Recommend a Camera

[Blue_Bird]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good camera for taking pictures of LEGO. I've never had a digital camera before so I know nothing about them.

[dr_spock]

What is your budget? Do you have other things you want to take good pictures of besides Lego?

[Blue_Bird]

What is your budget? Do you have other things you want to take good pictures of besides Lego?

My budget is around 200-300 dollars, I'm just looking for anything that has much better image quality than my iPod camera. I'd like to take pictures of scenery too.

[Nevo]

My budget is around 200-300 dollars, I'm just looking for anything that has much better image quality than my iPod camera. I'd like to take pictures of scenery too.

You can have a look here for some good options: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Digital-Cameras/Compact-Cameras/abcat0401001.c?id=abcat0401001

Make sure to read the reviews of the one you like and figure out which one would be most suited for you. You can personal message me if you need further assistance. :)

[Blue_Bird]

You can have a look here for some good options: http://www.bestbuy.c...id=abcat0401001

Make sure to read the reviews of the one you like and figure out which one would be most suited for you. You can personal message me if you need further assistance. :)

Thanks! I'll check that out

[Blue_Bird]

Checking out the Nikon Coolpix S5300, very nice picture quality

[Nevo]

Checking out the Nikon Coolpix S5300, very nice picture quality

NIKON makes good cameras, that particular model is good, heres an excellent review on it. However if you can, I'd get a 16x optical zoom vs an 8x optical zoom. Still, the 8x is a good choice and quite cheap.

[BrickCurve]

I would recommend going to a specialist photography store that will set you up with something within budget, I would also recommend investing in a tripod.

[Blue_Bird]

Thanks for the recommendations everyone! I'll look into it and post back here once I've purchased one.

[Richila]

I use my cellphone with a Gorillapod tripod.

[dhc6twinotter]

The Canon PowerShot S110 has pretty good ratings, and Ken Rockwell's website says it's one of the best pocket cameras. The optical zoom is only 5x though, but you don't really need much zoom for shooting LEGO. These cameras run $250-$300.

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/digital_cameras/powershot_s110#Overview

I shoot with a DSLR and haven't used the above camera, but I think if I were to buy a pocket camera, I'd consider that one.

Also, the use of a tripod and proper lighting is important for shooting LEGO. I'm don't currently have the space for a nice light box or 3-point light setup, so I shoot outdoors, usually with a white backdrop. A little bit of post-processing, like small adjustments to the contrast and saturation, helps a bit too.

[Gideon]

I would recommend going for a used DSLR rather than a brand-new smaller camera if the price is similar. Don't fall for the megapixel sales talk, a good lens is more important. Don't forget to think about the photo setup as well, a good camera can't take good pictures if the lighting isn't good as well. A good backdrop helps as well, especially if you want to cut back on post-processing.

Semi-offtopic I can describe my setup briefly:

I use a tripod and a roller blind (from Ikea), which I hang in a curve in underneath my build when shooting. The camera sits on a tripod (not visible on the picture, sorry!) with the flash directed up towards the white roof of the living room. In that way I get a diffuse light source that is independent of the seasonally very scarce Scandinavian natural light.

[Rusty84]

Checking out the Nikon Coolpix S5300, very nice picture quality

The Nikon Coolpix S5300 is pretty good. I recently bought the Nikon Coolpix S6700 digital camera. Beautiful picture quality and very easy to use as well.