Which camera do you recommend for close up shots with professional quality

Question: Which camera do you recommend for close up shots with professional quality

We want to take close up shots of stones and pebbles for a catalogue!. What basic tips can you offer for lighting in order to get the best resultsWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Any current DSLR with a true macro lens!. A true macro is a fixed focal length - 50mm, 60mm, 90mm, 100mm, 105mm - and is specially designed for close focusing!. It has a flat field of focus (needed for photographing stamps, paintings, documents, etc!.) and is designed to give maximum sharpness from center to edge and minimum light fall-off from center to edge!. It also gives you a 1:1 (life sized) image on your sensor!.

You'll also need a tripod and a light tent!. You can fashion a light tent from any translucent white material or you can buy one!. You may want to visit http://www!.doubleexposure!.com for suggestions on using non-photographic lighting and equipment!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I have a Panasonic Lumix FZ-8!. Great value, a quality Leica lens, and very versatile!. Pay about 150 on eBay for one!. Long battery life (it is rechargeable) and huge capacity on a 2GB SD card!.
Use incidental lighting rather than flash, which will just bounce back to harshly!. Get the camera low-down, and try pre-focus and softer shots (use the adjustable aperture/exposure)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Are you after a point, and shoot or slr, digital or film!? Shoot from slightly below, and at a shallow angle to the subject, choose the background carefully, and use a soft flash, or a diffuser, for realy close-up a good macro setting will be usefull, 'specially with digital!. Another advantage with dig is it allows you to take 100's of shots to compare with!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Casino Exilim!. The latest version!. The megapixils should be 8 because it takes clear pictures!. The more the megapixils the better!.Www@QuestionHome@Com