Photographing loaded cartridges

[Reloadron]

I like the way Mohave-Tec explained the images he posted. How the light was used and the types of light as well as an example of depth of field.

In my opinion using a cell phone camera is fine for many basic shots. However, since the device was designed with several applications in mind it is not always going to be the best camera.

The merits to using a good digital camera and especially a good DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) are many. While a point and shoot (automatic) digital camera is fine for snap shots a good camera needs manual features to take pictures like Mohave-Tec's last shot showing depth of field where only a range within the image is in clear sharp focus. Pretty nice effect but not a feature available on most basic digital cameras. The list of features goes on but selecting a nice depth of field by using manual F-Stop settings is nice to have. Also Mohave-Tec used a remote shutter release in that last shot, another sweet feature using external hardware to eliminate camera shake in longer exposures. Nice stuff!

Finally having decent software is also a big help.

Ron

 

[LiveLife]

In my opinion using a cell phone camera is fine for many basic shots. However, since the device was designed with several applications in mind it is not always going to be the best camera.

The merits to using a good digital camera and especially a good DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) are many. While a point and shoot (automatic) digital camera is fine for snap shots a good camera needs manual features to take pictures like Mohave-Tec's last shot showing depth of field where only a range within the image is in clear sharp focus. Pretty nice effect but not a feature available on most basic digital cameras.

Finally having decent software is also a big help.

I beg to differ as many newer smart phone cameras are quite capable of macro/super-macro shots and while I sometimes use Linux based Gimp image editing software, most of the photos are cropped using the humble and simple Windows Paint program (I run both Windows 8 and Ubuntu/Linux on my computer).

While I occasionally use my Olympus SP-600UZ 12 MP digital camera for certain close-up shots with macro/super-macro mode using manually adjusted F-stops, most of my THR posted pictures are taken with the LG android smartphone model LG-C800 (T-mobile myTouch phone) with built-in flash or 1-2 13 watt CFL clamp lights with smartphone held in hand or resting on the bench top.

All the close-up shots in the Tula SP thread were taken with the LG phone camera like these - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=630512&page=3&highlight=Tula+sp+primer

 

[Reloadron]

I beg to differ as many newer smart phone cameras are quite capable of macro/super-macro shots and while I sometimes use Linux based Gimp image editing software, most of the photos are cropped using the humble and simple Windows Paint program (I run both Windows 8 and Ubuntu/Linux on my computer).

While I occasionally use my Olympus SP-600UZ 12 MP digital camera for certain close-up shots with macro/super-macro mode using manually adjusted F-stops, most of my THR posted pictures are taken with the LG android smartphone model LG-C800 (T-mobile myTouch phone) with built-in flash or 1-2 13 watt CFL clamp lights with smartphone held in hand or resting on the bench top.

All the close-up shots in the Tula SP thread were taken with the LG phone camera like these - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=630512&page=3&highlight=Tula+sp+primer

I remember those excellent primer shots. Please don't misunderstand, I am not saying all cell phones are a bad choice for photography as they have come a long way. My Blackberry is several years old and does a good job. What I was saying is that using a camera, a good digital camera, usually offers up more options and control.

Gimp is also a good and free software program for the Linux community. Haven't used it in years but remember it being pretty robust and of course free open source. There is also good and free photo editing software out there for the Windows based community.

I am again not knocking cell phone cameras. Please do not take it that way.

Ron

 

[LiveLife]

Not at all and I agree with you that there are differences in cellphone camera quality and options.

I am on my 4th smart phone and while the previous phones did take good portrait and outdoor scenery pictures, they did not take as good of close-up pictures.

The LG phone don't even have an active service plan and I just use it for taking close-up pictures.

The key difference on the LG phone camera is that it has zoom, brightness control, flash and auto image select options to allow magnifying and focusng on close-up objects. For these close-up shots, the built-in flash is not helpful as it produces too much glare. As I posted previously, one or two 13 watt CFL fixtures usually provide enough lighting but I also use 80/100+ lumen LED flashlights (sometimes covered with tissue paper to diffuse the light intensity) to provide sharper shadowing effects for even more detailed pictures.

What I would suggest is to try different cameras (dedicated or phone cameras) of 2 mega pixels or higher using different settings and lighting angles to see what set up produces the best images. If you want to, you can often pick up used LG smartphones on the classifieds/craigslist for cheap and take some close up pictures before you buy.

 

[Mohave-Tec]

Kind words. Thank you.
I've been a photographer for many years but have only been shooting the shooting sport for a few. I've found many interesting ways to capture "on film" this sport of ours and it just makes everything all the more interesting.

 

[LiveLife]

What type of cameras do you guys use? Can a smartphone work well, or does it require a 'real' camera?

I have 2 digital cameras and also a smart phone camera. It is amazing how good the phone camera is. I do not hesitate to take pics with it. Even those need to be reduced for posting. Some photo editing software is in order.

Here are some more pictures taken with the LG phone camera and cropped with Windows Paint program (yes, all these pictures were indeed taken with the phone camera).


Comparison picture of max powder charge fill in the case for the same 185 gr 45ACP bullet (It took several tries to focus on the powder flakes instead of the case with different lighting angles)

"How to" picture of "slugging the barrel" using an expanded lead bullet

Glock 17 barrel rifling - This was probably the most difficult shot I took and required about 50 attempts using different lighting and background as the LG phone camera kept trying to focus on the background instead of the rifling. I am still not happy with the results but it's the best of what I have so far and probably will try to take a better picture.

Ohaus 10-10 - Focus was on the importance of keeping the "V" notches of the agate stones clean so they can "free float" to self-align with the knife edges for the scale to read consistently and accurately (agate stone was tilted just a bit to emphasize the "free float" point).

Removing military crimp on primer pocket - Intent was to show that it can be done using simple Lee chamfer tool and pocket cleaner.

Before and after removing crimp

Comparison picture of bearing surfaces of same 200 gr weight but different nose profile bullets

Comparison of "brass" jacketed Montana Gold and Remington Golden Saber bullets instead of "copper" jacketed bullets

Accentuated picture to show excess bulging caused by tilted bullet during seating

Compared to "normal" evenly bulged and seated bullets

Sig 1911 railed TacPac with the focus of more traditional slide cut

Sig 1911 barrel drop test pictures

"How to" burnish Pro 1000 primer feed attachment surface to repair surfaces using folded copy paper

Bottom of Pro 1000 primer push rod hole (To make the LG phone camera focus on the bottom of the hole instead of the top, I took couple of shots focusing on the spring then took the third picture of the hole)

Close up of primer feed attachment with primers - lighting was used at sharp angle from the left to accentuate the components

 

[Odd Job]

Nice pictures, BDS. I particularly like the barrel rifling images, those are difficult to get right.

 

[TexasShooter59]

Great photos! I might have missed it, but which LG phone?

 

[LiveLife]

It's the LG android smartphone model LG-C800. It's also sold by T-mobile as myTouch phone.

Since T-mobile has been giving out this phone free with a contract, you can buy used phones on classifieds at very good prices that are out of contract.

The camera is 5 mega pixel with auto focus, macro mode, LED flash and digital zoom with brightness control.

 

[TexasShooter59]

It definitely takes great close up photos!