My New Camera
Jun 27th, 2008 by admin
I’ve been planning to buy a new camera for a few months now, in order to take better quality food photos. Although my Sony Ericsson K800i mobile camera phone with 3.2 megapixels has served me very well, as it’s discreet and takes great photos on the macro setting, I’ve decided it’s finally time to upgrade. It works fantastically if there is plenty of natural light available, but restaurants are often dimly lit. I briefly considered getting the new Sony Ericsson C905 mobile phone with 8.1 megapixels, but for the price I’d have to pay, I decided to buy a digital camera instead.
I did some research online after working out my requirements. The camera would have to be small, as I take a lot of photos in restaurants and would feel uncomfortable whipping out an SLR out of my bag. It would have to work well in low lighting situations, as I never use the flash on my phone, because it makes the food look terrible, and it disturbs fellow diners. I finally narrowed the options down to five:
- Sony Cybershot DSC-W300
- Canon Powershot SD950 IS Digital Elph
- Canon Digital IXUS 960 IS
- Nikon Coolpix S700 in Urban Black
- Panasonic Lumix DMC FX100
In the UK, they range from about £190 to £300, the most expensive by far being the Canon Powershot SD950 IS Digital Elph. In the end, I chose what I know works well, the Sony Cybershot DSC-W300, as my current mobile phone and the one before it are both Sony Cybershot cameras, albeit with a difference of about 10 megapixels. I’m so looking forward to testing it out when it arrives!
Food Photography Resources:
While browsing online, I came across some extremely useful and detailed food photography advice. Kitchen Wench has written many posts on basic tips for using point and shoot cameras, while Elise Bauer from Simply Recipes talks about how she takes her photos and lists some great resources. And I’ve just ordered a book called Digital Food Photography, recommended by photographer Christey over at Fotocuisine. Thank you to you all!
I hope I’ve made the right choice? I’d love to hear about what camera you use to take your photos with!
Check out the Useful Info page for other interesting posts.
I’ve used all kinds of cameras, from a Nikon F3, to Hasselblad’s, to Sinar large format. And you know…. I gave them all up for a little Sony cybershot DSC T-9. Theses are two totally different types of photography. But for what I do now, you just can’t beat this little digital world. Snap. You’re done. Upload, photoshop, finished. They don’t make them they way that used to. Thank God! They’re much better than the old days. Your photos are great and for the resolution of the web and monitors you really don’t need a high-end camera. Save the money for FOOOD! http://www.bentpage.wordpress.com.
Hi Daniel
Thanks for this, it’s good to hear from a fellow Cybershot user. This is exactly what I need the camera for. I don’t have time in restaurants to mess about, as the food invariably gets cold and my friends and family start giving me dirty looks.
Now I need to find somewhere to eat and test the shots!
I like the sound of your book by the way. Will try and read it in between meals…
Helen Yuet Ling
I use Sony cybershot. Very good in low light. Use in this very dim, think of only candles lighting up the place, pictures turned out as if taken in sunlight. Sony Cybershot camera very good on macro too, clear images very good. (to see how image turned out, check site) Mines the old cybershot though, its when they first came out……..lol So your one must be very good!
I havent really used any other camera, but fuji camera frend has is very good. To get an idea on how the camera is, all the pictures on my blog (CCM, Baozi Inn and Moshi) are taken with frends camera =).
Hoped that helped!
Btw your sony ericsson took really good photos! Iahve always thought u used a digital camera! lol.
Hi Vivi
Thanks for this! I’m so pleased that it will be a good camera. I’ve been very happy with my phone camera so far, and in the right light, the food comes out so well (this is one of my better ones, of Yauatcha dim sum of course!). Let me know if you can see any improvement in my photos over the next few weeks!
Helen,
Thanks for the interest in the book. After checking through your blog, I think I’ll end up eating more than writing. Don’t tell my editor!
i love my canon G9! great macro! has camera raw! tons of features if you are into that – video looks good too! sony’s are good tho!
My point and shoot is also from the Sony W range, but a much older version. However, it does very very well with macro and under low light too. Good choice!
Daniel – you can always tell your editor that essential fuel for writing is required!
Masha – I’ve read great things about the Canon G9, lucky you. I was just looking for a simpler camera as I have very little time to fiddle with the buttons when the food arrives steaming hot in a restaurant!
Su-Lin – thanks! It’s great to hear that it will be good for ‘restaurant’ conditions. I won’t be doing any studio-style food porn shoots at home.
Hi,
My wife and I have a pair of W200s (the W300′s predecessor), and a variety of other Sony cameras as well. (V1, V3 and F828)
We’ve been very happy with them all and have found the W200 to be an excellent performer (especially when considering how compact it is).
The W300 seems like an improvement upon that so I’m sure it’ll be great (especially with step-up features like manual white balance).
Anyway here are some food pics my wife and I have taken of food with our W200s.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93036799@N00/2592148162/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93036799@N00/2592148038/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93036799@N00/2591309619/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/minteeblue/2602349169/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/minteeblue/2602346053/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/minteeblue/2602339615/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/minteeblue/2602336187/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/minteeblue/2602332243/
DirtHerder
Wow, one each! Thanks for confirming that I’ve made the right choice. Your food photos are so sharp. And of course the sushi is making me extremely hungry right now…
I’ll start posting some photos to the Flickr group once I’ve had a chance to experiment a bit.
Thanks again
Helen Yuet Ling
PS Miyuki is extremely kawaii!
Hi!
I been meaning to get back to you!
I can’t believe you have made really great shots with a cell phone camera! impressive!
That book was/is amazing and really changed the way I shot all the way to my post-production. It is an incredible book!
Anyhow, Congrats on the new camera!!!
Hi Helen,
Congratulations on your acquisition of a brand new digital camera. I have used the Sony Cybershot for under-water photography for a few years and found it an excellent camera. Is yours made in Japan?
Like Daniel, I have more or less given up on my Nikon F3 and Hasselblads and switched to the digital world. Last month, my wife suggested that I should replace my bulky Nikon D70 (digital) with a slimmer model and we bought the Lumix TZ4, which we had just tried out in St John and St Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands) and had some “wow†shots. All the photos in The Cockroach Catcher Blog were taken with the above mentioned cameras. Can anybody tell the difference, I wonder.
The Cockroach Catcher
fotocuisine – thank you again for the recommendation! Your photos are a source of inspiration for me. I think the camera and the book are going to arrive at the same time, perfect!
am ang zhang – I’m not sure where it’s made, as it hasn’t arrived yet. I look forward to seeing your ‘wow’ shots! I’m really excited to start experimenting…
Hi Helen, I am using Canon G9, Love it as Masha said. I bought it in Apr in HK. A little big but I am hoping to learn more about photography. Didn’t plan to take so many food photos and start blogging when I bought it, only because the LCD screen of my old camera was too small. But it really pays off. I could not tell your previous pics were taken with your mobile phone. Am sure you will be happy with your new cam as they have really improved alot in the last 2 years.
Janet – it would have been too big for what I needed it for! I’m very happy with my camera – it’s small and discreet and the photos are so much clearer than the ones taken on my phone – of course. I’m going to buy a ring light for it, for macro use. Can’t wait!