# Neils trial watch photo's .



## Guest

Just trying out some stuff to see how it looks on the forum while I get to grips with this camera.




























Pretty impressed with the macro after my old banger but I've got to make up a light box as the reflections are killing me.

The Sinn must be one of the most difficult cameras to photograph as the crystal and dial is really shiny.


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## Mrcrowley

They look good to me Neil. Then again this is coming from someone who still hasn't fully sussed his camera after 6 months.

I like the idea of a light box. Are they easy yo set up?


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## Guest

Paul

From what I can gather from my middle photographer son you need to light the watch through muslin or something like it from around the watch to give you the brightness you need without the reflection.

I'm going to try a translucent plastic box.

I'll keep at it.

Watches are THE hardest thing to photograph properly.

Cheers,

Neil.


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## Stan

Hi Neil,

Half the with battle photographing watches is technique. Try this link:-

http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/19002.html

The red reflection in the crystals is probably the red self timer countdown LED on the front of the camera. Black tape will cure that!

Hope this helps.

Stan.


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## Sargon

And here I thought Nessie and Bigfoot were the hardest thing to photograph properly.


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## Andy

Neil

I have a MAVICA just like the one you had.

I learned that with the correct lighting conditions, good results are possible even with this antique.

I took this one outside in bright daylight.

I think the clarity is pretty good.


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## Stan

Andy,

Good picture


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## Andy

Cheers Stan

Here's another taken with the old Mavica.

OK there are shadows and a bit more skill with lighting would have helped but no problem with clarity.


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## Andy

Warts and all


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## Andy

One more as I'm getting a bit carried away.

I think the Mavica is better than you give it credit for Neil.


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## Stan

Andy,

The only problem with the Mavica was the limitation of the storage medium, not the technology. They were as good as any other at the time it was the floppy disk that limited the file size and so the ultimate quality.

My camera is a humble 1.3 mp Fuji fp 1400z. Quite good enough resolution to post pics on the forum. The white balance is crap and it is quite poor at low light exposure. But, it will do.

I do like that Citizen


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## DavidH

Neil, try this

Get a white bucket or even better, a self colour plastic drum and cut the arse out of it. Drill a 1" hole. Put it over the watch and take the picture through the hole. If you need more light, shine a light on the bucket.

Use a stand and self timer and no flash and the camera will do the rest.

Don't look the watch head on or you might see the hole on the glass.

It works for me.

David


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## Guest

Andy

I took what I consider some fairly decent shots with the Mavica.

But the quality is just not there.

What I am after are pin sharp dial pics which the Mavica cannot reproduce.

Unfortunately this requires a bit more effort on my behalf than the old point and shoot of the Sony.

The shot below was taken with the Sony but its still not good enough.

David and Stan,

thanks for your help. I'm going to give it a go.

Neil.


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## Andy

Sorry Neil but tis a poor workman that blames his tools.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

It took me 15 seconds to take the last two pics. I just pointed and shot and the results are still better than your getting with your new camera.

Sorry.


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## Guest

Andy

I don't like to be a wet blanket but as I say I could get half decent pics with the Mavica, witness the Chronostop above but the words "Swiss made" are still blurry because the resolution isn't there.

On your Seiko sports pic the line of words at the bottom are unreadable.

I've seen some fabulous watch photo's on the net and want to get into that league.

I agree my pics are crap at the moment but the new camera has so much more potential than the old and its much harder to master than the point and shoot variety.

However I have plenty of spare time so I'm going to put in some practise.


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## pg tips

Neil,

just put a couple of my pics in the dive section. What do you think?


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## Andy Mac

Its not just the resuloution that that causes the blurry unreadable bits.

In a macro pic like these with a wide aperture the depth of field can be extremly narrow, always set it to aperture priority and set it to f5.6 or f8 minimum.

With regard to exposure, most digitals have the option of auto bracketing. Worth a try.


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## Andy

Neil

That sounds like a challenge to me.

OK yer on.

Lets take a watch I know we both have to be fair and at equal advantage/disadvantage, The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch.

We'll give it a week and post our respective pics, you with your new camera and me with my old Mavica.

We can ask members to judge.

No marks for artistic content or any bull****.

The winners picture will be the one with the best clarity.

Agreed ?

I reckon it'll be close


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## Guest

I'm not into competitions Andy but I've just taken my first pics with my newly made up light box.

Certainly an improvement over my earlier efforts.

Mainly thanks to folk on this forum with their helpful advice.

The trouble with this camera is that it has so many options and the handbook

is like an encyclopaedia but I'm getting there.

All comments appreciated

Too much reflection on this one.










This ones better.










Tried a different watch to see how it went.










As you can see by the different size images I am still sorting out the picture editing!

I think once I can use it on manual and get a smaller F-stop to give me greater depth of field the focussing will improve.

However I am not known for my patience 

Cheers,

Neil.


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## Andy

Neil

"I'm not into competitions"







bull****.

I'll remember you said that the next time Roy has one, and your chomping at the bit to show off the results of your new camera. God help us.


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## Andy

Oh and by the way the suggestion of a competition was SUPPOSED to be a bit of tongue in cheek fun but you have responded with your , oh so superior , attitude.

Fair enough were back to square one.

Most of us here post photos simply so that the others can see one anothers watch.

With you it's yet another "hey look at me" attention seeking ploy that we have become so used to with you.


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## Roy

Just taken this with a 2x macro lens and polariser with a cheap Casio.

I'll have a competition with you Andy,


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## Guest

Excellent pic Roy.

This is the sort of stuff I'm after doing.

I assume the polariser helps cut down reflections?

Neil.


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## Andy

Roy

An excellent picture and proof that it's the person behind the lens that takes the picture.

Thanks for the offer of the competition.

Perhaps it's time we had another.

I was too busy to do the last unfortunately.

Neil should be excluded though because he's "not into competions"


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## Roy

Thanks,

It is mainly down to the lighting and the lens not the camera.

The polariser does stop the reflections and makes it look like there is no crystal on the watch. To be honest a 1 mega pixel camera is enough when you are having to reduce the images anyway.

It is time we had another competition Andy. I think that the prize was not enough last time as I had some say that they would have entered had it been more,







.


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## Roy

Another quick one :


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## Andy

Roy said:


> Thanks,
> 
> It is mainly down to the lighting and the lens not the camera.


 Exactly.

I get so pissed off with the way people get duped into this idea that the ultimate, expensive kit is going to improve there performance.

I see it a lot in the music world, esspecially with young musicians.

Many of them think a better instrument will improve them as players









It's a total cop out.

The only way you become a proficient muso, or anything for that matter, is through dedication and practice.

Sure having decent equipment is important but this idea of having the best money can buy is crap. It makes no real difference.

To become skillfull you need practice. There are no short cuts.


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## Griff

Ok then..........will the prize be one of those wives


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## Roy

Good idea Griff as long as I can enter,


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## Stan

Neil,

Getting there  Enthusiasm is a very good thing.


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## Stan

Roy,

Any good at forensic photography, you bloody show off??






























Don't ask who's dead


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## Roy

I am using a Casio QV-2900UX it has a focal length in macro mode of as low as 1 cm but I still stick a 2x macro lens on the end which means I can focus at 5mm.


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## pg tips

5mil !









You coul photograph gnats bollock with that! How the hell do you stop it showing up every minute piece of dust?


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## Roy

Thats is a problem PG but its worse with the 4x macro lens that I have.


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## Stan

Roy,

That is an impressive macro capability. Put to good use, in this case


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## 036

Hello Neil

I think your second MkII shot back there is excellent, you have controlled reflections really well.

Image hosting: can you recommend anywhere? How do you do it so that your pics come up automatically in the post rather than a link?


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