a.m. PST |
My Sony is starting to show its age, and it can't focus closer than 6" or so, anyway. Wondering if anyone has a lead on a good cheap digital camera that also has the ability for close-ups. Thanks for info in advance! |
Bunkermeister  | 02 Jul 2021 1:08 p.m. PST |
The last two cameras I purchased, years ago, I went to Walmart at their camera department. Tried each camera they had tethered down and tried to see how close it would focus. I got the cheapest one, with the closest focus, that ran on AA batteries. Cost about $100 USD and has lasted me for years. I like AA batteries because they are sold everywhere, and you don't have to wait for a recharge, just drop them in. The Macro setting is the one for close up. I can almost touch the mini with the camera. I got a Nikon Coolpix L340. I have no idea if they even still make it. Click on my blog and see the results for yourself.
link Click on the photo and it will enlarge so you can see the detail. I don't consider myself to know much about photography, so I got a camera that does all the work for me. These photos were taken outside. Click around for the last several years all the photos were taken with the same camera. Good luck. Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog |
 Editor in Chief Bill   | 02 Jul 2021 3:17 p.m. PST |
Your cellphone might do the job, test it too. |
| HMS Exeter | 02 Jul 2021 5:08 p.m. PST |
+1 Ed in Chief Back in the day I had 2 digital cameras. When I decided to buy a tablet, back in 2013, I tested out the factory installed camera and it was da bomb. 9dds are a 2021 factory camera in most any device will be very satisfactory. |
| brass1 | 02 Jul 2021 6:25 p.m. PST |
Tablets can have surprising good cameras.I bought a second-hand refurbed I-Pad 4 a couple of years ago. I have used it for just about everything from miniatures to alligators (my other hobby) and it has never let me down. LT |
| Maha Bandula | 02 Jul 2021 6:54 p.m. PST |
No to cellphones. Functionality-wise they're superb, but blow up or zoom in a picture and the results are worth less than horse urine. We still have some years to go before phone cameras catch up. |
| JAFD26 | 02 Jul 2021 6:55 p.m. PST |
There's an Android software program, 'Open Camera', that I use in my smartphone. Results in a couple of postings werk on TMP. Mayhaps give it a try? |
| Oberlindes Sol LIC | 02 Jul 2021 11:14 p.m. PST |
Definitely check out your smartphone |
 Extra Crispy  | 03 Jul 2021 7:38 a.m. PST |
I'm in the smart phone camp. Unless you are blowing up to print big prints, they are more than up to the task. All the photos here were taken with cell phones: link More important IMHO than the camera is having good lighting. I bought a cheap light box on Amazon for $20 USD-30 and it did wonders, regardless of what phone/camera I use. Micro Armor:
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| martin goddard | 03 Jul 2021 9:57 a.m. PST |
I concur that phone cameras are excellent.
This is especially true if your are not an expert in getting the best from normal cameras. ie me.
martin
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| KeepYourPowderDry | 05 Jul 2021 8:52 a.m. PST |
A modern smartphone will provide excellent pictures. The software in the phones will take away all the guesswork. Just don't use the zoom facility too much – this reduces the quality of pictures when blown up on a screen. Phones also tend to sync pictures with cloud storage, which takes away one less chore. If you really want a camera, then you will easily end up spending a lot of money. As already mentioned you will need a macro lens, and a good lighting system (not a flash) to get the best out of your pictures (most of which is done automatically by phone camera software). A cheap folding desktop studio with integral LED lighting strips can be picked up for not a lot of money.
My advice: unless you are a hotshot photographer go for phone camera and desktop studio.
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