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Photos of art

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10 replies to this topic

#1
Tim Fitz

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Hi I'm new to the forums,new to Nikon and new to DSLR.

I am a landscape painter and want to take better photos of my paintings. In the past I have been using the point and shoot type of camera.

I just bought a Nikon D3300 (kit) to get started. can anyone point me in the right direction on a good lens for this application?

Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tim Fitz



#2
Merco_61

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You will want a lens with low distortion and a flat field. Any of the MicroNikkors will work, but I think the 40 mm DX lens or the AF-S 60 mm will work best for your repro needs.

 

You will need a way to light your artwork evenly to get nice results. I would look into a set of LED video lights as it is much easier to set the lights up if you can see how the light falls rather than having to test shoot and reposition your speedlights.



#3
Tim Fitz

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Is there a manual focus lens that will work in the D3300?


How about this on http://www.ebay.com/...4?ul_noapp=trueebay



#4
Merco_61

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The 55 is the best repro MicroNikkor ever made, but focusing a slow manual lens using the finder on the D3300 isn't easy and you would have to find the correct exposure by trial and error as it won't meter with a lens without a chip. Liveview might make it a bit easier, but I haven't played around with it on the D3x00 range.



#5
Tim Fitz

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Thanks, I was trying to save some cash. I am a painter and want to photograph my paintings. with a better camera than my point and shoot digital that died. Any good suggestions ?



#6
Merco_61

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The 40 new isn't *that* expensive. https://www.bhphotov..._2_8G_AF_S.html

 

How large are the paintings? You can probably use an AF-S 50/1.8 as long as you can be more than ~80 cm from your subject as that lens gets more geometric distortion near minimum focusing distance. You won't get the ultrasharp detail and negligible distortion of a macro lens. https://www.bhphotov...0mm_f_1_8G.html It might be possible to find one cheaper used.



#7
Tim Fitz

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Most of my painting are 24" x 36"  (60cm x 91cm ) tis photo was taken by a point and shoot digital Cannon. The painting is called "Things Are Looking Up" oil on linen

Things Are Looking Up

 



#8
Tim Fitz

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This came with my kit, is it useful for what I'm trying to do?

macro


#9
Merco_61

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This came with my kit, is it useful for what I'm trying to do?

Not too useful, as these attachments tend to be, let's say, less than they could be. 

 

With such largish canvasses, you will be about 7' away and the 50/1.8 will give a not only acceptable, but good result. If you have the kit 18-55 zoom, you can try using that around 40 mm focal length where it is at it's sharpest with the least amount of distortion and see what you get.



#10
Tim Fitz

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Thanks your a star, I will try what you said, until I 50/1.8 :)



#11
Tim Fitz

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I ordered the AF-S  Nikon 50mm f/1.86 lens today, when It arrives I will post my first tentative steps at photographing my paintings.

Thanks for all the help