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The photo above is one I took for a forthcoming blog post on my other blog (stones sold as jasper, but aren't really). One of the last bead photos taken with my camera.
I've tried to take bead photos with my sis' camera too, but just don't feel they turn out the way I want. First of all, she doesn't have a minimum focus distance (närgräns) of 1 cm like. She isn't sure exactly what it is on her camera, perhaps even as much as 10 cm, all I know is that I can't be as close to the beads as I'm used to. Also, I can't change the white balance when using macro on her camera. Which annoys me a lot as the automatic WB doesn't always work well in some lights. Also it makes me think of the fact that the one not-too-expensive camera I've found with similar features as my Z3 (1 cm min. focal lenght, 12x zoom, P mode etc etc), the one camera I've found I could perhaps buy within a few months, is constructed just like her camera. I can't shoot macro i P mode, according to Canon's costumer service, which is usually the setting you have to use to be able to change the white balance. So one camera had all I wanted. Or so I thought and when asking about it and receiving a negative reply, I was so disappointed. Stupid cameras...
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Above are two bead photos taken with her camera. The best ones, which neede balancing the white balance and tweaking the exposure more than usual. Maybe I'm overcritical. Maybe it's just that I'm upset and tired what with Sötis and Vitfluff. Maybe it's just that it takes a little time to get used to a new camera, especially getting used to the less stellar min. focus distance. Maybe I'm just to attached to my old Konica Minolta Dimage Z3 and to its -- in my view -- better and more predictable results. And it's a bit unfair using these unsual matt-finish beads as an example. But I'm just not pleased with the pics I get. Landscape pics are ok; they're pretty easy and mostly a matter of getting the exposure right. It's the close-ups I don't like the look of. You know, the kind of photos that make up pretty much 95 % of my other blog's and perhaps (including macro shots of flowers) 60-70 % of this blog's image collection. Photography turns into frustration rather than fun right now. So I'm sitting here feeling sorry for myself.
PS! Do you think many people would big on a used Z5? I just bidded 116 SEK for one on Tradera. Stupid as I don't know the seller and can't inspect the camera? Perhaps, but if it just last a few months it would still be ok value. It's within my budget and a so-so old Z-series is better than no camera. Keep you fingers crossed. For both that I'll be lucky in the bidding and win it dirt cheap and that the condition is ok. ;) Not making any illusions, though. Have lost many auctions before (one for the most fab embroidery book, Bonniers stora bok om broderi -- that was sad).
I hope you'll win the bid. As you say the most important feature on your camera is that it works well for macro bead ad jewellery pics. And that you can cange the WB. Most cameras work well for landscapes. It is always tricky to start using a new camera. Of course you are sad and upset after your loss of two sweet little kittens. It makes the camera problems feel even worse. But hey, it's just a camera!
ReplyDeleteHi! My husband has one of those Konica Minolta Z-series and he is still very pleased with it. It works well and the pics turn out exactly like he wants. He has a couple of newer cameras too, but still uses the oldest one now and then. I think it is a good idea to try and find a used one, the kind you are familiar with. Maybe this person at Tradeera just had the camera lying around and decided to sell it. Maybe he didn't use it all the time. And cameras usually don't break of use, but due to accidents. Later on, when you buy a new camera, you'll be able to use the old one for blog illustrations until you get familiar with the new one. And after all, most people who sell stuff on auction sites ar honest.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments!
ReplyDeleteWent with my parents to Elgiganten today as they had to buy a new computer (they can't do that without me and/or my sis there to assist) and of cause I was drawn to the photo section. There I found a nice Sony camera -- which reminded me that it was Sony that took over Konica Minolta's camera branch when they ceased that part of their business. So for a future new camera (still keeping all fingers crossed about the used one on Tradera for now, but looking ahead too if it doesn't work out), maybe I should look into Sony a bit more? If anyone's going to have a camera similar to my Konica Minolta, it should be them. Haven't really considered them as I think phones, not cameras when hearing their name. Now I know better.
The seller on Tradera, by the way, seems to have been there for awhile, selling different things, so he looks pretty serious.