Jewelry Photography Forum

nitekatt2008 · 2007-10-03 11:30:55

Hi. I have a Canon 10D and 30D. I use a Sigma 50mm f2.8 macro lens and a Canon 100mm f2.8 macro as well for jewelry products. I get very good, crystal clear shots, but of course the focus plane, angles, lighting, shutter speed all factor in to capture the best image. This is one of the limitations of DSLR's.

I am also looking into the Canon 90mm F2.8 tilt/shift lens, which would help turn the DSLR's into a simliar, "view" type camera with tilts and swings. Sometimes, I have to take 2-3 shots of a product such as a ring, necklace, or braclet, using the focus stacking technique to get the entire image in 100% focus

If any jewelry photographers here are using the tilt/shift lenses for jewelry, does the $1000 price make it worth it?

Thanks katt

Westobou · 2007-10-03 18:08:55

Nah. I'd say the plane shift is great if you needed depth at at a certain plane. Noting that shifting the focus plane to a desired angle - in theory - doesn't increase the focus plane, it only changes the angle of it. As for it being worth the money, eh, maybe if you stacked a bunch of jewelry one behind the other and you wanted all of the heads in focus. I guess that is depends on how much you'd charge for a shot like that and how often you'd use it. I have large format linhof with bellows and phaseone scanback. That process isn't fast enough and most manufacturers don't care to pay for the effort...unless you are on salary for the manufacturers (Those of you that are - and I know you are.)

The end all be all is the telephoto macro lens, which allows you to get a couple feet away (creating depth of field) yet be right up on the jewelry. From what I know, you can't get the lens for a SLR, and they aren't made for the large formats anymore. You can still find one every now then, but it'll cost you your first born. I've tried to emulate thise effect with my marco lens mounted on a tele-converter. The result wasn't super super crisp, I guess there was too many hoops for the image to jump through.

JimJuris · 2008-06-22 15:31:53

Hi Katt,

Two or three photographs to get everything in focus, wow, that is nothing to my 50+ images that I take to make my image perfect.

Here is a trick that you can try, plug in your camera into a tv monitor with a YELLOW RCA jack and take your photographs by looking at the television monitor rather than the tiny LCD viewing screen that you DSLR camera has.

I should use this technique more often, but I haven't used it in qute a while because my tv and my photo light box are in two different parts of the room, far away from each other. I should move my tv near my light box.

You can also view all of your images on your tv monitor after you have taken them, that is something that I do.

Westobou · 2008-07-01 10:49:01

Very interesting, I've never thought about that of plugging up to a monitor. Does it drain battery life of the camera faster?

denny12 · 2008-08-20 11:28:59

I have some questions here, as much for my own education as commentary on your plan. Why would you need a macro lens for this work? Couldn't a normal lens do just as well, given the sizes you mentioned? For the smaller pieces, given the 10MP image, you have a lot of cropping available.

www.sellgoldsell.com

Westobou · 2008-09-12 09:08:41

Technically, I guess a regular lens could work for jewelry photography, but yeah you would have crop in a great deal. Why lose that much of the frame if you didn't have to? The point of have a larger image image is so that you can really dive into the details for post cleaning up. Keep in mind that 10mp camera shoots what about 9in x12in at 300dpi (magazine quality) if your image is only taking up a fraction of the screen, you may end with an image that can print no larger than life size at good quality.

This image http://www.jewelrysnap.com/details.php? … mp;pid=237 is 8in x 6.5in at 300dpi.

sharpics · 2008-11-12 07:47:47

You get your answer here http://www.sharpics.com/

geonerd20 · 2008-11-13 17:46:12

Wow! You guys are lightyears ahead of me! I use a cheap, point-and-shoot digital camera. I take numerous shows from different angles and different distances. I then look at each shot and decide which one is best to use.

JimJuris · 2008-12-09 22:07:02

I don't know if it drains the life of the camera battery any faster. I don't think that it does, but I have no way to prove it.

Regarding the question about using a macro lens, the macro lens allows you to get super close to the subject, but it also has a shorter depth of field. So it all depends on what you are photographing and how much of the fine details you want to show in your photo.

Yes a regular lens will work and you can use the macro setting (flower) on your camera to do macro photography.

windy138 · 2010-06-21 22:43:31

Hey Sharpics I can't see anything at ur website

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vincomgo · 2010-06-23 00:24:44

why didn't u post its image here so that I can see clearly to consider:-?
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Last edited by vincomgo (2010-06-23 00:28:28)

sixselena · 2010-07-09 04:53:22

Wow, its very interesting. I like it so much.
Thanks for sharing this nice thread.
Great work man!!

http://www.glassofvenice.com/

Last edited by sixselena (2010-07-09 04:53:55)

jhonkevin · 2010-08-02 12:50:44

Very interesting, I've never thought about that of plugging up to a monitor. There are so many websites are available for the solution. If you have to create small picture then you have a lot of cropping available.Thanks for sharing this nice thread.

Last edited by jhonkevin (2010-08-02 12:55:11)

Jewelry Photography Forum

#1 2007-10-03 11:30:55

I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#2 2007-10-03 18:08:55

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#3 2008-06-22 15:31:53

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#4 2008-07-01 10:49:01

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#5 2008-08-20 11:28:59

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#6 2008-09-12 09:08:41

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#7 2008-11-12 07:47:47

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#8 2008-11-13 17:46:12

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#9 2008-12-09 22:07:02

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#10 2010-06-21 22:43:31

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#11 2010-06-23 00:24:44

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#12 2010-07-09 04:53:22

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

#13 2010-08-02 12:50:44

Re: I'm Using A Canon and Or Sigma Macro Lens For Jewelry

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