OT ~ Digital camera and/or scanner help needed!

Way cool, Shirley!

--
Kandice Seeber
Air & Earth Designs
http://www.lampwork.net

Thanks Kandice. I have printed this off.
I have a Fujifilm FinePix 6800Zoom.

It is always to hand. I got a great shot of the first butterfly of
spring the other day.
I have copied the picture of your light box and will try to make one up.
Thanks
Shirley



In message , Kandice Seeber
writes
I've shared it sooooo many times.... Let me see if I can quote it from
other
posts...
Oh, yes - found one! I edited this a little, because I have changed
my
settings recently for even better pics.

"Here's what I do to get the pics I have:

Fujifilm FinePix 2600Zoom.

Set on manual, no flash, macro on, EV +0.6, white balance is 3.
Then, I had my hubby make me up a wooden frame. It's hard to describe,
so I
will post a photo of it. This is an ultra crappy photo, but you get the
idea.

http://airandearth.netfirms.com/lighting.jpg

On the sides I stapled off-white fabric - you might want white, but I
like
the softer look. The lights are positioned over the subject. Sometimes
I
get a little glare in the pics, but this can be avoided usually by
positioning the beads just right, and by snapping the pic from an angle.

To avoid blurry photos, you have to have a real steady hand, use the zoom
all the away up, and get about 4-5 inches from the beads. Make sure the
camera focuses before snapping the picture.
The camera manual has a lot of tips in it to help get your pics clear.

To balance color, I use Paint Shop Pro. I resize the pic first, to the
size
I want it to be in the end. Then I use the Colors:Adjust: menu to get
the
colors just right. I will hold up the beads or jewelry to compare color
so
I know its right - at least on my monitor.

I also use the Effects menu - Sharpen and Clarify.

I use two sheets of white paper for the background. I used to use grey
velveteen, but I like a white background better. When you snap the
picture,
the background won't be completely white - you can fix this in Paint Shop
Pro, but selecting the Colors:Adjust:Color Balance menu, selecting
Highlights, and then adjusting the slider bars to pull the background
color
out.

Taking good pics is a lot of work, but totally worth it. And there are
some
things that just won't come out right, no matter what you do. Takes a
lot
of practice, believe me. My first pics with this camera were terrible.
But
you'll get it eventually, and then it will be easier from there. Once you
have your settings right, and have a routine down, taking pics will go
pretty fast."


--
Shirley Shone

Stumbled on this forum while searching "super macro " ! I've had
specific closeup needs for electronic circuits & just couldn't get
good results from my usual batch of digitals, since most max. out at a
handspan. HOWEVER - the new budget Olympus D-540 (known as C-310 here
in NZ) is a closeup winner & it's supermacro goes to under an inch
(20mm). Best of all, is that it's CHEAP (~ US$170 ), uses 2 AA NiMH, &
is dead easy to drive. Check a sample pix (resized down from 600k to
just 100k as well) = www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/picnksm.jpg

I have a Nikon Coolpix and I WUBS IT.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay

Mj wrote:
I've gotten to the end of my rope with my search for a reasonably priced
scanner that's easy to use and produces decent scans of the beads I sell on
eBay. I thought I'd solicit recommendations from anyone who absolutely
LOVES your scanner. Also, I might just throw in the towel with the scanner
and switch to a digital camera, but the camera has to have a top notch macro
feature that allows extreme close-ups. I have an older Olympus that doesn't
quite do the job I need. Anyone out there who just swoons over the
performance of their digital camera?? If so, why?

I use PaintShop Pro to fine tune any images, so image manipulation software
is really secondary. I've gotten to the point where I dread doing the scans
for new items because it's become such a pain in the a$$. I still have
stuff I bought in Tucson that I haven't listed yet because I just don't want
to deal with the scanner. Anyone want to have a go at this?? Please?!?!?!?

Mj

Oh yeah, reasons! It's so easy to use, and look at my pics! (sig line
link) I'm very happy with it.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


Mj wrote:
I've gotten to the end of my rope with my search for a reasonably priced
scanner that's easy to use and produces decent scans of the beads I sell on
eBay. I thought I'd solicit recommendations from anyone who absolutely
LOVES your scanner. Also, I might just throw in the towel with the scanner
and switch to a digital camera, but the camera has to have a top notch macro
feature that allows extreme close-ups. I have an older Olympus that doesn't
quite do the job I need. Anyone out there who just swoons over the
performance of their digital camera?? If so, why?

I use PaintShop Pro to fine tune any images, so image manipulation software
is really secondary. I've gotten to the point where I dread doing the scans
for new items because it's become such a pain in the a$$. I still have
stuff I bought in Tucson that I haven't listed yet because I just don't want
to deal with the scanner. Anyone want to have a go at this?? Please?!?!?!?

Mj

I will say that as much in love with my Nikon as I am, this Olympus is
probably what I'd get if I were doing it again, simply because you
cannot beat the price/performance ratio with a stick.

Also FWIW, I cannot stand scanner shots.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


manuka wrote:
Stumbled on this forum while searching "super macro " ! I've had
specific closeup needs for electronic circuits & just couldn't get
good results from my usual batch of digitals, since most max. out at a
handspan. HOWEVER - the new budget Olympus D-540 (known as C-310 here
in NZ) is a closeup winner & it's supermacro goes to under an inch
(20mm). Best of all, is that it's CHEAP (~ US$170 ), uses 2 AA NiMH, &
is dead easy to drive. Check a sample pix (resized down from 600k to
just 100k as well) = www.picaxe.orcon.net.nz/picnksm.jpg

I'll take a look at the Nikon too and I agree with you about the scanner
shots, which is why there's so many items piled up on my desk that need to
be scanned. I did work on some this weekend, but I'm not pleased with the
results. However, the thought of redoing 600-700 pictures with a camera for
all my store bead items just wears me out! LOL!! You're right, though.
Your bead photos are wonderful!

Mj

--
=================================
Marjean Cline - Certified Bead Enabler
Halsey Trading Company
eBay ID: ladymorgause
http://stores.ebay.com/Halsey-Tradin...ny?refid=store
=================================
"Kalera Stratton" wrote in message
...
I will say that as much in love with my Nikon as I am, this Olympus is
probably what I'd get if I were doing it again, simply because you
cannot beat the price/performance ratio with a stick.

Also FWIW, I cannot stand scanner shots.

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay

Urgh, re-doing shots... I feel that! In your shoes, I'd probably do ten
or twenty at a time to transition.

(Thanks about the bead photos!)

-Kalera
http://www.beadwife.com
http://www.snipurl.com/kebay


Mj wrote:
I'll take a look at the Nikon too and I agree with you about the scanner
shots, which is why there's so many items piled up on my desk that need to
be scanned. I did work on some this weekend, but I'm not pleased with the
results. However, the thought of redoing 600-700 pictures with a camera for
all my store bead items just wears me out! LOL!! You're right, though.
Your bead photos are wonderful!

Mj

Mj:

I have an HP5400c flatbed scanner and I love, love, love, love it. I
put my jewelry on the glass, place a piece of scrapbooking paper over
them, shut the lid and hit scan. I tried doing several beads at one
time, and that worked too.... just crop and adjust each image. The
scanner came with software called something like HP Professional
ProScan Plus.... or some such.... anywhoooo, it is push button to
scan, crop, adjust light and filters with sliding toggles, save to you
pictures folder and boom you are done.

I am NOT a tech savvie person, and I know NOTHING about photography (I
am in the 35mm point and shoot and pray category). This took minutes
to set up, load the software and go.

It was also WAY more afordable than a good digital cameral... I
picked mine up new on E-bay for about $40 a few months ago.

That is my 2 cents. If you'd like to see a few scans with lampwork,
please let me know at and I will send you a few
recent pics!!

Good luck whatever way you go!!

Katie



"Mj" wrote in message ...
I've gotten to the end of my rope with my search for a reasonably priced
scanner that's easy to use and produces decent scans of the beads I sell on
eBay. I thought I'd solicit recommendations from anyone who absolutely
LOVES your scanner. Also, I might just throw in the towel with the scanner
and switch to a digital camera, but the camera has to have a top notch macro
feature that allows extreme close-ups. I have an older Olympus that doesn't
quite do the job I need. Anyone out there who just swoons over the
performance of their digital camera?? If so, why?

I use PaintShop Pro to fine tune any images, so image manipulation software
is really secondary. I've gotten to the point where I dread doing the scans
for new items because it's become such a pain in the a$$. I still have
stuff I bought in Tucson that I haven't listed yet because I just don't want
to deal with the scanner. Anyone want to have a go at this?? Please?!?!?!?

Mj

Thanks, Katie. I think maybe I just need more patience with this new
scanner. I had some modest success last weekend scanning some new stuff and
I think I'll try fiddling with it some more until I get images I can live
with. But, a new camera is definitely in the future for me - especially if
I go back to doing fused glass stuff to sell.

I really wish places like Staples, Office Depot or Best Buy would have the
scanners they sell hooked up to a system so I could just schlep some beads
into the store with me and try them all out. LOL!!

Mj

--
=================================
Marjean Cline - Certified Bead Enabler
Halsey Trading Company
eBay ID: ladymorgause
http://stores.ebay.com/Halsey-Tradin...ny?refid=store
=================================
"katiewise" wrote in message
om...
Mj:

I have an HP5400c flatbed scanner and I love, love, love, love it.