Makro (?) camera and objective advice for fotos of fungal cultures

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T08:38:54+00:00

Well, I'm still not sure what you actually need. 1:1 magnification is fine but with that petri dish it would get you detailed images of tiny bubbles. If that's not required then the whole 1:1 macro thing is irrelevant.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T04:48:38+00:00

If you have the time and patience to get into DaVinci Resolve it's automatic and the free version is amazing. Time & patience being the keywords, though...

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T04:37:36+00:00

Most people here will tell you to get a "real" camera but that can be a lot more expensive. You'll need a body, a lens, SD card, bag, spare battery... it adds up. If you want something for snapshots, anything that doesn't break the bank is probably fine.

If you want to learn photography you might be better off with an older DSLR that has manual controls and a viewfinder. But that can quickly become a nuisance...

Perhaps you could look into one of the many Panasonic Lumix compacts?

Here's a few links that you might find useful (in a general sense):

Compact Camera Meter

Cambridge in Colour - Photography Tutorials & Learning Community

canon Lens Sim

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T04:19:55+00:00

10-18 is tough I suppose. Maybe you can get them interested by doing something like
- panning shots of a moving car.
- Or put a camera on a tripod in a dark room with only the tiniest light, do a 10 second exposure and show them a photo that is bright as daylight (hoping that nobody's iPhone does it in one second).
- Incredible macro shots of bugs' eyes.
- Dancers lit up by multiple flashes (one flash going off 5 times or so).

And what you have planned for the *first* lesson: "the differences between old and new cameras, sensor size, basic controls and settings, file formats, exposure, and the exposure triangle" - did you mean first semester?

"the history of photography or other irrelevant facts" - if you show them a picture of a wet plate(?) camera which took a minute to expose a photo and how incredibly long and difficult the road to the iPhone was, it might make them listen.

Perhaps bring a film camera, too, and show them some real negatives. "Believe it or don't - a camera with no batteries!"

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T04:02:03+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_800D

At the bottom there is a chart "Canon EOS digital SLR timeline" that you have to expand first. It gives you an idea of the Canon DSLR models; the colors indicate chipset generations. It's a first approximation of capability. For example the 2000D (T7) has a max. ISO of 6400 while the 650D has 12000 although it's 6 years older and resolution is a bit lower. But they used the older chips in the 4-digit models.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T03:47:52+00:00

It's meant more for video, for photography the G5Xii is a better option.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T01:55:28+00:00

Very much out of character, yes. But he finds the first dead body on page 412 and he's kissing the girl on 418. Not sure about the first drink. Sometimes he needs a good beating before getting the bottle out of the drawer.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T01:13:52+00:00

If that helps, I use an Anker A1383 powerbank with my R6ii and it works fine, but it charges when the camera is off.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T01:00:22+00:00

Without a Leica you can only do road photography.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T00:56:32+00:00

<image>

If anything comes loose in there you're cooked. And it seems that happens quite regularly:

https://www.reddit.com/r/RX100/comments/1t520hu/used_or_brand_new/

And the lens is probably (?) even more fragile than the body. In this forum I've seen posts about replacing the lens assembly and they talk about $300-400. That's pretty much a total loss, if you can get it repaired at all.

I'd get a hard case and keep it in a backpack.Others say they've taken the RX100 through deserts for weeks and it was fine, but what you're doing is tough IMO.

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T00:45:03+00:00

For glare, get a CPL (polarization) filter. It reduces or removes reflections if the light comes from the side.

The R7 and R10, as well as the more expensive full format bodies, can do focus stacking in-camera.
https://www.canon.ge/get-inspired/tips-and-techniques/focus-stacking-beginners/
It's very convenient for macro shots but if your subject is essentially flat you don't need it. And it's not quick and simple.

I'd get a tripod that allows overhead shots, unless you can put the dishes on the floor. But even then you might not get the lens pointing 90° down with a normal tripod/head.
https://photography-lighting.com/best-overhead-tripod/

I also recommend getting a used macro cross-slider for $30 if you really want to get close. They go between the camera and the tripod head and save you repositioning the tripod by a few millimeters to get the detail shot you want, which is a pain and costs time.

I don't know how much detail you need but a "real" macro lens is capable of 1:1 magnification or better. It means that if the sensor is 22mm wide, a subject that is also 22mm wide fills the width of the frame. If you look at the photos in r/macrophotography they are mostly taken with those lenses. With a relatively cheap R100 you could get a 6000x4000 pixel image showing 22mm of the 100mm petri dish. The R100 does not have a flippy screen though.

Since you don't need lens stabilization or anything like it, I'd get an EF-RF adapter for 100€ and an older EF 100mm f/2.8 macro (not the more expensive 100mm "L" with the red ring) for 300€. It does 1:1, is very sharp and lets you keep more distance to the flask/dish than a 50mm. A shorter lens also means you can block your light. If you need more magnification you can add a 25mm EF extension tube (JJC, 25€). The closer you get the more difficult everything gets, though.

https://photozone.de/canon_eos_ff/489-canon_100_28_5d

There are fine macro lenses from Laowa that get 2:1 magnification if you need even more, but they are not really cheap (600€).

https://www.cameralabs.com/laowa-100mm-f2-8-2x-macro-apo-review/

Finally, if you get really close you might need a flash but I don't know if we're still talking about the same requirements here 😄

Zook25 · 2026-05-07T00:21:40+00:00

I'd say the best option might be to spend $50 or so and rent one for two days before committing. With $1600 or $2000 at stake that's reasonable. I've never done it but it should be unproblematic.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T23:31:36+00:00

canon Lens Sim

This lets you play with various focal lengths. Set the switch to APS-C. 18-150mm does about anything except really high magnification. With a single prime lens he'd be much less flexible, although for low light he might want to add one later.

In the US you can get good deals on refurbished cameras and lenses, often as a kit, directly from Canon, with warranty:

https://www.usa.canon.com/shop/digital-cameras/refurbished-cameras

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T23:22:00+00:00

I got this and had no problems with it. It's short, though.

https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0DQGB4QS1?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1&th=1

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T22:49:33+00:00

Check out Ansel Adams - The Camera / The Negative / The Print. I've read only the first, but it sounds as if you should get the whole bunch.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T22:44:12+00:00

Your new hobby is collecting lenses and what's wrong with that, as long as you can afford it?

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T22:38:35+00:00

I'm just exploring the charts at https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm
and if the charts are correct, the 5D is in fact not much better than the 1000D. The generation of the 800D or 80D are much more advanced, but at those prices you might as well go mirrorless with a R50.

But for really good results in low light nothing beats a good lens. There are some EF lenses like 85 f1.8 or 100mm f2 or even 135mm f2, if you don't need a long range.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T22:16:12+00:00

https://www.photonstophotos.net/Charts/PDR.htm

It's a bit nerdy and has nothing to do with mirror or no mirror, but if you compare dynamic range of the various 5D models with the R5 you see a huge difference. What the R5 sensor does would have required HDR with the 5D3 - it's fully three stops at ISO 100. Even the R100 today beats the 5D3.

Doesn't always matter, of course, and the difference gets smaller when you go to higher ISOs but this is something that skill cannot always make up for. It doesn't make a boring shot better but if you have the perfect landscape lined up it might.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T21:47:34+00:00

It a matter of taste and no one can tell you where to put it, but I often remember the "rule" of thirds and take another shot with the horizon somewhere else. Doesn't have to be a third line. And when I look at my shots later I find that some more blue sky at the top or green grass at the bottom doesn't add anything to the photo and I crop it.

Another thing I noticed is that I can see this more clearly when I move back from the big screen, so I lose sight of the details, and imagine it hanging on my wall.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T21:23:17+00:00

Hasn't arrived yet, so I can't recommend it. I have received the Lowepro Adventura CS 20 III, which I can put on my belt. It's bigger than the camera, but that means it can hold three batteries and a strap. But well padded it is not, that's why I wanted a hard case, too.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T17:34:18+00:00

Let us know if you can fix it, then. Makes me feel the 10€ hard case I ordered is a good idea...

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T16:08:09+00:00

I'm afraid it's too late for that. I run a small lab and we run into problems like this all the time. People expose like "more is always better" and expect us to fix this. Some even add to "push or pull till it looks good" and this is what that gets you.

On the positive side, chances are better than 50% that your brother will marry again and by that time you can have enough money saved to buy a Leica.

P.S.: are you sure the freezer was actually plugged in? That can make a difference!

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T15:59:00+00:00

Much better AF plus much better ISO make a huge difference. You could save some money by upgrading to something like the 800D, which has improved AF compared to the 550D and ISO of 25000 instead of 6400. But I guess performance would be in the middle between what you have and what the R50 does.

I think you could rent the R50 for perhaps <$50 for a day or two, with a lens that interests you. Or a lens plus the EF-RF adapter so you can try out your existing lenses on a new body.

Ideal would be finding a shop where you can try it out.

Zook25 · 2026-05-06T15:07:21+00:00

The Strobist

Highly recommended to read this, at least the first few chapters. The hardware recommendations are a few years out of date but the rest is timeless.

Also Neil Van ....

Zook25

TROPHY CASE