Our company prints a mail order catalog and has been using a Mavica Digital to set up shots, then run to a conventional studio photographer for the final shoot, (time consuming and expensive). Since most of our photos are published 3"x3", we thought we could get a 3+ megapixel camera and do most of the work in house with our Mac. Which is the best camera among the following for tripod work? (Casio QV3000, Sony DSC-S70, Toshiba M-70, Epson Photo PC 30000Z, , Olympus C-3330 or Nikon Coolpix 990?)

-- Peter J. Bartels (pete@pennstatind.com), June 26, 2000

Answers

Peter,

I don't have the right answer for you, but I do have something for you to think about. Photographing in-house sounds great in theory, but depending on the quality of your brochure, printing, image you are trying to get across for your company, etc. I would rethink that strategy. With all of the new cameras out there, it's easy to say you can do it all in house. One of the most valuable things a professional photographer adds to the mix is composition and most importantly, lighting! Without the proper lighting, the products just won't look right-obviously, this depends on the products. Unless you know studio lighting, your images will look like they were shot in-house with your own digital camera.

On the other hand, if the image/lighting quality isn't a big issue, then it is a great way to save time and money in producing catalogs.

-- Ringo Santiago (ringos@asheragency.com), June 26, 2000.

You, I have to agree that pros have an edge over us casual photographers. I've been shooting pictures for years and consider myself an artistic individual. I took Photo 101 in High School and shot manual 35mm for a number of years yet the best shots have been primarily by accident. What made them special? Lighting. Try as I might, I've never really learned how to do lighting. That's why my portraits never look as good as those I've paid a professional to do.

I'm still challenged to do great pictures on my own and will always strive to match what the pros do so wish you luck no matter what you decide. I do quite well with my Kodak DC280 and think that it still compares quite favorably with the 3.X cameras just coming out but I still have to manipulate many shots using Photoshop to get the results I want.

-- Steve Steinberg (ssteinb1@tampabay.rr.com), June 27, 2000.