Are there point-and-shoot cameras that can take close-up "macro" photos for eBay listings?
Asked 1/3/2012
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I want a simple point-and-shoot camera that can take detailed close-up photos of items for eBay auctions. Do compact cameras offer a macro mode or close-focus ability good enough for product shots?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
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There are plenty. What I recommend though is a compact with manual controls and for the purpose of eBay, unless you are selling truly miniature items such as insects, they are more recommended than DSLRs and SLDs.
A number of ultra-zooms are actually capable of extremely close focusing distance, as close as 0cm even! Although you will have lighting problems if you get that close, any of those models will do to focus closely. Not only that, the depth-of-field will be much greater than with an interchangeable lens, which is less artistic but arguably better for selling products.
The Canon Powershot SX150 (1cm min) or older SX200 (0cm min) are great choice in a compact form-factor. You can also go with an ultra-zoom like the Canon SX40 or Fuji HS20 EXR. Since these cameras have manual controls, you can set the aperture very small to capture an large depth-of-field. Just make sure to keep the ISO low for getting quality output and using a tripod for stability.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes. Many point-and-shoot cameras have a macro mode or very short minimum focusing distance, which is usually enough for eBay product photos.
Strictly speaking, “true macro” means very high magnification (around 1:1 on the sensor), and most compact cameras do not reach that. But for photographing small items, details, or product close-ups, many compacts work very well.
Compact cameras can actually be a good choice for this because:
- they often focus very close
- they give more depth of field than larger-sensor cameras, which helps keep more of the item sharp
- they’re simpler to use for straightforward product shots
A few examples mentioned were Canon PowerShot models such as the SX150, SX200, and SX40, plus Fuji FinePix/Fuji compact and superzoom models. Ultra-zoom compacts can sometimes focus extremely close, though lighting can become difficult at the closest distances.
For eBay listings, a compact with close-focus capability and manual controls is a sensible option. Unless you need to photograph truly tiny subjects, a point-and-shoot with macro mode should be sufficient.
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