Hi Peteski,
Like we said, we don't want to make this into a camera thread.
But here is the answer to your question about what I use.
For years, I used an old Nikon 5700. Had a few problems, but it took GREAT close photography.
But I longed for a DSLR.
Since I was a long-time Minolta Maxxum film camera user, I was attracted to the newest iteration- the Sony Alpha series. I dreamed for years. But finally pulled the trigger when the specs were hard to resist.
I use a Sony Alpha 65.
It is 24 megapixel.
Has live view- without damaging the camera (some live views could overheat the CMOS sensor).
And best for me- it takes ALL Maxxum camera lenses from even 25 years ago. I had several Maxxum lenses.
So for modeling, I use that camera with a typical 28-75 zoom lens. The lens is pretty cheap, but a high quality glass lens is expensive. One day I'll get one. With my cheap lens, there is a very slight fuzziness to the photo-- although 24 mp kind-of makes up for it. The photoediting software I use can sharpen things up too.
And then as most photographers here know, the real magic is the use of extension tubes.
Here is the camera with lens and 2 extension tubes (black, near the body).
An extension tube is made for your specific camera and is really nothing more that a hollow tube of differing lengths.
The longer the tube, the closer the macro shot. You can also stack them for REALLY close shots.
You actually do the most of your focusing with the zoom feature of the lens. Without a zoom lens, you would have to actually move the camera distance to your object to find the focal point- which is junk. So extension tubes with zoom lens is the way to go.
In the photo above, you can see 5 little gold contacts inside the extension tube. That is because I've had this for 25 years and it went to my old Maxxum 7000. Later ones have more contacts.
So I shot most of these photos for this thread with:
-- a plain old desk lamp.
-- a tripod
-- and I have an old "bulb" (cable release) from my ancient Maxxum 7000. Low and behold, Sony uses the same socket after all these year. The cable release keeps the camera more still than pressing the shutter button up on the camera.
I shoot in Aperture mode with the highest number (usually) and let the camera's computer pick the right shutter speed (which is sometime 5 seconds or so- thus the cable release is needed).
Lastly, sometimes I need my hands tied up with the shot.
So I cut a wooden popcicle stick and duct taped it to the cable release.
This allows me to take the shot with my mouth.
In fact, here is our intrepid modeller at work.
The live view is VERY helpful for modelling shots and saves me a lot of neck strain.
Actually, the only thing missing from that staged shot is the optivisor I use!
This camera also allows me to control the temperature of the light source.
For example, since I am shooting in low light with no flash, I usually set the temperature in Kelvins to add more bluish tones.
And not that you asked, but the photoediting I do is with GIMP (free) on my Linux Mint (free) operating system.
Sorry for the long answer, but that is what I now use.
Of course, if I was taking shots I planned to use in a magazine, I'd use better lighting.
This system gives me the macro shots I've always wanted.
LOL- except for that last macro shot, all the rest of the shots for this post were taken with my old Canon Rebel XT.
