Need a decent macro camera.

[gt40]

I need to have a good digital camera capable of very good close-ups. This is actually more important than the pixel count. It will take close, detailed pics of features in machined parts for inspection purposes.
All the pics will be mostly used for reference purposes that will be accompanied with actual measurement data. ie, a picture will show a close-up of a feature to clarify the feature being measured.
Is there a camera that stands out in this category?

[spadnos]

Get an SLR digital, and a good macro lens (or two).

The Nikon D70 and the EOS Digital Rebel (and probably some Minoltas, if you ask Az ) are good - they're both in the $800-$1000 range.

Nikon has a good 60mm macro (they call them micro) lens for around $350.

- Steve

[az]

You don't need a DSLR for this - in fact, you'll be WAY cheaper with a good built-in lens camera, maybe with an add-on lens.

Built-in-lens cameras actually have an advantage for macro photography, their smaller sensors - which allows them to use cheaper lenses (less glass) for the same quality. This is why almost every better digicam has decent macro capability, yet for DSLRs or 35mm cameras you need expensive lenses for that.

How big are the objects you're going to photograph?

Oh, and you'll need good lighting and preferably a tripod.

AZ

[az]

Here (1.67 MB) is a macro of an AA battery I shot with my Dimage 7i, so you can tell what "a little better than average macro capability" is for digicams. Quality is quite poor as I used the built-in flash and the battery is made out of something semi-reflective.

This was without any add-on lenses, tripods and lighting (besides the window and built-in flash).

Here is an example what you can achieve with a Nikon Coolpix 4500 without any add-on lenses and with the built-in flash. Amazing!

AZ

[gt40]

The objects may be fairly large, I may have to take a snap shot of a particular area of it, with a 6" scale over the feature to give some indication of measurement. The image would need to be sharp in order to see the graduations on the scale (.1 inch or .5mm)
I think the photo of the AA battery would be as close up as I would need, and the quality is more than adequate.
Tripod and lighting no prob.
I don't need any frills, just a simple camera well suited for mainly macro work.
I'll have a look at the minolta. (as I am already skewed to minolta for SLR's anyway ) and the Nikon.

Thanks again.

[az]

My Minolta isn't made anymore, its successor is the excellent Dimage A1 (which goes for almost the same price here). Both are overkill for what you're planning to do with them, but both are real photographers' cameras and are really like an SLR in a smaller package.

For only Macro, lots of cheaper cams would also cut it, though.

www.dpreview.com has a Macro test in each of their reviews, if you want to look further (if you plan to also use the cam outside work, and you have the money to spare, just get the A1 and ask no questions, BTW ). Very important for you, since you'll likely be photographing technical stuff, will be distortion (or better the lack thereof). More important than frame coverage, even. And bear in mind that if you can get great coverage only with the object being 3 cm from your lens, you get almost unsolvable lighting problems.

Oh, there are two macro flashes available for the Dimages, and I can also give you info on working macro add-on lenses.

AZ

[az]

OR get a cheap one now and get the Minolta DSLR with built-in image stabilization (for ALL lenses!) at the end of the year

AZ

[gt40]

most of the pics are for reference purposes only, so distortion will be ok.
thanks for the links and the info. I will have a look at those reviews.
Yes, a cheaper camera may be in order for now

[GuchiGuh]

here is a macro I shot with my Fuji F402
Sorry the quality is really bad, I had to compress and resize the picture.

[Goc]

Very nice pic...

This is part of the label from a beer bottle. Taken with my Fuji S5000.

[Goc]

Full pic:

[GuchiGuh]

Thx Goc
your picture is amazing!
I wish my camera was cacaple of that kind of micro!! I can even see the fibre structure of the label!! wow!

[Jon P. Inghram]

Here's a picture taken with a Sony MVC-CD1000 using an external flash, I only cropped it and adjusted the contrast.





Here's a picture taken with a Canon Rebel Digital (EOS 300D) and the EF-S lens that comes with the kit. Again only cropped and contrast adjusted.





For scale on the ER-4S headphone, the outer diameter at the tip is 1/8" (3.175mm.) The shot wasn't really intended to be a real macro shot, was just trying to get a good view of the headphones as a whole.

[gt40]

wow, looks good folks.
So basically any camera with a macro capability should work.
I did go looking at a few, but since you aren't able to actually view the pictures on the PC it was hard to judge exactly which was better, but from the pictures posted I think any would do for the purposes intended.
Thanks again for your time.

[GuchiGuh]

my camera is a mere toy~

but anyways....more pics guys!!
Az, post some nice macro please
and once u get ur camera Gt40, post some nice pics