What digtal camera is best to photo diamonds,

[ken9ahora]

other jewelry and watches so that the shots show the exquisite detail of the item. I need to be able to show the internal clarity of a stone or the minute crafting of watch complications and dials. I think detail is important to successfully sell on eBay & a picture helps to make the sale. Some say I need a light box and some say I don't. Some say any 3 MP camera with a good super-macro mode is ok. Recommended a Fugi S7000 (better than the S5000 because the lenses are included but reviews say it's noisy) and a Canon DR. Should I wait for prices to drop and buy what I think is right like a Nikon D70 or a Nikon CP 8800? Am I right? Will prices drop after the Vegas electronics show in January? I can spend $600-700 and want a camera I won't outgrow in a year. I also need one that's not too complicated & not too heavy to carry to family functions and use for travel. What is in-between a point & shoot and a prosumer DSLR? I've researched & read so many reviews and received help from watch gurus who take beautiful pictures. I've tried to build a light box but it was a cumbersome mess. I gave my Kodak LS443 4MP to my grandson for a birthday present because it wasn't doing the job. I need a camera!!! Please help, I'm sooooo confused. TIA

[D70FAN]

other jewelry and watches so that the shots show the exquisite detail of the item. I need to be able to show the internal clarity of a stone or the minute crafting of watch complications and dials. I think detail is important to successfully sell on eBay & a picture helps to make the sale. Some say I need a light box and some say I don't. Some say any 3 MP camera with a good super-macro mode is ok. Recommended a Fugi S7000 (better than the S5000 because the lenses are included but reviews say it's noisy) and a Canon DR. Should I wait for prices to drop and buy what I think is right like a Nikon D70 or a Nikon CP 8800? Am I right? Will prices drop after the Vegas electronics show in January? I can spend $600-700 and want a camera I won't outgrow in a year. I also need one that's not too complicated & not too heavy to carry to family functions and use for travel. What is in-between a point & shoot and a prosumer DSLR? I've researched & read so many reviews and received help from watch gurus who take beautiful pictures. I've tried to build a light box but it was a cumbersome mess. I gave my Kodak LS443 4MP to my grandson for a birthday present because it wasn't doing the job. I need a camera!!! Please help, I'm sooooo confused. TIA

dSLR's do everything better EXCEPT macro. So the D70, 300D, et-al would be expensive for this purpose to say the least. The CP8800 is definately expensive and there are other cameras out there that would better fit your needs and budget.

While there are digital cameras that will macro-focus down to 2cm most are in the 4-5cm (about 2") catagory. A really nice, all-purpose, camera is the Panasonic FZ3 (<$400). Not only can it focus down to 5cm but that same Leica lens is 12X, F2.8, and image stabilized...= fun. For the super whiz-bang version with larger LCD, 5 MegaPixel Imager, and flash shoe, look at the FZ20 (<$600). Give em a try...

P.S. Prices generally are not affected by the CES this coming week in Las Vegas, but sometimes do drop after the PMA which is the end of February in Orlando. Don't bet on this happening this year as the market is bulging with recently released cameras so prices are more likely to drop just from sheer competiton.

[ken9ahora]

I'll start my shopping journey again this week after I read the reviews (got to read the reviews). I hope this is the beginning of a great picture-taking adventure. I don't want to be in Kansas (Kodak) anymore. I'll let you know what's at the end of this yellow brick road.

[Thon]

Olympus seems to do very well in the macro department, and has 2 modes available, normal Macro (min: 7cm) and Super Macro (min: 3cm). The only difference is that in normal macro the zoom and flash is usable and in Super Macro no.

To get a clear picture of your diamonds, a light box would be good as getting the right amount of light would be crucial. The picture size would be important to decide what MP to get for your camera. If you can afford it, the C8080 (8MP) is a good choice and also has a wide angle lens to boot. The C70Z (7MP) is also good for a compact 5X zoom camera. If you need an ultrazoom, the C770UZ (4MP) is a good candidate too (alternative to the Panasonic FZs), but has no IS. All the 3 listed have enough manual controls for your job and a simple mode for ease of use and also fairly compact for travel (except the 8080 which is similar to the FZ20 sizewise).

[jamison55]

I agree with the Olympus suggestion. My c5050 has a tremendous macro mode, and a fast f1.8 lens to boot. I would say that an Oly 5060 would do quite nicely, and can be had for less than $500 these days.

Actually, the camera you buy won't make as much of a difference as the quality of light you shoot it under. Take a look at the sample pictures at any manufacturers website (example here: http://panasonic.co.jp/pavc/global/lumix/gallery/models/fz3.html) This link is a great example. Looking at the first shot you can't tell that it was taken by a small sensor digicam. The studio lights give results that most users won't see from the lowly (though great) FX3. I would make sure the camera model had the ability to set a custom white balance.

For the diamonds, I would buy a lightbox (they can be had for <$30 on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30079&item=3864181259&rd=1). Next I would experiment with different colored lights at different angles, trying to find the combinaton that best highlights the jewlery. A couple of portable work lights with different colored bulbs should do the trick...

[skagen]

I'd go with the Pentax Optio S5i. You'd be SHOCKED if you see the quality of the macro shots from this camera. They are a several levels above anything you might expect when you look at the nornal pictures it prpduces, which are basically mediocre.

[ken9ahora]

I'm making a list of cameras to check out and will get to a store this week to "meet them in person". I have to hold, touch and feel them before I buy one to be sure it's not too bulky and fits well in my hands. Will report all activity.

[Rhys]

Try to get hold of a decent Nikon 995 or 4500. Both of those are fantastic at macro photos. I have a 995. I keep thinking why don't I sell that and then find I have macro photography to do so I hang onto it.

[speaklightly]

Surely many excellent suggestions have been made in this thread. The Pentax S5i does take excellent macro shots, although you must be sure to use a tripod.

If getting really close is a serious consideration, as well as a budget considerations, then you might want to look at Pentax's Optio MX4. I have taken very sucessful macro shots of diamonds with the Pentax MX4.

Speaklightly

[greekly]

I sell medals, badges and pins on ebay, so, in a way, I was in your shoes once. Back then I bough Nikon Coolpix 4500 and was very happy with it since then. Try to look closer at Nikons, they are the best in macro. For example, with Nikon Coolpix 5400 you can get as close as 1 cm (less than half inch) to the subject. No other camera does that. Also don't try to buy as many megapixes as possible. For the job you have a 4-5 MPx camera will be more then enough.
A few more thoughts. Make sure the camera you buy has the ability to attach external lences (namely "fisheye"). You might need that down the road. Also get as "heavy-duty" and shock-resistant camera as possible. It might sound a bit odd at first glance (no one plans to play soccer with their digital camera) but wait till you get to your family vacation or to an outdoor trip. I dropped my Nikon twice onto a concrete pawement and it still works fine. So make sure you buy the camera that is made of heavy-duty plastic or (better) some metal.