# Help with beading shots



## Roman (Jun 14, 2007)

After being inspired by some of the close up beading shots and having just waxed my car I wanted to have a go myself.

The results, not very good.





































I am using a Cannon Powershot A80.

Any advice for settings, technique, etc.


----------



## jwindley (Nov 7, 2006)

I've not got the same camera as you, but a few generic options:
Set the camera to use a spot focus, so you can select a bead to focus on.
Check the minimum focusing distance on your camera / lens, as you may have the camera too close to the subject.
If you can override the shutter/aperture settings, go for a smaller aperture, as this will give you wider depth of field, ie more beads in focus.
Try shooting more across the surface (as opposed to straight down at it) so there is some background visible.
Hope this helps.


----------



## twhincup (Apr 21, 2007)

have you selected the 'macro' setting on the camera?

p.s. the rotary arrived perfectly :thumb:


----------



## Roman (Jun 14, 2007)

Thanks for the replys, think I will have to take a look in the manual.

Twhincup - Sorry, what is the Macro setting? Glad the polisher turned up okay.


----------



## Jakedoodles (Jan 16, 2006)

If you can, stand back a bit, and zoom in. Also, try and position the camera level of the horizontal plane across the roof.


----------



## twhincup (Apr 21, 2007)

Roman said:


> Thanks for the replys, think I will have to take a look in the manual.
> 
> Twhincup - Sorry, what is the Macro setting? Glad the polisher turned up okay.


it's normally a setting on the camera depicted by whats best descibed as a small flower (i.e. auto=square, portraits=face, sportsmode=running man......macro=flower)


----------



## Roman (Jun 14, 2007)

Ow, I've got that little flower symbol. I'll give that a try.

Thanks.


----------



## twhincup (Apr 21, 2007)

IIRC you have to be about 12inches away, shoot off a couple of shots at varying distances. my other half has a big nikon slr digital type thingy camera (technical terms are my forte) and she took some pictures of fowers on the macro. in one she had the hairs of the pollen in shot, and in another she had a picture of the ladybird after laying some sort of egg !!


----------



## Roman (Jun 14, 2007)

Took another look last night and I have the little flower. So going to have a little play.


----------



## mouthyman (May 1, 2006)

whats the beats way to get night time beaded shots, where the beads are shiny


----------



## Ant GTI-6 (Nov 30, 2005)

mouthyman said:


> whats the beats way to get night time beaded shots, where the beads are shiny


Youll need a tripod and then set to macro mode then adjust the exposure to open for a longer period, (the shutter open for 4-5 seconds at least). possibly need to put the camera in full manual mode if possible.

The night time close up technique is very difficut as you want to focus on a very close spot and very little light is available. its more of a SLR/DSLR type shot, but there's no harm in having a go.


----------



## mouthyman (May 1, 2006)

i have a fuji s602, it allows all the settings to be adjusted, but its very complicated,


----------

