# Cheap Digicam For Watch Close-ups



## makky (Jul 14, 2004)

Just got myself another digicam. Wanted something cheap that focuses really close for watch shots.

Found this old Olympus 5050 on the 'bay.










5mp, magnesium body, 35-105 equiv zoom.

Quick movement pic. This is a full frame image using the macro mode.










Couple of enlargements of the above pic.










I'm really impressed with this camera. It's not as fast in operation as some of the latest models - startup time is 3-4 secs and the shutter lag isn't great. It's the build quality that really stands out. Has that old fashioned solid feel about it.

Image quality is excellent for a 5mp camera. In other test shots I've seen some purple fringing in high contrast situations at wide apertures, but that seems to disappear when the lens is stopped down.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Looks good... dare one ask how much?


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Thats a nice camera Makky, it got very good write ups when new but I think the trend for smaller and smaller cameras overtook it, it became a bit unfashionable to be such a "lumpy" camera.

But as you say it has a great solid feel to it and of course David Bailey likes them...........David Bailey.........

who's he? ( I guess thats only relevent if your old enough to remember the TV ads for Olympus







)

They did a really nice wide angle version I think as well, all too many digital cameras nowadays focus (pardon the pun) on the tele end of the zoom and ignore the real need for a wider angle for normal day to day shots....

I'm sure we will get many examples of your new imagery soon!









Best regards David


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

I've sold quite a few of those in my time, a good salesman always sells the stuff he likes.









Great camera, it'll take you some nice pictures.


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## makky (Jul 14, 2004)

JonW said:


> Looks good... dare one ask how much?


Â£155 including a 512mb xd card and a 52mm filter adaptor. Now I can use a polariser on those tricky to photograph sapphire crystals. These cameras were Â£500+ back in 2003. They do focus really close, though it's tricky to light the subject when the front of the lens is only a couple of inches away. The other great thing about the 5050 is that it's powered by cheap AA Ni-MH batteries.

David, the 5060/7070 was the wideangle version. It had a curvier body and similar spec. I prefer the fast F1.8 lens of the 5050. I tend to stitch together pictures in photoshop to create panoramas, so a wideangle lens isn't important to me. Olympus's top model was the 8080 which was a huge beastie, but has an EVF which I don't care for.

These "prosumer" digicams are disappearing as DSLRs have become so cheap. My 35mm Nikons aren't going to gather dust just yet.... Not unless the D200 drops to about Â£500 within a couple of years.


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## Nalu (Nov 28, 2003)

Most of the watch photos I posted here from joining to Mar '06, all of the deployment photos and most of the U/W photos were taken with a 5050 - it's great camera. Another nice feature for U/W photography and hols is th dual card slots. Get big enough cards and you don't have to download for a week!

I thought enough of the 5050 (and the 3030 I had before it), to buy a MIB 7070 off an auction site at the higher-than-RRP it fetches now.

Let's see those watch photos!


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## Bill Thornton (Nov 17, 2005)

Hi All,

Its been ages

If 5cms is close enough ,the Vivitar 8.3 Mp compact is available from Jessops for Â£130 delivered!


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Bill Thornton said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Its been ages
> 
> If 5cms is close enough ,the Vivitar 8.3 Mp compact is available from Jessops for Â£130 delivered!


It may well be, but I can't find it on thier site! Sounds the same clone as the Aldi 8MP recently available I think, but that was about Â£180

Best regards David


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## Bill Thornton (Nov 17, 2005)

Boxbrownie said:


> Bill Thornton said:
> 
> 
> > Hi All,
> ...


 Yes your probably right, Ive found this camera branded as Vivitar,Rollei,Hitachi(Argos),Traveller(Lidl)Acer

etc etc, It is of course , a cheapo Taiwan product but non the worse for all that.I have the Vivitar version and

use it for making prints of my Acrylic paintings.I made up a simple wooden Rostrum with a metal camera clamp

incorporating the remote trigger off an old rifle mount. It does the trick, producing 23 Mb TIFF files

(3296 x 2472 pixels) which I convert to 20" x 16" @ 200dpi. O.K. so its no Canon but for Â£130 !!


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