I see lots of great photos on this site that show exquisite close-up detail. Now admittedly my Kodak digital camera is, in relative terms, an old beater. But are there any techniques to getting closeup photos to look better. It seems like that when the flash is employed the detail is more clearly in focus but obscured by the 'whiteness' and glare of the flash itself. Whereas with the flash off, the colors are normal but the image is blurry.

Any ideas? The model is Koadak DC3400 2.0megapixel.

Thanks in advance.

Ambient light, tripod, flash off(most times), neutral background, timer(or remote) shot, macro mode on.

Hope this helps.


ByteTheBullet  (-:

Quoted: Ambient light, tripod, flash off(most times), neutral background, timer(or remote) shot, macro mode on. Hope this helps. ByteTheBullet  (-:

+1

If you don't have a tripod, for close up work I use a mini tripod that you can buy at Target or Walmart for about $5-8.

Also, incandescent light will make photos more yellow.
Fluroescent light can do wierd things to photos too.

Sunlight is best, but a flash comes in second.

My camera has a hotshoe for an external flash.

Many people make the mistake of not knowing how close they
can get to their subject and maintain focus.
Every camera is different, so you have to experiment with yours.

For example, with MY camera, if I am closer than 4 feet, I have to use the macro setting.

With the macro setting on, and zoomed all the way in, I can only be as close as 9 inches.

If I am zoomed all the way out, I can be as close as 4 inches.

If you are washing out your images, you can cover the flash.
I've used everything from tissue paper to electrical tape to tone down the flash to the right
amount.  Usually the camera can compensate, but for some shots you have to tinker.

Blurry shots are generally are either because you are out of focus (duh)
OR because you moved a little bit while the camera's "shutter" was open.

The "shutter" will be open longer if there isn't enough light.
Being open longer means there is more time for you to move and blur the image.

Use the flash, but try putting something like printer paper over it.
Or cover half of it.  Something so you still get the benefits of the flash, but cuts down the
amount so you aren't washing out your image.


edit:  Check to see if your camera has a setting where you can manually limit the power of the flash.
It might be called an "EV" setting.  Don't remember for sure.  

I no longer have the instruction book for this camera.

On the body itself, there are three control buttons. One to turn on the flash or not. One is the timer. And the third has a picture of a flower, a slash and a mountain. Is one of these the 'macro' mode?

The little flower is Macro mode.

Here is your manual...


ByteTheBullet  (-:

Wow! Amazing what reading the manual will do for you! Thanks!

Won't really focus well inside of 10 inches from subject, but clarity is much better.

Quoted: I no longer have the instruction book for this camera.

Here ya go!

www.kodak.com/global/en/service/products/ekn006603.jhtml



Guess I was slow on the drawl!

Quoted: Quoted: I no longer have the instruction book for this camera. Here ya go! www.kodak.com/global/en/service/products/ekn006603.jhtml Guess I was slow on the drawl!

thanks anyway

Quoted: Quoted: I no longer have the instruction book for this camera. Here ya go! www.kodak.com/global/en/service/products/ekn006603.jhtml Guess I was slow on the drawl!

You are in the south too?


ByteTheBullet  (-:

No offense, but 2.0 megapixels is never going to get you a beautifully crisp and sharp image. There will be lots of sales coming up after Christmas, I'm sure, so you can pick up a 6 megapixel or higher for not a lot of cash.

Yeah, I'm aware of the limitations of this particular unit. It's old. For now it does pretty much all I want it to. Definitely eyeing a new one sometime next year.

And, BTW, by definition, ALL drawls are slow.