[Nhcoll-l] camera recommendations?

Thu Jul 23 23:36:55 EDT 2015

Greetings friends,

Many thanks for your comments below re a robust field camera, the Olympus 4, considering my usage in adverse outdoor conditions, I'm now looking forward to securing one.
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.dpreview.com_articles_0747042553_olympus-2Dstylus-2Dtough-2Dtg-2D4-2Dto-2Doffer-2Draw&d=AwIFAw&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=dbAbpZfMN6KCxVEoyOaTYUge5AvPOuZP9T6zsF99_rU&s=3Pmfqd2IoaTckRIFVL1kX_4O8Nw8JKeHw2nOqdu6rdo&e= 

As a point of difference, in regards to our studio equipment, we for the moment have decided upon standardising our pictorial output, ( this is as much as one can, in this fast paced, new and emerging  world of digital imaging technology), and so as to keep up with our counter parts around the world that are contributing to the Taxonomic initiative. we choose to buy a mid-range 21Mp Canon 5D along with 180mm and 65 mm x5 macro lenses and extension rings for close up / macro work. This allowed ourselves to continue to use our Zeiss KL1500 LCD  fixed fibre optic lighting equipment to capture material that ranges in size from 3mm upward with images destined for reproduction..
The advantage of making this decision was the we could to some degree future proof the output though capturing high definition and high resolution images that were capable of being cropping down so as to render medium close-ups, this without an impossible level of pixilation, thus we avoided having to double handling and shooting  our often fragile specimens.

If high definition and resolution is important to you, then  added to this, Canon are  now offering a 50Mp 5Ds camera that crams even more pixels onto its ccd and this at a price that challenges the cost of medium format market..
How we rationalised the purchase was considering the increase in quality, longevity of both investment and image, the cost on the day was easily justifiable.

See examples, (via the below link), of this type of output from the renowned imaging expert Geoff Thompson of Queensland Museum, Australia.
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.google.com_search-3Fq-3Dqueensland-2Bmuseum-2Bgeoff-2Bthompson-2Bimages-26tbm-3Disch-26tbo-3Du-26source-3Duniv-26sa-3DX-26ved-3D0CB0QsARqFQoTCNC26tzh8sYCFUQdpgodEzwMTQ-26biw-3D1650-26bih-3D915-23imgrc-3D2Di7pH15WNFHNM-253A&d=AwIFAw&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=dbAbpZfMN6KCxVEoyOaTYUge5AvPOuZP9T6zsF99_rU&s=VAvr_cROlEIbcCoE4wWBG05N-hmVS2DM2PfJI5xqu_U&e= 

Having had an array of digital cameras and  accompanying 

Cheers
Peter

Peter Quin | Digital Imaging Unit Natural History | Auckland War Memorial Museum | Tamaki Paenga Hira | The Domain, Private Bag 92018, Victoria Street West, Auckland 1142, New Zealand |  www.aucklandmuseum.com | 309 0443 | ext 7145  | pquin at aucklandmuseum.com

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-----Original Message-----
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of CSTURMJR at pitt.edu
Sent: Friday, 24 July 2015 13:36 PM
To: Opitz,Cindy
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] camera recommendations?

Cindy,

If you can tolerate photos that are a little less than perfect (what you would get with one of the $1000 plus cameras) I might suggest the Olympus
TG-3 or TG-4.

You can see the quality of the photo images in the following paper:

https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.mapress.com_zootaxa_2015_f_zt03914p494.pdf&d=AwIDAw&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=_3ltjvLXXe_xX-DMMS8W2HLviXcwuPIHE3ciGHsmmcQ&s=zOIzhIbhJMGN17A7gB9agoFtql2l5ZQPMWoqyHwkGz4&e= 

The TG-3 only shoots images in JPEG; I believe that the TG-4 also takes photos in RAW. Both cameras have a build in stacking feature. They will shoot 8 images and merge them.

I don't believe the final image will be of the quality of the Nikon or Canon with a high quality lens; however, if working on a budget the Olympus TG series might be useful.

If you use these cameras in the field, they are waterproof to 15 meters, shockproof in falling 2 meters, crushproof to 100Kg, and work down to 10 degrees Celsius.

> What camera brand/model and features would you recommend for 
> good-quality specimen and object photos?
>
> Cindy Opitz
> Collections Manager
> Museum of Natural History
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Regards,
Charlie
.................................................
Charlie Sturm

Treasurer
American Malacological Society

Research Associate - Section of Mollusks Carnegie Museum of Natural History Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Associate Professor - Family Medicine
Fellow-American Academy of Family Practice Fellow-Academy of Wilderness Medicine

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