I will probably buy one in the next few days...looking for one that doesn't take film and I can just hook up to the computer....and I don't want to spend more than $80. anyone know of a decent one for that price range? stainless
Canon Powershot S5-IS. I used it in the Digital Coin Photography class at seminar this past summer. There is an additional macro lens attachment, but I don't remember it at the moment. I will try and look it up for you.
Spock wasn't interested, but maybe you will be. Really durable and very affordable. High Tech Digital Camera
try the nikkon coolpix might be in your price range. It has macro shot for close-ups and just figured out mine has a setting for natural light and artificial light.
You can pick up the Sony DSCF515 on fleabay for around the price you want to pay. Is old and clunky by today's standards but the Carl Ziess lens has a great macro and it has enough MP for reasonable images.
Actually you REALLY might want to consider a mini tripod for all reasons - it's not that expensive. While a good digital camera is a must, it's usually up to the photographer to maximize it's use.
I ran this same post months ago because I have the same problem, finding a good camera for taking coin pics. I tried the Nikon coolpix but the zoom feature didn't keep focus when up close. But maybe it was just the camera we got. Faulty? who knows. It had the 18X zoom. We tried others, but I think it may just be me not knowing. Let us know what you finally got and how it works.
Haleiwa, just a guess, but it sounds like you did not have the macro mode on. Stainless, I won't recommend a camera per se, but look at what http://www.steves-digicams.com/ has to say about whatever camera you decide on.
18x zoom doesnt mean beans when it comes to coins you'll want to look at a Macro lens, or if your camera has the option, which it should, of Macro and Supermacro settings.
i have the dscF717 and i love the camera. One thing i learned about taking pics - it is NOT the camera that takes good pics. Sure, it does help a little bit... but its the 'know how' that takes good pics. Dont expect to pic up a camera and take awsome pics, you must know the whats and hows before they look good! like coin collecting, practice, and dont be afraid to ask questions
A Nikon D300 is a god camera, but rather costly. Here are some images taken with axial lighting to show the token's surfaces a bit more closely. NOTE: Any Nikon Coolpix that had macro capability should do also, and they are much less expensive than my D300. I have two Coolpix cameras, both discontinued now but they still work great. My Coolpix 4500 and 7900 are great cameras at 4.1 and 7.1 mp respectively.
Stainless, here is few suggestions. First of all go to seveal places that carry cameras and check them all out. Taking your time with any purchase is always worth the time. Now here are some things to consider: 1. Make sure the camera you choose has a Macro setting 2. Make sure the camera has a treaded hole on the bottom for a tripod 3. Make sure the camera uses a removable card. This means something called a SD, XD, Compact Flash, etc. SD is becoming the most common. 4. Hopefully if the camera comes with such a card it is at least 1 Gig capacity 5. This camera should have at least 3 megapixel capacity. Excessive megapixels become a thing you'll never use such as cameras with 12, 15 or more. 6. Built in flashes are very helpful but usually not very powerful 7. A minimum of 3X telephoto is always usefull when you are in a place and to far from what your looking at. 8. A carrying strap is usefull but dangerous. They break, cameras may fly around if carrying by them, they get caught on things. 9. What is known as a hot shoe for additional flashes on a camera comes in handy. 10. Cameras with changable lenses are usually to complicated and heavy. 11. Looking at cameras on line is difficult to see what they are in real life 12. Ask as many people as you know what they like about their cameras 13. Check if the camera has a place to plug in a cable for extensions to computers and/or TV sets. 14. If your computer does not have a camera card slot, check at any computer supply place for a card reader that you plug into a USB port. Many are usable for at least 4 to 5 different types of camera cards and cost less than $20 in most places. If you know computers there are ones that can be inserted into the computer like a disc drive. I just bought one for $17. 15. The main thing is your camera will be used for more than coins so make sure your happy with the one you buy I've got 5 digital cameras now and have only taken about 5 pictures of coins. But I have taken probably hundreds of thousands of photos of other things. Recently took over 10,000 photos of a constuction project.
Canon sd630 or 650 is not bad for a smaller camera. As far as finding a camera for $80 buck stainless. I would look on ebay for a used camera. Almost all Canons have the micro.
This is also important if you wish to focus down the eyepiece of a microscope or even if a different hobby, telescopes or spotting scopes. Without telephoto, all you would get is a small round field. At 3-4X OPTICAL telephoto setting, you can expand that circle to fill the whole field. Digital telephoto doesn't do that. I shoot a lot through my stereo microscope. Jim
