what kind of camera to take these kind of pics

[AND1]

Click on image to get FULL pic. What kind of zoom (optical?) do I need on a digital camera to take these kind of close-ups?

By the way this was taken by someone at another forum. Its a close-up of a motherboard and he said he used a Canon A70. But the A70 has only 3x optical zoom. I've seen a 10x optical camera. Are those good for close up's like that.

Image is big.... click here for it

[Conquest10]

Macro. You get the camera really close.

[AND1]

really... if you put the camera too close won't the picture come out blurred? So you think 3x optical zoom is enough for regular pic taking?

[aanaravs]

really... if you put the camera too close won't the picture come out blurred? So you think 3x optical zoom is enough for regular pic taking?

No, the picture will not turn out blurry if you use a stabalization mechanization (tripod, monopod, etc.) I have taken pictures of numerous motherboards, RAM etc. Everyone turns out to be fine as long as a) no flash b) use a tripod or something like that

[AND1]

I have this old digital camera that only has one button on it and it's to take the pic. I bought a very long time ago and now I think it's time to upgrade. Do all new cameras come with this macro button? Here's is one I am looking at, let me know if it's good.

Is this a nice camera to upgrade to: Canon PowerShot S500

Here are some pictures of it. I will not buy from here, just to see the pics.

Key Features:

» 5-megapixel effective recording
» DIGIC processor for better color quality
» 1-1/2" color LCD viewscreen
» optical viewfinder
» 3X optical/4.1X digital/12X total zoom
» JPEG options: resolution up to 2592 x 1944; 2048 x 1536; 1600 x 1200; 640 x 480
» Movie Mode with sound
» nine-point AiAF autofocus
» sensitivity (ISO) settings
» white balance control settings
» built-in flash
» Exif Print 2.2-compliant
» Direct Print technology and Print/Share button
» USB (1.1) interface
» NTSC/PAL A/V output
» 3-13/16"W x 2-7/16"H x 1-1/4"D
» weight: 6.5 oz. without battery and media
» warranty: 1 year

Supplied Accessories:

» 32MB CompactFlash® card
» rechargeable lithium ion battery
» battery charger
» A/V cable
» USB 1.1 cable
» software CD-ROM (Windows® and Mac)
» wrist strap

[Conquest10]

I wouldn't say all but most have a macro feature. It allows for focusing closer than usual but does tend to distort a lot.

[aanaravs]

Yes, the camera that you have mentioned above is very good. I would also reccomend that you take a look at the Nikon CoolPix series.

[Conquest10]

That's a good camera and it does have macro focussing up to two inches away.

[hech54]

I've even used my Close-Up Filters from my Minolta 35mm...placed them in front of my Canon S100 camera and taken some cool pics.

[Faustus]

Yes that is macro mode all the way.

I like others also prefer Canon and Nikons. Have fun.

[lordsmurf]

Macro focus. Nikon pro dSLR here.
They make macro filters too, +1, +2 ... +7 biggest I've ever seen.

[hech54]

Macro focus. Nikon pro dSLR here.
They make macro filters too, +1, +2 ... +7 biggest I've ever seen.

I've only got 1 thru 3.

[vitualis]

I highly recommend the Nikon Coolpix series if you're interested in macro photography. It is the one field where my Coolpix is far and away superior to my D70.

My Coolpix 5400 can focus to a minimum distance of around 2 cm I think. Fantastic for close-ups like of insects or jewellery.

Tripod and good lighting are a must.

Regards.

[Capmaster]

I have the Powershot S300 and while the camera does almost everything top-drawer, the macro abilities lack something. The focussing distance is pretty far before you can get a good crisp pic, like6 or 8 inches. True macro allows you to get within a few inches and really get sharp shots.

The S500 probably uses the same lens or a similar one (3x optical 5.4 - 16.2mm)