Macro pictures

Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?


--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com

On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:39:22 +0200, "Geir R.Pettersson"
wrote:

Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?


Care to expand on the requirements a bit?

If you just want to take pictures of some printing on a board, lots of
available options there. Maybe one of the older Nikons, 990,995, or
their current replacements.

If you need to have one photo of a board, say 12X12 inches, and be
able to read small printing on that picture, I think you will need
lots of pixels, one of the newer cameras with a good close-up lens.
macro generally means that the image on the sensing device, film or
ccd, is the same size as the object being photographed.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

Thanks,

Look at this link and see the pictures:
http://akam.no/art.php?artikkelid=8994&side=10

I want to take pictures with a digital camera, where I am able to see the
smallest component and see if there is corrosion around the ic circuit. I
need it for documentation for customers.
I wonder if I should look for a camera with highest possible MP, or the one
who say they have best macro function.

--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com
"Charles" skrev i melding
...
On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:39:22 +0200, "Geir R.Pettersson"
wrote:

Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the
board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall
look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?


Care to expand on the requirements a bit?

If you just want to take pictures of some printing on a board, lots of
available options there. Maybe one of the older Nikons, 990,995, or
their current replacements.

If you need to have one photo of a board, say 12X12 inches, and be
able to read small printing on that picture, I think you will need
lots of pixels, one of the newer cameras with a good close-up lens.
macro generally means that the image on the sensing device, film or
ccd, is the same size as the object being photographed.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

Thanks,

Look at this link and see the pictures:
http://akam.no/art.php?artikkelid=8994&side=10

I want to take pictures with a digital camera, where I am able to see the
smallest component and see if there is corrosion around the ic circuit. I
need it for documentation for customers.
I wonder if I should look for a camera with highest possible MP, or the one
who say they have best macro function.

--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com
"Charles" skrev i melding
...
On Thu, 26 Aug 2004 08:39:22 +0200, "Geir R.Pettersson"
wrote:

Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the
board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall
look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?


Care to expand on the requirements a bit?

If you just want to take pictures of some printing on a board, lots of
available options there. Maybe one of the older Nikons, 990,995, or
their current replacements.

If you need to have one photo of a board, say 12X12 inches, and be
able to read small printing on that picture, I think you will need
lots of pixels, one of the newer cameras with a good close-up lens.
macro generally means that the image on the sensing device, film or
ccd, is the same size as the object being photographed.


--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

"Geir R.Pettersson" wrote:

Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?

--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com

There's more than one answer to your question, mainly depending on:
a). the size of the board(s) you wish to photograph, e.g. computer
mainboard size with many very small components, headers, and jumper pins
labelled, or smaller and simpler boards with perhaps larger print.

b). whether or not you require the photograph to be accurately linear,
or whether some barrel or pincushion distortion in the image would be
tolerable.

c). The purpose for which the photograph will be used.

Point (a) will determine the pixel count you will need. Small, simple
boards could get away with 2 or 3 megapixels, mainboard size and detail
would probably need up to 5 megapixels.

Point (b) will dictate the lens type needed. Point-and-shoot cameras
with zoom lenses typically focus very close, yielding full-frame images
of small objects, but at close range inevitably show barrel or
pincushion distortion of the image. If that is unacceptable, you will
need a camera capable of mounting a true macro lens with flat field and
no linear distortion, probably a digital single-lens reflex with a
proper macro lens.

Point(c) has some bearing on points(a) and (b). If the photograph is to
be used as an in-house technical reference only, then relaxed limits for
sharpness and distortion would be acceptable, so long as the image could
be read by technicians. If it is for publication, a higher standard
would be desirable, and if it is to be used as a pattern for taking
measurements and manufacturing a new board, then dimensional accuracy
will be needed.

Good luck in making your choice.

Colin D.

"Geir R.Pettersson" wrote:

Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?

--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com

There's more than one answer to your question, mainly depending on:
a). the size of the board(s) you wish to photograph, e.g. computer
mainboard size with many very small components, headers, and jumper pins
labelled, or smaller and simpler boards with perhaps larger print.

b). whether or not you require the photograph to be accurately linear,
or whether some barrel or pincushion distortion in the image would be
tolerable.

c). The purpose for which the photograph will be used.

Point (a) will determine the pixel count you will need. Small, simple
boards could get away with 2 or 3 megapixels, mainboard size and detail
would probably need up to 5 megapixels.

Point (b) will dictate the lens type needed. Point-and-shoot cameras
with zoom lenses typically focus very close, yielding full-frame images
of small objects, but at close range inevitably show barrel or
pincushion distortion of the image. If that is unacceptable, you will
need a camera capable of mounting a true macro lens with flat field and
no linear distortion, probably a digital single-lens reflex with a
proper macro lens.

Point(c) has some bearing on points(a) and (b). If the photograph is to
be used as an in-house technical reference only, then relaxed limits for
sharpness and distortion would be acceptable, so long as the image could
be read by technicians. If it is for publication, a higher standard
would be desirable, and if it is to be used as a pattern for taking
measurements and manufacturing a new board, then dimensional accuracy
will be needed.

Good luck in making your choice.

Colin D.

I do alot of Macro work and I saw the
web site you showed.
A Canon 10d or Digital Rebel with a
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro will do better
then the cameras on the web site.

"Geir R.Pettersson"
wrote in message
...
Hi,
I new to this group, no experience
with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes
we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where
you can read the print on the board,
I want to purchase a digital camera,
but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what
should I look for in a camera ?


--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com

I do alot of Macro work and I saw the
web site you showed.
A Canon 10d or Digital Rebel with a
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro will do better
then the cameras on the web site.

"Geir R.Pettersson"
wrote in message
...
Hi,
I new to this group, no experience
with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes
we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where
you can read the print on the board,
I want to purchase a digital camera,
but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what
should I look for in a camera ?


--
Best Regards
Geir R.Pettersson

http://www.arctic-heating.com

Geir R.Pettersson wrote:
Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the
board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?


If you are serious about this, you want just about any Digital SLR with
a real Macro lens. Any of them will do much better than the tested cameras
and do it easier. You will also want some dedicated lighting equipment and
maybe a copy stand, or its equalivelent.

Lighting, macro lens, staging.

* Lighting is more an art than a science, but once you find out the type of
lighting that works well for the results you want it should not need much
adjustment. In general you will want light coming from two or more sides.
One light on either side or a ring light on the lens should work. Then
there is the question of hard or soft. I suggest trying both. Hard would
be small source like bare bulb light, soft would be accomplished by the use
of diffusion material either shining the light through the material (placed
in front of the light source or as a tent over the subject, or reflecting
the light off a large matt reflector.

* Macro lens is important to be able to sharply focus on a small flat
subject. The macro "mode" or macro "setting" on a do everything zoom lens
just is not good enough for serious work.

* Staging involves being able to support the subject, the lights and the
camera along with any reflectors and diffusers, in a convenient manner.
Copy stands usually work well.

Good Luck.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Geir R.Pettersson wrote:
Hi,
I new to this group, no experience with digital camera.

I work with electronics, and sometimes we need to take pictures of
electronic boards.
I need to take close up pictures where you can read the print on the
board,
I want to purchase a digital camera, but are not sure of what I shall look
for.
If I want to take macro pictures, what should I look for in a camera ?


If you are serious about this, you want just about any Digital SLR with
a real Macro lens. Any of them will do much better than the tested cameras
and do it easier. You will also want some dedicated lighting equipment and
maybe a copy stand, or its equalivelent.

Lighting, macro lens, staging.

* Lighting is more an art than a science, but once you find out the type of
lighting that works well for the results you want it should not need much
adjustment. In general you will want light coming from two or more sides.
One light on either side or a ring light on the lens should work. Then
there is the question of hard or soft. I suggest trying both. Hard would
be small source like bare bulb light, soft would be accomplished by the use
of diffusion material either shining the light through the material (placed
in front of the light source or as a tent over the subject, or reflecting
the light off a large matt reflector.

* Macro lens is important to be able to sharply focus on a small flat
subject. The macro "mode" or macro "setting" on a do everything zoom lens
just is not good enough for serious work.

* Staging involves being able to support the subject, the lights and the
camera along with any reflectors and diffusers, in a convenient manner.
Copy stands usually work well.

Good Luck.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math