I need a camera that will perform the following:
“a camera capable of capturing large-format digital images with good depth of field”
The camera will have to be fairly simple to operate I know very little about cameras. Need the camera for taking pictures of RR stuff.
Thanks in advance for your replies
YGW
Look for ones that allow you to set the aperture or shutter speed. They may be more expensive, but they let you maximize depth of field. (Smaller aperture = better depth of field; if it’s auto-exposure, slower shutter = smaller aperture.) Generally the brighter lighting you use, the better your depth of field will be, because the auto-exposure will stop down the aperture. Unless it’s one of those modern all-solid-state cameras, like those in cell phones these days, where there is no aperture.
YGW - Models, real Railroads, or both?
If its real RR, a slightly different recommendation then model strictly…
Perhaps some more clarity:
Are you talking about doing real railroad photography or model railroad photography?
Are there limits to how much you can spend?
Ed
You want a digital camera, mostly because electrons are free. Film camera’s cost a dollar a shot or more. You have a choice between low cost a point-n-shoot and a high cost digital single lens reflex (DSLR). A point-n-shoot gives you one lens, a decent range of zoom. Mine has plenty of pixels at least 1280 by 800. A DSLR gives you interchangable lens, more pixels, a bigger and heavy camera and a lot more money. My Canon point-n-shoot focuses down close and takes good pictures of my models.
What does ‘large-format’ mean? Full frame, APS-C,…? Those’ll cost ya. Yuuge!
Any modern point-and-shoot in the $200 ballpark that allows you to control some manual settings, and that has about 7 mp is going to allow you to generate large prints, and on large monitors will look wonderful…assuming correct colour balance, focus, etc. The better ones, often with up to about 18 X zoom and 1" sensor, fixed lens, run all the way up to $1300 these days, well into DSLR territory…except you won’t need to carry a bag of lenses.
CANON, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus, Panasonic, they all make really good and versatile cameras that won’t break your bank. Manual controls, maybe up to 15 X zoom, near 12 mp, shouldn’t cost you more than about $300, and you’ll almost be able to put them in a shirt pocket. Great versatility, easy to set up right in your railroad scene (if you mean a model layout).
No wait, you said digital. [^o)]
The p&s Sony that my friend has is absolutely amazing. It also costs more than some of the Canon and Nikon DSLRs, but it has many manual settings as well as full automatic operation and has a very large sensor. Unfortunately I don’t recall the exact model. Optics in it are Zeiss, as most all Sony cameras.
–Randy
There is also a 3rd choice, usually referred to as “mirrorless” or “compact system” cameras. They have interchangable lenses like a DSLR but don’t have a through the lens viewfinder. They rely on an electronic viewfinder and/or a display on the back. These are as capable as all but the higest-end of DSLR’s at an average price point between point-n-shoot and DSLR’s. They are also smaller and lighter than DSLR’s.
1280 by 800 is only one megapixel. This is not even close to sufficient. I don’t think you can even buy a smartphone, let alone a camera with a resolution of less than 4 magapixels. Most camears are at least 16MP. Lots of megapixels can be overrated, but that doesn’t come into play until you get to 20+ and you can get 20 on a point-n-shoot for less than $100.
YGW, There are some good pointers here:
https://www.x2011west.org/handouts/JS-Photo-RR-Models-X2011.pdf
https://www.nasg.org/documents/ModelRailroadersGuideToPhotography.pdf
…and from one of our members on this forum, Bob Boudreau: (maybe look at this one first)
https://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
After you digest some of this information you will be better equipped to make the choices for what you want in a camera.
Keep in mind to get the best depth of field you are going to use l o n g exposure times. Sometimes my shutter is open for three minutes or more at f. 32! So a sturdy tripod or other fixture is necessary, too.
Some of the better “stacking” functions of the editing software such as Helicon will help but if you can start with the best image possible, all the better. Scroll through the examples below:
http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconsoft-products/helicon-focus/
I get by with Adobe Photoshop, but Lightroom might be in my future…
http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopfamily.html
It’s not just all camera work, either. Sometimes setting up the lighting the way I want it can take considerably more time than the actual shooting of the photos.
Good Luck, Ed
The Sony one I mentioned that my friend has is one of the RX100 series.
–Randy
A smart phone with an optional after market set of lenses will work almost as well as the high priced professional cameras.
Maybe, especially if he needs a new phone and doesn’t mind the outlay for one with interchangeable lenses. Otherwise, depth of field will be a distinct problem unless he lays down some serious photon density on the scene. Even then, colour balance could affect the resulting image. He will have to deal with that in PP.
If you want to use an iPhone, check Amazon for lenses.
I bought a set for my iPhone.
Amazon reviews for different cameras might help as well as searching the Internet. You can compare reviews as there will be many.
Rich
Hey, OP.
It would be helpful if you were to respond to some of our questions and comments.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Ed
It is all about LIGHT. The bigger the lens, the more light you get into the camera. But that means a biiger lens in relation to the back plane where are the sensors. A smart phone or a tablet has a very small distance between the lens and the back plane, ergo the back plane is very small, but then so is the lens.
A camera with a large back plane can get far more details in the real estate that it has back there. But it also needs a much bigger lens. A camera my look like it has a big lens, but that my be fooling you for under the glas it really has a smaller lens.
If you have questions go to a local camera store. They will likely let you try several models, and can explain this stuff far better than I can. Of course if you take up their time, you really should buy from them too.
Of course if you know what you are all ablut (and you are not, since you asked), then a discount online concern will get you a far better price on the same product.
Get you first camera at a local store where the people there can help you with your questions. The big houses are for the experts, and frequently handle grey-market products (privately imported from Japan or China and have no USA warranty).
ROAR
Local cameral stores are about like local train stores. There are only 2 left in Baltimore, in my county, the leading google hits are Giant Food, Best Buy and HH Gregg.
Thanks everyone for the feed back. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on your questions. I have a legit excuse. We celebrated MOH 60th birthday this weekend with lots of people attending. I was VERY busy making arrangments, fielding calls etc…and then tehre was the clean up…
To answer some of the questions:
This will strictly be for MRR. Not the real thing at least for now
I prefer digital
I would like to keep the camera in the $500 plus or minus range
For my use I cannot use a phone camera
I will want a camera that I can set up with a tripod.
Again thank you for your responses and feed back. I am very thankful you took your time to helop me out. I appreciate any further info.
YGW
YGW
For full reccomendation, without the lengthy explanation of why, scroll down to bold italicized underlined text. (All at once, like this…)
Then read the rest for the explanation of why that is my reccomendation…
For the price range, and features, a starter DSLR set will cover your current needs, and be quick enough to (eventually) cover the real RR photography as well. (Most camera’s will have a tripod option.)
It would offer full aperture control, to maximize depth of field, while still giving a simple automatic focusing option, much like a traditional point and shoot. When aperture control is not 100% needed, fully automatic, just like a point and shoot, shutter speed priority, to allow setting of shutter speed, for time-lapse shots, or for fast snaps of action without blur, and all as simple, or complicated, as you need. All DSLR’s I have ever seen have a tripod mount. Starter sets @B&HPhoto start @399.99 and go up (way up!) from there.
Canon and Nikkon are the top two brands in DSLR, and offer the most additional options later on.
If you go with a DSLR, Canon offers clearer glass (lenses) than Nikkon. (Let the flame war start now…[}:)])
Once you get used to the slightly diffeerent controls as compared to a standard point and shoot, it will be second nature to pull out the camera, power it on, compose and snap the photo.
A mirror-less camera will offer most of the features of a DSLR, with a lighter weight than a traditional DSLR. This would also be a good choice based on depth of field needs, and your potential future needs, should they change. Starter sets for these can easily be under the $500 price range. Again, most are tripod capable.
Canon, Nikkon, and Sony all make excellent mirror-less models.