p.4 #1 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
Beni, do you have any use for the little electronic block levels offered on eBay for <US$30? In my limited experience they're much more accurate than the built-in levels in cameras. As to the latter, my wife's eye is better than the Sony and Nikon ones I've used.
p.4 #2 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
AZSteve wrote:
Beni, do you have any use for the little electronic block levels offered on eBay for <US$30? In my limited experience they're much more accurate than the built-in levels in cameras. As to the latter, my wife's eye is better than the Sony and Nikon ones I've used.
I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to, I tried an ebay search for 'electronic block level' and didn't come up with anything. Any chance of a link? Thanks!
p.4 #3 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
Sorry for the delay: I though I was addicted to these boards, something of a relief to see I haven't checked it in a day.
And also sorry, the word "block" throws the search engine off the scent. Try "electronic level cube"; the pedant will note they are not, actually, cubic.
Very convenient for pointing a lens straight down -- just hold it against the filter ring in a couple of locations; also for leveling in pitch, etc.
Cheaper, more shock-proof and lighter than a small machinist's level, and easier to find.
p.4 #4 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
A level, however accurate or whatever its technology, is the wrong tool: we don't care if the Earth's center-of-mass lies on the optical axis. We do care that the optical axis is normal to the (flat) art piece for copywork. I usually have the piece canted at some convenient angle so I avoid standing on a ladder or getting a crick in my neck. It's also advisable to avoid shooting straight down because falling accessories (or the entire rig) would land on the art or, even worst, a human subject.
How to shoot head-on. A plane is defined by three points, so choose three. This step is a bit tricky if the piece isn't complete flat or has a 3-D component. Then align your geared head so one axis of rotation is aligned with two points. Now just use lens helical and the two geared axes to dial in critical focus on your three points: one gear balances the two points, another gear balances the outlier point, and lens helical brings all three points into focus. LiveView is handy here. If camera placement was near-correct initally then it won't need to be moved during the focus phase.
p.4 #5 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
Beni wrote:
Another tip. You really, really need to have the camera perfectly straight. Not easy at all. The Sony electronic level freezes up with the camera pointed directly down on our two newer mkIII's, the first one with the original firmware works fine. Weird. A hotshoe spirit level is useless unless you're sure it's sitting perfectly straight in the hotshoe! Not easy with the electronic contacts at the end of the Sony hotshoe. But yeah, you need the camera straight for flat focus across the frame and not to spend hours doing keystone correction cause who has time for that when the clock is ticking? We use the grid in Capture One's Live View (you can customise it how you like) to ensure our camera is perfectly squared up at the beginning of the day....Show more →
Sorry for the late response, very busy week...
Oke, thanks for your post! Very interesting to work with old art treasures.
It's very hard to get camera perfectly straight maybe with a modified lazer tool, I still have to figure that out.
For now I have a Voigtlander 65mm macro on loan to try next week. I am very curious to the results!
For now I use LR, I will try Capture One (Live View) later this spring, step-by-step.
p.4 #6 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
rico wrote:
For even illumination and full spectrum, two great light sources are right overhead: sunlight and overcast. They're also free as in beer. Unfortunately, Beni and I are studio mavens so that light has to be created, and it's none too easy. My best fixture for the purpose is a xenon flash followspot that generally costs a fortune:
Distance from the subject must be maintained so incident angles are roughly equal across the workspace, otherwise a contrast and texture gradient can develop.
Sorry for the late response, very busy week...
Very nice set up! After I have tried the Voigtlander 65mm macro lens I will look seriues at the lighting
and rent various studo lights from Profoto (the only brant I can rent)
My gaol is to evenly divided light for the wall and still have structure for the art work oil (paintings)
p.4 #8 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
Today I have tried the Voigtlander 65mm macro lens, absolute fantastic lens!
This is the detailing what I was looking for, better than the sony 90mm macro and the Zeiss fe 50mm 1.4
when zooming in on 100%. Of course are these lenses very good and there is none bad.
And there is color.. artists are very picky on color, the Voigtlander apo lanthar delivers this very well.
Next step is get the lighting in order..
p.4 #9 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
Arty73,
It has been over 5 years since the start of this very interesting topic. I found this thread just recently and wanted to ask some questions.
1) If you are still using your Voightlander 65mm lens, what is your opinion on this lens?
2) I am a Canon user, and I take photos of fine art works for artists. This lens is produced for Sony E-mount. But if I use it with Sony E-mount to Canon EF adapter, will it have any focusing issues? I had experiences using Nikon lenses on Canon with adapter, but colors always needed corrections, as they have different color castings than the Canon lenses.
p.4 #10 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
MrBtzrg wrote:
2) I am a Canon user, and I take photos of fine art works for artists. This lens is produced for Sony E-mount. But if I use it with Sony E-mount to Canon EF adapter
You can not adapt a ML lens (Voigt 65/2 Apo Macro) to a DSLR camera ... ML lenses are designed without taking into account the mirrox box of reflex cameras.
p.4 #11 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
It's not so much the mirror box, it is that the flange distance has to be smaller on the target camera to allow for the physical adapter. Or put another way, the camera body's flange distance plus the length the adapter adds has to equal the flange distance for which the lens was designed.
I am assuming your Nikon lenses were F-mount. The flange distance for which such a lens is designed is 46.5mm. The Canon body flange distance of 44mm plus an adapter of 2.5mm added up to the 46.5mm requirement of the lens.
Sony cameras are 18mm so a lens will be designed for that flange distance. With the Canon 44mm body, you'd need a -26mm adapter for a net 18mm, i.e. a negative length adapter. This is why it is not really possible to adapt a Sony lens to a Canon body.
p.4 #12 · which lens for Art reproduction photography
Thanks for the information. I really didn't know it was a lens for mirrorless camera only. I wonder if I buy Canon RP, I could use this lens with Sony to Canon RF adapter.
Also, is there any other similar quality lens for Canon EF DSLR? I have been shooting with Sigma 70mm Macro EX DG, but I am not satisfied with its color rendition.
We do care that the optical axis is normal to the (flat) art piece for copywork. I usually have the piece canted at some convenient angle so I avoid standing on a ladder or getting a crick in my neck. It's also advisable to avoid shooting straight down because falling accessories (or the entire rig) would land on the art or, even worst, a human subject.