Just starting tabletop photography - starter kit?

[Circe]

I KNOW I've seen Kenny talk about related topics, but I cannot for the life of find the threads. I really want to be able to take good shots of my jewelry - what do I need? A lightbox? A tripod? WHAT? If y'all could rec the best entry-level cheapy brands, I would be eternally grateful ...

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I would start here: http://strobist.blogspot.com.br/ He has tons of clever tricks and cheap solutions. There are also a lot of good tutorials aimed at Etsy sellers, which generally are low budget and easy. Let me sort through my links.

What camera do you have?

 

[Circe]

Just a little old Sony Cyber-Shot, 7.2 megapixels.

 

[kenny]

Just a little old Sony Cyber-Shot, 7.2 megapixels.

Circe, I'll answer this both for you and for lurkers, who may take a different path.
First consideration is obviously budget.
If you have no intention of upgrading from a point and shoot to a DSLR, yes there are things you can do to optimize the results from your Cybershot.

If you can buy a DSLR know that the entry level ones are very limited when it comes to the best macro results.
You have to spend a lot on a semi-pro DSLR body that will still work when you put stuff between the lens and the body, like bellows, lens reversing rings, or extension tubes which are needed to get more enlargement.

If you want that flexibility at a lower price I recommend buying a used high end body.
The cheapest new Nikon body is $650 but for $430 you can buy a D200 which costed $1,600 new.
The D200 is a few-year old semi-pro model that will work with bellows and extension tubes, and is what I used till around a year ago.

Ebay is too risky so I'd only buy a used body from KEH since they check out condition. http://www.keh.com/camera/Nikon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DN029990883770?r=FE

If you have decided you are going to keep your point an shoot but want to optimize the results there are three things I recommend:
1. A tripod, the heaviest, most expensive one you are willing to buy. Often Costco will have one between $50 and $100 that is a good value.
2. Light box and lights.
3. Discover YOUR camera's minimum focusing distance.

Here is a wonderful kit with lights, tent and clear acrylic stand.

http://store.tabletopstudio-store.com/miphkit.html



If $225 is over your budget you can buy reflector lights with clips from Home Depot for $5 and just rest them against some books.
Some light bulbs are large so buy the largest reflector they have, not the skinny one.
Next buy Home Depot's highest wattage CFL light bulbs.
Pick the highest color temperature ones, around 5000 Kelvin.
They are the least-yellow of the three colors of white they sell.
You can make your own light box by cutting out 5 sides of a cardboard box and gluing sheer white cloth to the inside - an old aquarium works well too.

Discover your camera's minimum focusing distance is important because to get the best resolution you want to fill up the screen with your jewel BEFORE you take the picture.
This uses as many pixels as possible.
Here's how to find it.
Put your camera on the macro setting.
Put a ruler in front of your lens, so it is touching your lens barrel (don't scratch the glass).



Place a high contrast object [something for the camera to focus on] on the ruler at around 15" and take a pic.
If it's in focus move the object to 14" and take a pic.
If it's in focus move the object to 13" and take another pic.
Repeat this until it is out of focus.
Then move it back until it is as close as possible and still in focus.
You have now established your camera's minimum focusing distance.
Cut a piece of string to this length and use it every time you take pics, unless of course the jewelry is too large.

You may have to do this for both extremes of the lens' zoom range, both wide and telephoto and select which extreme results in the object being larger on the screen.

Here is a pic showing that my lens's closest focusing distance is 9".

 

[kenny]

Gems function like mirrors and will reflect your shirt, the tripod, the camera, the room, even in a light box if the front is open and exposed.

To minimize this also use white cloth on the front of the light box and cut a hole in some white cardboard or styrofoam and put it on your lens.
Notice the safety pin holding up a corner of the cloth.

Also notice I'm hand-holding the light so I can move it around to get the best appearance of the gem.

Use your camera's timer to take the pic.
Touching the camera shakes the camera and blurs the pic.

 

[Circe]

Kenny, thank you SO much - this is exactly the step-by-step level of detail I was needing! So now I'm off to do price comparisons and figure out how to achieve the results I want on my modest budget (until I see if I have the knack, I'm trying to stick with the camera I have and just get accessories which will help my level up). Am currently trying to decide between getting a Joby tripod and a clip that will adapt for the iPhone if need be (hey, I got an Olloclip, might as well see how much milage I can get) and a lightbox with the Home Depot lights, or if it's worth it to get one of the little studio-in-a-box kits, like this http://www.amazon.com/CowboyStudio-...=1345899931&sr=1-6&keywords=camera+studio+box, just to try my hand. Am leaning towards the former, I think - now I just need to find a decent lightbox for $50 or less. Hm ....

Again - THANK you. You really are an invaluable resource.

 

[rosetta]

That is great advice kenny!

 

[kenny]

You're welcome gals.
I love to see people get better pics.

Circe that looks like a great package deal for a great price and at a budget that's more appropriate for a point and shoot!
It would be nice if the lights were not so small, large reflectors containing cheap Home Depot bulbs have advantages.
Those replacement bulbs may not be easy to find or cheap, but overall I'd give it a try.
It even includes a tripod-like thingie!