Steve'sDigicams

pmdinkins · Apr 30, 2007, 7:46 PM

is it me or the camera?

i currently have a kodak dx6490 that i use for my ebay listings, i just cant seem to get the photos as clear as i want them to be. (clear, sharp, detailed whatever you want to call it. they just dont look great to me.) all pictures are shot with little to no zoom with macro on. i am wondering if it is because of the 10x zoom lens isnt ideal for closeups. i am considering buying either the canon a710is or the a560. i like the way the 710 feels better but i am a little concerened about the 6x zoom. i have read the reviews here and would like to know if anyone knows which one takes better macro photos. this will be used specifically as an ebay camera with the pictures being shot outside in good light. any help would be appreciated.

if anyone has any other suggestions they would be appreciated. i really dont need that many features i just want to be able to take great photos for my listings and really want the 2.5" lcd. something easy to use is also a priority.

TCav · Apr 30, 2007, 8:47 PM

Could you post some examples of photos you consider unacceptable?

pmdinkins · Apr 30, 2007, 9:04 PM

this one is in the sunlight so it has some glare to it but the others are in the shade. thanks

pmdinkins · Apr 30, 2007, 9:06 PM

it just doesnt seem to pick up all the details of the items.

pmdinkins · Apr 30, 2007, 9:18 PM

the details seem to fade away...

VTphotog · Apr 30, 2007, 9:43 PM

When focussing as close as you are, the Depth of Field is quite shallow, and the fore-and-background tend to get out of focus. Try using aperture priority, and setting to around f/8. This may very well make your shutter speed too slow, so you may need to use a tripod or rest the camera on something steady. This is always a good idea anyway.

brian

Hawgwild · Apr 30, 2007, 9:58 PM

I feel your frustration. I do have a few suggestions, in case you haven't tried them...

Shoot manual or aperature preferred, using a small f/stop,try using forced flash on all your pics, and maybe pose your hardware against a more contrasting background. Also, most digital cameras, even slrs, do not produce tack-sharp images right out of the camera. Most require some sharpening in post-process. Check your sharpness setting and try it at standard as well as sharpen, and just experiment and try to have fun. I think the camera you have should give you excellent results, just don't let it get in your way:lol:

Robert

pmdinkins · Apr 30, 2007, 11:52 PM

thanks for the suggestions guys. i really appreciate them. i guess i will just have to break out the manual and find what all those settings are.

bill2468 · May 1, 2007, 7:14 AM

Wich end of the optical zoom range are you using? If you use macro on a long focal length lens the dof will be very shallow as will be the contrast. Try using the wide angle end of the zoom. If it is distorting the perspective of a small subject such as the engine tweek the zoom to the telephoto a bit at a time.

Your 10x zoom starts at 38mm if you shoot at about 6x that is a 228mm lensand at a close working distance you will have shallow shot.

Try not using the c/u with longer focal length shoot too.

BiLL

:|

ac.smith · May 1, 2007, 1:14 PM

I'm probably going to take a little different tack than the other respondents.

1) I think you pictures are of sufficient quality for ebay. Higher quality will not generate additional or faster sales.

2) What program are you using to resize the photos? I'd suggest IrfanView and select Resample and Lanczos filter.

3) You might also try IrfanView's sharpness filter which seemed to increase the appearance of sharpness on your samples. The downside is that it might also increase pixilization on diagonal lines. Since you can undo you can see whether it improves the photo or not.

4) From the EXIL data on your photos your using 38-40mm (wide-angle), f2.8 (wide-open) and 1/125 sec exposure. My evaluation is that you need only a fairly small increase in DOF to gain enough for your subjects. Use aperture priority and set to f4 or no higher than f5.6. Because of the small sensor size of your camera your lens will be diffraction limited at large apertures than DSLRs so using f8 may lose more resolution than you gain with increased DOF. This will drop your shutter speed to either 1/60 or 1/30 so I'd suggest a tripod.

Apr 30, 2007, 7:46 PM	#1
pmdinkins Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6	is it me or the camera? i currently have a kodak dx6490 that i use for my ebay listings, i just cant seem to get the photos as clear as i want them to be. (clear, sharp, detailed whatever you want to call it. they just dont look great to me.) all pictures are shot with little to no zoom with macro on. i am wondering if it is because of the 10x zoom lens isnt ideal for closeups. i am considering buying either the canon a710is or the a560. i like the way the 710 feels better but i am a little concerened about the 6x zoom. i have read the reviews here and would like to know if anyone knows which one takes better macro photos. this will be used specifically as an ebay camera with the pictures being shot outside in good light. any help would be appreciated. if anyone has any other suggestions they would be appreciated. i really dont need that many features i just want to be able to take great photos for my listings and really want the 2.5" lcd. something easy to use is also a priority. Attached Images

Apr 30, 2007, 9:04 PM	#3
pmdinkins Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6	this one is in the sunlight so it has some glare to it but the others are in the shade. thanks Attached Images

Apr 30, 2007, 9:06 PM	#4
pmdinkins Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6	it just doesnt seem to pick up all the details of the items. Attached Images

Apr 30, 2007, 9:18 PM	#5
pmdinkins Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6	the details seem to fade away... Attached Images

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Apr 30, 2007, 8:47 PM	#2
TCav Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Washington, DC, Metro Area, Maryland Posts: 13,826	Could you post some examples of photos you consider unacceptable?

Apr 30, 2007, 9:43 PM	#6
VTphotog Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Extreme Northeastern Vermont, USA Posts: 4,309	When focussing as close as you are, the Depth of Field is quite shallow, and the fore-and-background tend to get out of focus. Try using aperture priority, and setting to around f/8. This may very well make your shutter speed too slow, so you may need to use a tripod or rest the camera on something steady. This is always a good idea anyway. brian

Apr 30, 2007, 9:58 PM	#7
Hawgwild Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pensacola, Florida Posts: 3,589	I feel your frustration. I do have a few suggestions, in case you haven't tried them... Shoot manual or aperature preferred, using a small f/stop,try using forced flash on all your pics, and maybe pose your hardware against a more contrasting background. Also, most digital cameras, even slrs, do not produce tack-sharp images right out of the camera. Most require some sharpening in post-process. Check your sharpness setting and try it at standard as well as sharpen, and just experiment and try to have fun. I think the camera you have should give you excellent results, just don't let it get in your way:lol: Robert

Apr 30, 2007, 11:52 PM	#8
pmdinkins Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 6	thanks for the suggestions guys. i really appreciate them. i guess i will just have to break out the manual and find what all those settings are.

May 1, 2007, 7:14 AM	#9
bill2468 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,936	Wich end of the optical zoom range are you using? If you use macro on a long focal length lens the dof will be very shallow as will be the contrast. Try using the wide angle end of the zoom. If it is distorting the perspective of a small subject such as the engine tweek the zoom to the telephoto a bit at a time. Your 10x zoom starts at 38mm if you shoot at about 6x that is a 228mm lensand at a close working distance you will have shallow shot. Try not using the c/u with longer focal length shoot too. BiLL :\|

May 1, 2007, 1:14 PM	#10
ac.smith Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Davenport, IA Posts: 2,093	I'm probably going to take a little different tack than the other respondents. 1) I think you pictures are of sufficient quality for ebay. Higher quality will not generate additional or faster sales. 2) What program are you using to resize the photos? I'd suggest IrfanView and select Resample and Lanczos filter. 3) You might also try IrfanView's sharpness filter which seemed to increase the appearance of sharpness on your samples. The downside is that it might also increase pixilization on diagonal lines. Since you can undo you can see whether it improves the photo or not. 4) From the EXIL data on your photos your using 38-40mm (wide-angle), f2.8 (wide-open) and 1/125 sec exposure. My evaluation is that you need only a fairly small increase in DOF to gain enough for your subjects. Use aperture priority and set to f4 or no higher than f5.6. Because of the small sensor size of your camera your lens will be diffraction limited at large apertures than DSLRs so using f8 may lose more resolution than you gain with increased DOF. This will drop your shutter speed to either 1/60 or 1/30 so I'd suggest a tripod.