Steven Nikkila 32 Report post Posted January 15, 2012 A question from our email (we'll be answering these here, now!):I have a questions for Steven. I would like to take close-up pictures of flowers. Right now I have a small Coolpix digital camera and I know I need a bigger one to take better pictures but I don't know what to buy. I don't want to spend a whole lot of money. Can I get a fairly good camera for 2-$300? If so, what do you suggest? Sincerely, M.S.LIFE IS TOUGHIT'S TOUGHER IF YOU'RE STUPIDJohn Wayne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steven Nikkila 32 Report post Posted January 15, 2012 M.S., Janet has a Nikon Coolpix that she's used for almost 5 years now. We really like the results she's been able to get with it, but it took her almost two years to figure out how to use the macro/close-up settings. I would go to a "Camera" store and ask the sales person to show you the cameras in your price range that fulfills your photgraphic needs. There are just too many cameras to know and the camera store sales person only has to know about them, not washers, computers and tv's too. When they show you the cameras hold them, pretend to use them, try to do a close focus on something in the store, then choose the one you like the best. A question for other vistors to this forum: What equipment do you use for flower close-ups? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Janet Macunovich 32 Report post Posted January 15, 2012 (Got this to add, Steven!) Do you mean the wide and tight bar on the top right side of the camera? Sincerely,M.S. Yup. If I press that W-T, wide and tight toggle until the indicator (the yellow bar) goes right to the little white vertical bar and stops, BUT THEN KEEP HOLDING THE ZOOM DOWN, the yellow bar goes further, into Macro setting and I can shoot very close. Still have some trouble, though. It wants to focus on the highest contrast item in its field,it seems. Something. So that sometimes it just refuses to focus -- gives me that red light rather than green. Other times it works like a charm I felt like such a dummy the day I happened to notice it. And LAUGHED - because the reason I didn't notice it is that I'm too impatient and too fast on buttons. It's only a momentary hold beyond what's actually just a spit second pause the yellow bar makes, as if the camera is saying "are you sure you want to go THAT close? But I just never gave the camera the chance! Since I told Steven about it -- he didn't know because of course he has rarely had to do anything with this camera he got to keep me out of his hair -- there have been a couple of times when he used my camera because he didn't have the lens he needed!Janetp.s. Steven took a photo of the camera with that yellow bar, and he's going to see about Posting it here... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steven Nikkila 32 Report post Posted January 15, 2012 Here's the photo of Janets camera. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest dcsmith796 Report post Posted January 15, 2012 I have a Canon Powershot SD4500 that doesn't do too bad on macro stuff considering it has no manual focus ability. It's no DSLR, but then it didn't cost as much as a DSLR either. I stuck that crocus in there just to make sure I stayed on topic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites