Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

I have own a digital for about 5 months. Now on my Canon SLR that I have had for 20years, I can get a detailed shot of a booger 12 inches away from the lense! On this Digital, doesn't work ths way at all. Were talking several feet minimum and not wide angle at all. Is this normal? Thisa is not some $500 camera but only about $100.

It takes very good pictures but nothing of any value close up.

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

Check your menu to see if your camera has a close up feature. Some cameras have it . My Kodak digital has it.

Rod Robbins

Ditto on what Jim said. The close up feature is sometimes called "Macro Mode". It allows you to take really, REALLY closeups, like that booger shot you mentioned...

Also, on most digitals I've seen, the camera "remembers" that you've set Macro Mode on or off even after you power it off. If you're taking a bunch of closeups, it's easy to forget that you last set the Macro Mode on. Naturally, this will screw up your next photo session of distant shots. (Guess how I know this... )

Regards,
-- Rod

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Snoopy........LOLOL..... that's too funny... sorry your camera's not up to snuff..... but the "booger at 12"" part for the SLR.. that's funny..... keep shootin those boogies..... LOL

GrnBrt

My Feedback: (5)

Now all you need is a shot of the boggie man, OOPS all ready have one.

jettstarblue

Don't feel bad, until you spend 500+ dollars, a digital will never be as good as an SLR....O.K. a digital will never be as good as an SLR.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Hate to tell you Jetts, but a lot of my friends in the Photography business are switching to digital. (And that's a switch from Meduim Format, not a simple 35mm)

When I started doing reviews, I upgraded my digital, to a Sony FinePix 2800 Zoom. It was under $300 (I actually got a closeout deal, and with my daughter working at Target I got the whole thing for under $210)

Here's a pic using the Macro Mode for about 2" away

Disclaimer: I shot the pic with no flash and lightened the final shot.

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

You do not have to spend a bundle to get "Macro" shots with a digital camera.

I spotted a deal at my local CVS drug store, the camera, USB cable, and software on a CD for $12.95 plus tax. True. Called the "Cool Cam." Decided I could not get hurt for $13, so I got it. My first digital.

It's far from magazine quality, but it is more than adequate for web postings.

Here are some samples shot with it.

Bill.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Mike is right. Once you get a GOOD digital, and learn how to use it, you'll sell all your film cameras.

One can compare the digital camera market to the radios in our hobby. By far, most of the digital cameras out there are like cheap entry-level "computer" radios; aimed at the duffer who has disposable income and not much of a clue. They work, but have limitations.

The big limiting factor in most digital cameras, especially the "point and shoot" variety, is the lens. They are designed to take pictures of Aunt Sophie and the family; the dog; the kids; etc. They are short on focal length and speed (light-gathering ability).

Another problem with digital cameras is that there isn't much middle ground. You can buy an inexpensive P&S'er that will satisfy 90% of those who use them (and usually sucks big-time for macro work), or you can drop several grand on a digital SLR and lens array. There isn't much in between. My Sony F717 is a conspicuous exception to that rule, but it has already been discontinued. Cameras are worse than computers when it comes to being supersede by newer/bigger/better. If I had to replace my 717 today, I'd probably get the Sony 828. And that one will be, if its not already, on the way out.

Anyway, to do the best close-up work you need an aperture of f8 or larger coupled with manual shutter-speed control and an off-camera flash for proper lighting when needed. Of course, good close-up images can be had without these things, but it is a hit-or-miss deal. Getting good close-ups with a garden-variety camera of any persuasion is like winning the lottery; its possible, but...

dicknadine

guess my old Sony FD83 digitel is still good enough for the show and tell. dick

Deadeye

Is that what your boogers look like, Minn? Man, you must be the handiest guy at the field!

Jimmbbo

FWIW, I have owned several 35MM film SLRs since 1968 and recently have added three digital cameras, two 3 megapixel "point n shoots" and one SLR... Haven't shot a roll of film for over two years... Have been very pleased with the digital output quality and the ability to repair flaws in the images... Not to mention the ease of emailing or posting pics on the web...
I believe film is on its way to joining the daguerrotype...

Cheers!

Jim

jettstarblue

Oh boy.... I'm just "old school".

Yes, I own a decent digital, and a decent SLR........I find my SLR more versatile.
Or is it I bought my digital a little too soon, SLR a little too late?

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I know how you feel, I have a few grand wrapped up in 35mm SLR's and I have one Medium Format camera.

All Obsolete

And while they are more versatile than my $200 digital, What I can't do with the camera, I can do with Photoshop.

ben flyn

Keep your medium format camera, maybe one day they will make a digital back for it that will be less than a grand!
That's what I'm hoping for.

Sold all my 35mm's. I have blown digitals pic to 24 X 28, something I could have never done with my 35's
I now use my digital 4 times more than my film cameras.

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

Show offs! -------I went through the entire menu and nothing. I have a 4x zoom but when its all the way back. I was 10 feet away from this picture. I guess the next one I get i am going to make sure it has the features i want. This was my first digital and did not know much about them

randall1959

My Feedback: (11)

One of the major camera companies have quit making film cameras entirely. I believe it was Kodak. That says a lot about either the quality or the ease of digital. I love digital cameras. Film cameras are so much hassle having to take the film for developing, only to find that some are out of focus, too dark, too light, my thumb was over the lense, etc etc [:@]
With digital all my albums are on cd, as most anyone these days has a computer and all I have to do is slip that disc in. I can also edit, delete, or do anything to the photos that I want to or have the knowledge to.

js3

My Feedback: (3)

What are you going to do when CD media (et al) is obsolete? Look at floppy drives; you have to order them as add-ons when you buy a computer now-a-days. Don't get me wrong, I put my digital photos on CD too. But archiving is an issue.

Pilotsmoe

all dvd-rom drives will also read cd-r's too.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

From 10 feet away, or close up, that's one sweet lookin' plane snoop!

Being a Mod, I have to keep it clean... But I so badly want to make a joke about how I make props

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

Mike:

Would it have anything to do with a proper "Posterior Propper?"

Haw.

Bill.

jettstarblue

Randall,

That's where I love my SLR's- The fact that I have to try my best to get a good photo, use up the whole roll, then when I get the photos back from processing, getting home and seeing what I've done.....yeah I know I'm weird.
As for the other- I scan my SLR photos, and upload them, then they can be tweaked the same as digital.
These are both from 35 mm....then "run through the mill".
O.K. b.b., fire away!

Jimmbbo

Or would that be a "pusher" propeller??

Dauntae

Minn is'nt that the photo the FBI has of your fingerprint, I just got a Olympus C-5060 and still learning how to use it, I took this one at a airshow when I first got it. The F-14 is going 650 MPH in this pic.

Dauntae

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Snoop, I hate to state the obvious but does your camera have a button w/ a flower on it? If so, push it. That will take you to close up mode.