Photographing large photographs
 

I need to take pics of a bunch of huge cabinet photos, so I'm upgrading my old compact camera. Any suggestions for something under $200 that I can put on a tripod and get a decently clear photo? I currently have a Canon ELPH SD870 IS

Can't go wrong with a used Nikon camera. Something like a Nikon D50 Digital.

What about scanning the photo by halves or quarters and then using photoshop to piece it back together? It seems like your biggest issue is getting the lighting and angle just right to avoid glare - not so much the camera. I bet if you google something like 'how to photograph artwork' you'll find lots of help.

I do know it can be done professionally too. My dad used to do advertising photography for the Det. Free Press and he had a "copy camera" that could actually produce a 4 x 5 negative from another photo.

Scott, I have done that, and it usually works pretty well, but is labor-intensive. I just got back from Staples - had a coupon and picked up a tripod and a Canon SX510 for a good price. The glare is a very big part of it, but the edges of the photo were also distorted - I need good detail and straight edges.

I have an Epson V37 scanner and use the accompanying Scan-n-Stitch software. Super easy and I have been very happy with the results.

Scott,
If it's any consolation, I have had the same problem with very large pieces (posters, prints, etc). I took care of the glare problem by using a table where they can lay out flat with lighting coming at an angle via typical photography lighting umbrellas rather than overhead lights, and actually mounting a camera overhead (from the rafter in my garage) so that it captured the entire area of the table top. Even so, I still have the problem of distortion/curving at the edges of the frame that you mentioned. I use a Canon Powershot SD1100 IS Digital Elph (which looks really funny when mounted on a tripod b/c it's so tiny).

I wound up buying a scanner with a bed large enough to handle 11"x14" prints and photos, and if I have anything larger, either doing it in sections as others have suggested, or it's still just sitting on the back burner indefinitely if it's anything important.

My completely lay, non-photographer-based assessment is that it has something to do with the curvature of the lens, and there are probably specialized (or larger?) lenses that account / correct for this, but I'm completely talking out of my rear here because I really have no idea. So I'm interested to hear what ideas others have as well.

Perhaps Graig has some idea from the photographer he uses to get those nice digital images of his paintings?

Lance, it has a LOT to do with the curvature of the lens - you want to be focusing on as flat of a lens area as possible, and our elph lenses are just plain small. I have a great natural light area, and will be opening the shades and placing a white sheet over the windows to diffuse the light. That, the tripod and the new camera, should do the trick.

I'll post results in a few days when I test out the new set-up.

To those who responded - thanks for all the advice.

With really long rectangular items, taking pictures without the distortion at the ends usually requires long distances between camera and object, special types of lenses, and/or software manipulation to correct it.
I would take photographs in sections and stitch the sections back together. This is likely the best way to get high quality images of the items in question. It is labor intensive unfortunately, but you can speed it up by having a fixed camera/lighting set up. If everything is set up, all you have to do is move the item through the field and snap the number of pictures needed to allow for overlap and trimming

I'll check and see if I have scan-n-stitch software. If the new camera doesn't do the trick, I'll probably just bring all the large items to the Shoreline,WA show this summer and hope to sell most of them at that time.

I wish I could help. My photographers could definitely do the job. The only problem is, they're pretty darn expensive. A normal sized piece would run about $175 after taxes. But I do guarantee that no one could do a better a job. But yeah, that amount to photograph a piece ends up being a lot of money.

If you'd like, I can try to find out exactly what their setup is, though I'm pretty sure it's a pretty high tech operation.

Graig

This is all you need! Makes nifty 4 x 5 negatives too. This was what my dad used at the Free Press in the 90's. Took it with him when he retired - long gone now. Sorry, I know this doesn't help, but it's such a cool set up.

http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/z...psf29dda72.jpg

Scott, that is awesome!

Is there a gizmo in there somewhere that allows printing of large-format glass negatives, that still works? :)

Does it also make cappuccino?