What camera to use.

[NerdmanB]

New here and wondering are cell phone photos ok for posting ? Or do I need a better camera if so what do people on the forum recommend? Any help will be appreciated thank you. Brian 

[av405]

There are no rules here concerning what camera(s) you must use to post photos. I think you'll find that most of us use our cell phone cameras to take and post photos here. The quality of current cell phone cameras is on par, maybe even better, than what you would get out of some basic cameras "back in the day." I recently upgraded from an IPhone XS to an IPhone 15. At face value, the quality isn't much different but my new phone gives me a lot more versatility when taking and editing photos.

[peteski]

If you hang around the forum for some time you will see various levels of photo quality and their composition.  Just like you will see various levels of model build quality. Post whatever you think is worthy of showing to the forum's members.

One thing I would suggest is not to upload huge size photos. Smaller is better for viewing on the forum.  Like nobody really needs a 24 mega-pixel  photo.

I know that the Model Car Magazine staff scours the forum for some interesting models or techniques to use them in the printed magazine, so I the photos should not be very low-res.  I resample my photos down to about 1200 pixels across.  Not really good for publishing in the magazine, but I really don't care. 

[NerdmanB]

Thank you Alberto for the advice very much appreciated. I am looking forward to being an active member on the forum. Thank you again Brian

[NerdmanB]

|thank you Peter W. Any advice is appreciated. I really didn’t want to buy a camera . Thank you Brian 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I took these shots with a 4-megapixel 18-year-old Nikon that can be found used for around $20.

It has 3X (called "power", not "times" like everyone says) optical zoom.

I used a tripod I got at a thrift store for $15.

The Nikon photo editing suite for a computer is free.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Force]

As long as you can adjust the apperture to a small opening to get a good depth of field you can use whatever camera you like.

[bobss396]

I have a good Nikon digital camera, but still have to bring them into the PC and edit them. The cell phone is what I have been using, I go into my gallery and edit the pictures, mainly cropping or adjusting brightness.

[Dave G.]

Lighting and composition is more key than the camera itself. IE, technique. Modern cell phones will blow away some cameras in terms of detail. And your editing features are on board the phone. It's all about how you use your tool lol.

[Pierre Rivard]

I switched from camera to hand held cell phone about 3 years ago. Resolution is good enough for a forum post and the editing can be done very quickly right on the phone. Currently using iPhone XR so certainly not the latest and greatest. Just make sure you have a good lighting setup.

 

[4knflyin]

That build is gorgeous. I'm going to have to look it up

[Mike 1017]

13 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I took these shots with a 4-megapixel 18-year-old Nikon that can be found used for around $20.

It has 3X (called "power", not "times" like everyone says) optical zoom.

I used a tripod I got at a thrift store for $15.

The Nikon photo editing suite for a computer is free.

 

 

 

 

I bought the same Nikon when it was new for about $400. I have pictures of Drag Cars doing wheelies, Nascar,  and Indy cars. My favorite I caught the exhaust of a Top Fuel Dragster puffing out of each individual header pipe. All my pictures were taken from the stands. I still have some it where and I am gonna dig it out and use it

Mike

[slusher]

On 6/14/2024 at 8:07 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

I took these shots with a 4-megapixel 18-year-old Nikon that can be found used for around $20.

It has 3X (called "power", not "times" like everyone says) optical zoom.

I used a tripod I got at a thrift store for $15.

The Nikon photo editing suite for a computer is free.

 

 

 

 

Great pictures, Bill!

[Ace-Garageguy]

13 hours ago, Mike 1017 said:

I bought the same Nikon when it was new for about $400...

Yup, I bought one new way back when. I liked it so much that years later I bought a couple of 'em used to keep in the big-car shops.

My billing for clients includes extensive photos of work performed, in excruciating detail, to justify the exorbitant money I charge them.  

[StevenGuthmiller]

I get way better photo quality with my I-Phone SE than I ever did with my Nikon 35mm digital camera.

 

 

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

6 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I get way better photo quality with my I-Phone SE than I ever did with my Nikon 35mm digital camera...

I figger that's why they calls 'em "smart" phones.

You musta had a dumb camera...

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I figger that's why they calls 'em "smart" phones.

You musta had a dumb camera...

No.

Just a dumb photographer.

 

 

Steve

[bobss396]

I recently got the cheapest Android phone possible... $199, a Samsung. It has a great camera in it, it takes great cat pictures too.

[Mike 1017]

10 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I get way better photo quality with my I-Phone SE than I ever did with my Nikon 35mm digital camera.

 

 

 

Steve

The best pictures I have ever taken was with my Nikon film camera.

[maxwell48098]

One thing that is always helpful, if you decide to take your pics with a cell phone, whenever possible take the pics horizontally. That way you don't cut off the left or right ends of your model, while having large wasted space above and below your model.  Too many folks just hold their phone vertically which usually ends up making you model appear small, but the background overpowering and distracting.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

A.J.

[Dave G.]

Also zoom in a little bit and stand back. This minimizes distortion from the wide angle lenses used in cell phone digital cameras. Get down on a level plain with the model. Shut off the flash and use available light from the direction you want lit most. Cell phone photos are great these days but you still give yourself great advantage to follow some basic composition rules, just as if using a big camera.

[NerdmanB]

To everyone who has offered advice sorry it’s taken so long to thank you all. My 5 hour a day retirement job turned into 10 hours a day. But it’s ok more money for my model addiction. Thanks again to everyone. Brian