What camera are you using??

I got fed up with lumping an SLR around to shows, so about 3 years ago I bought a Panasonic Lumix LX3. It is a fantastic little camera with a fast Leica Lens. The zoom is quite limited so as not to compromise the quality and it is great for low light photography without using the flash. I also use it for landscape photography as the wide is the eqivalent to 24mm and it can be zoomed by 2.5 times. It is one of the very few compacts that you can fit filters onto with an adapter!

At shows I would recommend focusing with the zoon extended, as wide angle shots taken from close up will distort the picture of the model. Although the camera has optical image stabilisation built in, when on full zoom you may have to up the ISO setting to avoid handshake blurring

The LX3 has now been superceded by the LX5 and LX7, but it is a superb little high end compact.

LX3's in the UK can be bought for about £150 to £175.........appox. region of $200.00 Stateside I would guess.

Thoroughly recommended. A real photographers camera but also easy to use as a point and shoot with intelligent autofocus.

We have 2-3 different low-end digital cameras that I use in a pinch. My main camera is a Nikon D5000 DSLR. Have a couple of lenses again. Dropped the camera on a concrete floor from about 2 feet while on vacation. Snapped the zoom off right at the attach point, toast. Did not hurt the body at all. Was able to remove the remains and keep going. Still have the busted lens as a reminder.

Nikon D700 DSLR camera body with usually a 55mm F3.5 macro lens for models.  

I'd really like to get a 1040p-capable D4 .... (yo santa, that's a hint).

A few years ago I got a Fujimi Finepix S1500. I have never been that up on camera's, and I really like this one as its pretty simple to use (suits me) and gives me the results I want. Once I finally got round to learning how to use it properly, my modelling photography has really improved.

Mine's a GE 10.1 Megapixel E1035. I picked it up in a discount catalog as a "manufacturer refurbished" model for less than fifty bucks. Since I had never owned a digital camera, I figured I'd start cheap and learn a bit before I moved up the scale.

I was stunned how intuitive it was to set up and use, and it's been a gem since day one. I mostly use the macro setting--for models--but all the other things I've played with have been just as easy to use.

Since we're talking camera gear, I have to share a quick look at my new toy..

I haven't yet tried to use this to shoot a model, but we'll see someday.

Another Nikon D700 here. Sometimes a 55mm Nikkor prime for overall model shots, For closer shots, use Micro-Nikkor 105mm. Often use the latter for overall shots too.

If you get bored with the 400mm 2.8 Nikkor, Dre, please feel free to send it my way for evaluation.:)

Howza bout a nice manual 300mm F/2.8 or 400mm F/3.5 instead? 

RZ 67 using 90mm,  127mm and 250mm lenses ...................

.....oh, wait, wrong models..............

Purchased a Canon SX150iS earlier this year.

I haven't taken many photos of models with it, but it does a dynamite job of zooming in on those casting numbers on the armor at Cantigny.

http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/

http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/museum/exhibits/tankpark/default.aspx

Thanks for the user report about your camera, Vance.

A Nikon D600 and several lenses including a Sigma 50mm f2.8 macro - and a Sigma 150-500 but, I use my camera more for birding and nature than photographing models. As mentioned above, I also have an LX3 - great little camera and photo quality is great but I wish it had a proper eye level finder.

Dre - that 400mm f2.8 Nikkor makes me a little envious. Bet it's a monster. What a great toy!!!

Bick- it's about 20lbs. of awesome to lug around.   It's not subtle in any regard.

Sprue-ce Goose- An RZ??  Man, those are nice cameras.   Love that 6x7 format.

Dre

Bick- it's about 20lbs. of awesome to lug around.   It's not subtle in any regard.

Dre - I don't think I could handle that 20 pounds - even though awesome - on my birding forays. Tripod needed and and a sturdy one at that. I'm still envious though! Love long glass.

It's a decent bird lens, but still a bit short for full-frame wildlife.   Great for sports work though.

Sprue-ce Goose

Purchased a Canon SX150iS earlier this year  ...  Thanks for the user report about your camera, Vance.

you're !!

Dre

Sprue-ce Goose- An RZ??  Man, those are nice cameras.   Love that 6x7 format.

My DSLR is a Canon Rebel XS.  I just have a stock 18-55mm lens though its on my nice to have list to get some more lenses.  Before I get a macro lens I need macro photo suitable finished kits.

Most of my WIP are iPhone pics.

Hey Spru-ce, you have a digital back for that babe or are you shooting film? EDIT: sorry, disregard.  Missed your comment above.

Dre, wait 'til the first time you're out birding or wildllfe-ing and all tripod-ed up and somebody thinks it's rocket launcher or some such thing and calls the authorities. I've heard of that happening now and then over here.

Greg

Hey Spru-ce, you have a digital back for that babe or are you shooting film? EDIT: sorry, disregard.  Missed your comment above.

Would love to have a Digital Back

http://www.calumetphoto.com/category/cameras-lenses/cameras/camera-backs/

...unfortunately, not available in 6x7 size / format and way too expensive for this Illinois taxpayer

Bick, do you like the Sigma lenses? Been looking for a lens for the D5000. I have fallen into the run of only doing a few things with it, so I've had to dig out the manual again.

WOW!! I'm really out of the loop since my meager training!!! There is some really pro gear being thrown about in here! I take it nobody is using these anymore:

Nothing special,a Sony DSC-HX30V 18.2 mp,a point +  shoot but it works for me,got it last year.

I use a Nikon D-40X, a now discontinued model.  However, any of the cheaper Nikon SLRs would be similar. I use an SLR because I have never seen an electronic viewfinder that has adequate resolution for good focusing.  Manual focus is essential in good macro photography (model photography is a subset of macro photography.

Also, the "kit" lens that comes with Nikon SLRs is an absolute jewel for model photography. It is their 18-55 mm lens. Here is why.  Most macro lenses are only macro on or near their longest focal length.  But in model photography you are interested in emphasizing perspective, not shrinking it.  Using telephoto focal lengths condense/shrink depth, the opposite of what you want in model photography.  The Nikon 18-55 is macro at ALL focal lengths. It also stops down to f/32 for really good depth of field.

My comment on manual focus is because the camera's focus computation does not know which part of the model or scene to focus on, so it picks its own plane of focus. You as the modeler and photographer can much better determine what area to set for best focus.

I'll have to dig mine out. Thanks for this advice Don.

   I use a Fuji Finepix S1500 too. It's been a great camera for photos, so much so that some of my pics are being published in a fiction anthology next spring. It does fairly well with model pics too. My biggest disappointment with it is that I tried using it to shoot video of my many offroading trips. The microphone pics up the sound of the auto-focus motor, and it makes a constant loud ratcheting back-and-forth in the video. I can cure this somewhat by overlaying music in Windows Movie Maker, but I'm still bummed about that.

   The Fuji is about 4yrs old and it's seen better days. I've got a Canon PowerShot SX500 on the Christmas list. We'll see.

Chris

Geezer

Bick, do you like the Sigma lenses? Been looking for a lens for the D5000. I have fallen into the run of only doing a few things with it, so I've had to dig out the manual again.

Hi Geezer,

Yes, I do like the Sigma lenses. Sharpness of both is great. I am very impressed with HSM and OS in the 150-500 though. It works well enough that I'm able to get sharp photos at 500mm HANDHELD - I didn't expect this with my shaky hands.

I hope I'm not nit picking here but, after reading one of the posts I thought I'd comment. I think that when we're photographing models we're really doing 'close up' photography. Macro photography means the image on the film or digital sensor is life size or greater. Images of our models are certainly not 'life size' on the film/sensor. Most macro lenses will focus at 1:1 (life size); some lenses are incorrectly referred to as macro and will focus close but not 1:1.

Wow, not many Canon DSLR users in the US then?

I've got a Canon EOS400D (Rebel XTi?) which is mainly used for general photography tasks & product photography, it's got the kit 75-300 (Crap), kit 18-55 (good) & a separate EF-S 60 macro lens. The sensor size is a bit on the small size in comparison to the current crop of cameras, but it's still the photographer that's the limiting factor, rather than the equipment

I do way more product photography these day than model photography, but they are quite similar disciplines. For product shots the single best thing I have is a USB cable - nothing amazing in itself, but it allows me to do tethered shooting in combination with Canon's EOS Utilities (free with the camera & to download). Tethered shooting is EXCELLENT, it allows you to take a shot & get an instant full screen preview, make quick adjustment to the cameras setting (from the laptop) & re-shoot - it's a huge benefit when your trying to adjust things to get lighting, exposure or the likes set up. Tethered shots are generally done in RAW for easy & lossless  adjustment pre edit.  

The macro lens is superb at doing it's job, the only downsides being it's price & the fact that's it's slightly less versatile that I expected. 

A Giottos MTL tripod & some flouro daylight bulbs are my other bit's, I did have a light tent, but it's been relegated to the back of a wardrobe somewhere & it was just a pain in the ***. 

One of these days I would like to move onto a full frame Nikon with Live View (if they do it), but between the expense of the camera & new lenses it may be a while away...

VanceCrozier

WOW!! I'm really out of the loop since my meager training!!! There is some really pro gear being thrown about in here! I take it nobody is using these anymore:

Calumet Photographic still sells film for the old SX 70 cameras....

http://www.calumetphoto.com/product/impossible-project-px-70-color-protection-film-for-sx-70-cameras/PO34402/

so someone is using them.....................

Plenty of happy Canon users over here in the states, Milairjunkie. Seems we just seem to have some Nikon users here. I think it is coincidence.