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06-29-2014, 03:13 AM   #1
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Best lens for small product photography?

Hi! I have a Pentax K-5 and my brother has asked me to take some really professional looking photos of his pocket tools for advertising.

I dont know if I need a macro as I probably won't be getting 'hairy bumbleblee legs' close. He is looking for photos like this, to give you an idea of closeness:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dS1bTG9HYcs/UCtRqyfNLlI/AAAAAAAAYkI/8jNVFdDY3Mw/s1...MITED%2B02.jpg

And I don't know if I should be looking for zoom or prime, etc etc.

I am looking to spend up to 200 pounds. As long as the photos are pin sharp.

Thanks in advance.


Last edited by Mirrie Dancer; 06-29-2014 at 03:53 AM.
06-29-2014, 03:40 AM   #2
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The wonderful and cheap DA35mm f/2.4 would get you by pretty well. Its sharp across the frame, cheap, has decent bokeh when called upon and passably corrected for aberrations and related artifacts
06-29-2014, 03:52 AM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by adpo Quote
The wonderful and cheap DA35mm f/2.4 would get you by pretty well. Its sharp across the frame, cheap, has decent bokeh when called upon and passably corrected for aberrations and related artifacts
Thanks!

This is the kind of thing he wants: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dS1bTG9HYcs/UCtRqyfNLlI/AAAAAAAAYkI/8jNVFdDY3Mw/s1...MITED%2B02.jpg

Do you think I will need a macro for that?
06-29-2014, 03:54 AM   #4
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You don't need an autofocus lens for product shots. Careful lighting is far more important. An old 50mm macro should come in under budget and give you stellar IQ.

06-29-2014, 04:24 AM - 1 Like   #5
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Macro lenses have some advantages:
- they are very sharp and render a lot of detail
- they allow close focusing. Maybe you don't need 1:1 magnification, but you can still go down to 1:2 or 1:3. Most non-macro primes allow only around 1:7, which can be limiting with product photography
- they have a flat field of focus and a generally "sterile" style of rendering. This means the character of the lens doesn't take attention away from the product
- they tend to have good distance and DoF scales, which can help you out a lot.

So your options are to use a regular prime and crop the photo if needed. Or buy a new prime and frame it as you want. The DA 35mm f2.8 ltd macro is very beloved, even in the non-macro range. The DFA 50mm f2.8 is also hailed as one of the sharpest 50mm lenses Pentax ever made. The DFA 100mm is also a great lens. The third option is to save some money and buy one of the older macro lenses, maybe even an A or M series lens. You lose autofocus and such features, but the image quality will still be pretty great, and you get good closeups. Some older macro lenses only go down to 1:4 or 1:2 and need extension tubes to go beyond, but you probably won't need that. OH and btw, a lot of modern zoom lenses claim to be "macro" but they rarely go down to 1:4 magnification and their IQ definitely won't be on the same level as a dedicated macro prime.

One thing to keep in mind is that its not all about the lens. With product photography its a whole setup. Lights and background are key. You might need to use focus stacking to get the whole object perfectly sharp. And post processing is important, too. Then there is the whole aspect of trickery, things like making the object appear bigger or smaller than it is, or adding things to make it more appealing, like a polish or something. These things can even ruin the product, but it would look better in the advertisement and sell more units, so its done anyway. This, of course, cannot be done to unique items.
Just think about the photo you posted. To make a deep dark background, a reflection that doesn't reflect lights or camera gear, photo that is sharp but not overwhelmingly so, the watch is lit from different sides and looks great, etc. Its a whole art. Best to read up on it a little.
06-29-2014, 04:59 AM   #6
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THanks for that Na Hork and Sandy. Now I can start looking for a macro prime. I read somewhere that primes around 70-100 are best as you dont wan to be getting the camera too close to the product. But I don't know why they say that. Any idea?

And yeah I do have a lot of work ahead of me if I want to get the photos looking good. I already have a lightbox and have ordered some black perspex for the reflections ;o)
06-29-2014, 05:28 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mirrie Dancer Quote
I read somewhere that primes around 70-100 are best as you dont wan to be getting the camera too close to the product. But I don't know why they say that. Any idea?
The Pentax 35mm and 100mm macro lenses both give you the same maximum magnification of 1:1, but the 35mm is only a couple cm away from the subject at that magnification, while the 100mm is a little bit farther away. Having a longer working distance is good for taking photos of skittish things (insects, animals) as you don't scare them. The other thing is, since you are farther away, it is easier to set up the lights, as the camera and tripod won't cast a shadow over the product. But there is also the issue of perspective. If you have to come closer or move farther, the camera will be in a different location so the perspective will be different, even though you will have the same magnification.
Btw, the DA 35mm f2.8 macro limited comes in two flavours. One is the older SMC version, which is not really old and is great. The other is the really new HD version. The differences are in lens coatings, aperture blades, and overall appearance. The difference in image quality is rather small and probably won't matter for product photos. There is an in depth review about the new HD coatings.
The DFA 100mm WR is the same optical design as the previous DFA (which isn't WR), FA (which features a focus clamp), and F version (which has a focus clamp and focus limiter, a nice feature). You can save some money by buying one of the older versions second hand.
You can search for new and older Pentax macro lenses here:
macro Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Also for Pentax cameras, Tamron makes a great 90mm macro for a good price. And Sigma makes a nice 70mm (a little rare, hard to find) and 105mm. All of these are great, optically. Just make sure you are buying a "for Pentax" version (K-mount), because these lenses also come in versions for other cameras.
And feel free to search forums and blogs for macro setups. There are many websites that have diagrams or photos of good product photography and macro photography setups (tripod, lights, what they used for background, etc.)


Last edited by Na Horuk; 06-29-2014 at 05:33 AM.
06-29-2014, 05:29 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mirrie Dancer Quote
THanks for that Na Hork and Sandy. Now I can start looking for a macro prime. I read somewhere that primes around 70-100 are best as you dont wan to be getting the camera too close to the product. But I don't know why they say that. Any idea?
If the front of the lens is only a few cm away from the subject the camera can become an obstacle when position the lights. This is especially a problem if you're dealing with something shiny and reflective where getting light sources at the desired angles is critical. Having to be a few cm away from your subject can also scare it away if it's alive, which won't be a concern for you.

How small is the smallest pocket tool you're likely to photograph? If you can figure out roughly what the maximum magnification you're likely to need, you can figure out what macro would suit you, or if you can get away with equipment you have and maybe one of the ever cheaper options like extension tubes, close up filters, and so on (though a dedicated macro is very nice if you plan to get enough use out of it).

You can look at the well regarded but less dollar intensive Tamron 90mm macro (and other 3rd party options).
06-29-2014, 05:30 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Mirrie Dancer Quote
I read somewhere that primes around 70-100 are best as you dont wan to be getting the camera too close to the product. But I don't know why they say that. Any idea?
You don't want the camera so close that it interferes with the lighting. On an APS-C camera, a 50mm is effectively a short telephoto, so you should be fine. A 35mm macro might be a bit on the short side though.
06-29-2014, 06:02 AM   #10
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Lens for product photography

My go-to lens for this sort of photography is the Pentax 50 mm f 2.8 macro. The lens is so deadly sharp that image conscious ladies will not stand still in front of it. The auto-focus lock lets you move the lens back and forth until you get perfect focus instead of hunting back and forth. The macro feature is frosting on the cake. This lens or the earlier A version can be had for anywhere from $150 for the older A version up to U.S. $500 for a brand new boxed copy, and all prices in between.

That being said almost any old film era 50 mm lens, starting at $10 or $15, will do the trick without macro, and using judicious cropping. I am particularly fond of my Canon 55 mm f 1.2 (in converted Pentax mount) or more readily available Chinon 50 mm f 1.4.

To get further away from the product model, I may go for 77 limited so you can easily fill the frame with plenty of room for lighting setup, which may be more important anyway than the lens you use. In this same vein, I have even used an old Auto Sears 135mm with excellent results.

Finally, for special effects I have used the Pentax 10-17 fisheye, but here of course you are right on top of the product, and lighting can be a little more tricky.

Good luck as you begin to master this specialized area of photography.
06-29-2014, 06:58 AM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by BrianR Quote
How small is the smallest pocket tool you're likely to photograph?
The smallest pocket tool is about 30mm long )

Of course, that's why it's not good to get too close with the camera, haha. Thanks everyone.

A lot of these lenses sound ideal but unfortunately most of them are out of my price range. I can only spend up to about 200 pounds and I must buy from the UK.

The Tamron 90mm looks promising, but I'm a little concerned about its rendering, as it seems to have that sort of hazy 'old film' style to it. Which I love, but might not be ideal for the modern high contrast look I need for the pocket tool photos. Do most old lenses have that 'old film' look to them?

I will ask my mam if I can use her camera today to get a feel for the focal lengths and see how close I need to get with the 35mm.

Last edited by Mirrie Dancer; 06-29-2014 at 07:27 AM.
06-29-2014, 07:27 AM - 1 Like   #12
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These photos were taken using a Pentax A 50mm f/1.7 coupled with a 2X vivitar macro focussing adapter (so a 100mm macro). For size reference, the watch, well is a watch, the Stylus is about 12mm x 50mm with the orange part about 2mm wide. The piece of hose is 50mm in diameter. All shot were at minimum focus distance, so about a 30cm. First two shots were lit with a remote speedlight, the last one using natural light.
The combo can be had for about $200CDN, which is well within your budget. I also had some success with a Takumar 28mm with the adapter when less magnification is needed. For up close and personal shots like you want, lighting is key.

By the way, the second shot EXIF says 45mm but it should be 100mm, I probably forgot to enter it when I mounted the lens.
Attached Images
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K-r  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K-r  Photo 
View Picture EXIF
PENTAX K-5  Photo 

Last edited by fgaudet; 06-29-2014 at 07:33 AM.
06-29-2014, 07:47 AM   #13
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Oh yeah, tell us what lenses you already have. I completely forgot about extension tubes and macro filters. If you already have a prime or two, you can get away with minimal costs. (the main problem with modern DA lenses is that they don't have aperture rings, so they cannot be used easily on certain types of extension tubes). 30mm is pretty small, so a macro and cropping is almost required (I hope you already shoot raw)
Here are also some lenses that could be used and maybe you can find them for a good price (these 'only' go to 1:2, but, if needed, can go to 1:1 with extension tubes):
- Pentax-M 100mm F4 Macro
- Pentax-A 100mm F4 Macro
- Pentax-A 50mm F2.8 Macro
06-29-2014, 07:58 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Na Horuk Quote
Oh yeah, tell us what lenses you already have
Haha, I have no lenses yet!

---------- Post added 06-29-14 at 03:59 PM ----------



---------- Post added 06-29-14 at 04:00 PM ----------

Thank you for that fgaudet! Never knew about macro adapters,etc. I'd like to keep things simple for myself just now though ;o)
06-29-2014, 08:29 AM - 3 Likes   #15
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Mirrie, the lighting will be far more important than the lens. If the lighting is correct your kit lens or any of the primes mentioned so far will be fine. You will be shooting at f/8 or better most likely, right at the sweet spot of most lenses because you can adjust the light to whatever you want.

A light box can work, but most high end product photography does not use a light box as things come out too soft with few shadows. Fine for ebay listings or if that's the look you want but not what you showed in your example.

I would spend 90% of my time worrying about learning how to light the product properly and 10% on what lens to use. Product photography is hours of work getting the lights, reflectors, gobos, screens and modifiers just right, getting the product absolutely spot and dust free (you will need lint free gloves) and THEN about 30 seconds of actual photography. Post processing will take time of course but the real work is all done prior to pressing the shutter.

Watch some videos on Youtube or elsewhere, most of the time they don't even set the camera up until all the setup work is done. Don't think of it as 'photography' think of it as recording the work of art you created with placement, lighting and so on.
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