pipemakersforum.com

...get one of these for $40

Every pipe pic I've posted here was taken with one + a cheapie desk lamp or two.

Focuses down to an inch, stupid-easy to use (which is why I still have mine ), and is rugged enough people are still using them after 12 years.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/sony-cyber-shot ... 4ae4f1a925

Most of us have smart phones with a better resolution than that. For that matter, better optics as well. Get a tripod adapter for your smart phone and focus your spending on good lighting instead. (Get some full-spectrum light bulbs that are rated over 6000k.) If you are going to go for better pictures than the smart phone gets you, I'd recommend getting something with a more modern sensor than a 12-year old camera. The newer camera sensors perform much better with more vibrant colors (and higher resolution) than the older cameras. Digital imaging has come a long ways in the last decade.

What is a smart phone? , Norm.

Another word for the brains of the millennials, I think...

sandahlpipe wrote:Most of us have smart phones with a better resolution than that. For that matter, better optics as well. Get a tripod adapter for your smart phone and focus your spending on good lighting instead. (Get some full-spectrum light bulbs that are rated over 6000k.) If you are going to go for better pictures than the smart phone gets you, I'd recommend getting something with a more modern sensor than a 12-year old camera. The newer camera sensors perform much better with more vibrant colors (and higher resolution) than the older cameras. Digital imaging has come a long ways in the last decade.

Hm... I'm not sure about all that.

Taken just now, a penny propped against an Old Boy lighter, on my desk, hand held, first try:

Sony makes great optics and I've never owned one of there cameras that didn't take great photos, of course if you don't
know how to take good photos the best camera on earth won't do it for ya.

LatakiaLover wrote:

sandahlpipe wrote:Most of us have smart phones with a better resolution than that. For that matter, better optics as well. Get a tripod adapter for your smart phone and focus your spending on good lighting instead. (Get some full-spectrum light bulbs that are rated over 6000k.) If you are going to go for better pictures than the smart phone gets you, I'd recommend getting something with a more modern sensor than a 12-year old camera. The newer camera sensors perform much better with more vibrant colors (and higher resolution) than the older cameras. Digital imaging has come a long ways in the last decade.

Hm... I'm not sure about all that.

Taken just now, a penny propped against an Old Boy lighter, on my desk, hand held, first try:

Depends on if you're going to print the picture or just use it for web. Proper lighting is more important than the camera lens. For web photos, 4MP is just fine. For print, that will make a fine 3-4" picture before it gets pixelated. At least that's what I learned as a yearbook photographer in college. 6-10MP is suitable for a full spread print in most cases.

So, let's see your smart-phone penny shot.

Sasquatch wrote:So, let's see your smart-phone penny shot.

Dduuuuuudddeeee.......we REALLY don't want to hear how you dirty talk your wife........really

MONEY SHOT! here we go. Lets see it Jeremiah.

If you *just* took that picture, whys it say 1982 ?

Alden wrote:If you *just* took that picture, whys it say 1982 ?

Cuz I have one of these.

Duh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WABAC_machine

First I've got to find a penny...who uses cash anymore these days?

Ssssooooooo...is this happening, or what??

Ok. So here's a pic with proper lighting and raw from my iPhone 5s. This isn't what I normally use for pipe pictures, but it would be adequate. I think you'd get about the same results with a crop as George got with his zoom. Again, it's not as much about the camera as it is about lighting.

And here's the same image cropped (I didn't do any photo processing beyond cropping.) It's attached so those using the forum can see it in a mobile app. Not sure why you can upload from the mobile app just fine, but can't see the picture...

On my monitor it looks overly bright with loss of detail and compared to Georges photo.

I think I had a shinier penny with fewer nicks and scratches than George. Also, 1982 was the last year they made all copper pennies. The relief on 1983 pennies isn't as deep or pronounced as 1982 and older. George also has more dramatic lighting that shows shadows on the face of the penny.

sandahlpipe wrote:I think I had a shinier penny with fewer nicks and scratches than George. Also, 1982 was the last year they made all copper pennies. The relief on 1983 pennies isn't as deep or pronounced as 1982 and older. George also has more dramatic lighting that shows shadows on the face of the penny.

Now I wonder if you're being facetious.

Taken with my Samsung Galaxy S3



Taken with my Sony point and shoot

Actually, I figured I'd come across that way. Google it, though. The design of the penny did change in 1982/83. I don't own a point and shoot camera because I have my phone with me pretty much all the time and it takes pictures just as well as a point and shoot. For pipe pictures, I use an SLR.