What camer do I buy.

[cuechick]

Ok, here is the deal. When you are talking about an SLR, it is all about the glass. I think the suggestion to get a Canon 20D or 30D or the like is a very good one, you can pick one up on ebay or here for under 400.00.
My first digital was a 20D and I have shot billboards with that camera so I am sure it will work for your needs. Invest your money in a good lens, that is the key. Lighting is also key, and natural light is your friend, as someone else mentioned, flash will most likely not work for macro and it tends to look very artificial.

I also agree that a good point and shoot should not be ruled out, depending on what your long term goals are. Even though I am a professional, I use a P&S quite a bit. Mainly for fun and for those times when using my pro gear is not necessary or convenient. My P&S is a Canon Power Shot G10 and I love this camera (there is now a G11 too). It has a very good built in macro lens and has more mega pixels (14) than my Canon 5D (12)!

Here is a close up shot I did recently for my photo blog of my Mom's fried Mac & Cheese :wink: with the macro:

I will be testing out a leica next month and posting results to my photo blog if is anyone is interested. I can not wait to get my hands on this camera!

 

[ftgokie]

I would see if Canon has a good matched 2X teleconverter to go with the long class you have now.

The difference between 300MM and 400MM is not what you seem to think it is.

I have a 400MM F5.6 that I almost never use simply because the added reach is almost never worth carrying an extra lens for, and it is a full stop slower than the 300MM.

My $0.02.

LWW

Thanks for the info....maybe I have bought a lense that I didnt need...but I figured since my wife has the same camera now, she may need it for taking pics at school...her camera stays in her classroom and doesnt bring it home. She uses a camera alot there at school when they do plays, or have special activities with the kids..

Again, im just learning, but this is fun...

 

[skor]

Lighting is also key, and natural light is your friend, as someone else mentioned, flash will most likely not work for macro and it tends to look very artificial.

Shooting macros is a speciality by itself. The big problem with macro is lighting and as you get closer to the object you'll need more light. Flashes are very essential on macro photography. The key is to do it right.

You should use a diffuser and preferably use an off camera flash so you can flash from the side, some will you use two flashes for macros

For really extra close-ups like when capturing a "bug smile" some will mount another lens on top of the macro lens, the Raynox DCR-250 is very common for this task.

With some ingenuity the built in flash can also be used. Here is an example of a big home-made diffuser mounted on a camera with canon 100mm macro lens + the Raynox DCR-250.

And here is an example of s picture shot with this setup:

The two macros that I've posted were shot with the SB-600 mounted on my camera but I bounced the flash off the ceiling.

If you are going to shoot merchandise then building a light box is the best way to go.

 

[Graciocues]

Thanks everybody. I appreciate the info.

I wasn't expecting such a turnout.

 

[Mr Hoppe]

I just recently bought a Canon Rebel T1i 15meg pixl camera. I needed something simple....The image stabilization, and auto focus is great....I think its probably the top camera you can get for ease of use.....here is a pic I took and I didnt even know what I was doing
I would highly recommend something simple like what I got if you dont know what your doing. I just ordered a macro lens, a 70-200 and a 70-300 lense.

IMO, the Canon T1i is the best dslr that you can buy under $1,000 right now. There are several dslr camera reviews that say the same. Try a Google search on the topic.
Mr H

 

[mullyman]

You're always going to fall into the argument about Canon vs Nikon, Pentax, etc... etc... The truth of the matter is this, you need to find what you are most comfortable with. That's all there is to it. For variety of lenses you're better off going with Canon. For more realistic color you're better off with Nikon. If you want those colors to pop go with Canon. In the under $1000 camera department there are plenty of good, easy to use SLR's out there. It all comes down to what you're looking for. The Nikon D3000 has something like 12.1 megapixels whereas the new Rebel 500D, also known as the T1i, is at a whopping 15.1. Again, what are you looking for in a camera. If you want to just pop off some photos any one of them will do what you want them to. If you're going to maybe get a little more serious then you need to start looking at options. From your post, I'd say go with whichever one has the best price for you. I personally shoot with Canon. Always have, always will. So, my first instinct is to push you towards Canon. But the truth is, from what I read in your post, any decent camera will work for you.
MULLY

 

[LWW]

Thanks for the info....maybe I have bought a lense that I didnt need...but I figured since my wife has the same camera now, she may need it for taking pics at school...her camera stays in her classroom and doesnt bring it home. She uses a camera alot there at school when they do plays, or have special activities with the kids..

Again, im just learning, but this is fun...

I'm not saying you bought a lens you don't need ... but that you might be about to.

The 100-400 is expensive and bulky. It serves a need, but not one that many people have. It is also relatively slow. A good 1.4 teleconverter, stick with one Canon made for that lens, would take your 300 out to 420.

It won't be quite as tack sharp as the 400 alone ... but it will be less than half the price and weigh a few ounces in the camera bag.

LWW