Camera Question

[NickClark]

I am sure there are lots of photography experts on this site and I would like your advice. I want to buy a good quality digital camera with wide angle lense, very wide angle. I need to take internal photographs of my villa and using a standard camera can not get the whole room into the picture. I hope this makes sense.

I went to local camera shop today and purchased an Olympus C-8080 wide zoom which they said is the widest angle digital camera available, 28mm whatever that means. The thing is I know nothing about cameras at all and upon trying it the result is still not good enough.

I used to have a cannon EOS500 and am sure that it used to produce the desired effect.

Is the problem that I want digital which I assume you can't change the lens on.

Any advice much apreciated.

Nick

[rosie]

Nick, I'm no expert but couldn't you use a camera mounted on a tripod, take several pics all round the room and then stitch them together? There are quite a few different stitching software packages available.....

Failing that then I'm sure snapper, brizzle or Nostromo will be able to help with the techy questions [msnsmile]

[E. Cosgrove]

Nick, are you going to get a 360 tour of your home done? I believe the stills that come with the tour are excellent. We are hoping to get one done when we are out at Easter.

[Nostromo]

The real photo experts are Snapper, Brizzle and Orlando Magic, but I know a bit about it too, in my own humble way. 28mm is what's known as a "standard wide" lens that gives you a reasonable panoramic view without too much distortion and so should suit your purposes.

As to the choice of the camera, it depends on your skill and how much you want to spend. If your budget can approah 4 figures, then go for one of the new Digital SLRs like the Canon EOS-20D that is attracting rave reviews, and make sure that you get a wide-zoom lens with 28mm at the wide-angle end. If you want something less expensive but yet good on resolution & features, something like the Konica-Minolta DiMage A200 will be ideal and then you get everything in a single package, including a 28-200mm lens.

[NickClark]

I am thinking of getting a virtual tour done at easter, did not realise that stills came included in package. Thanks Liz.

Nostromo, am I correct in assuming from what you have put that the lower the size i.e. 28mm the wider the angle. Probably a stupid question but like I say I know nothing about cameras. If so what is the next size that will produce a wider shot. Do you know if the lenses on digital cameras are interchangable. Just had a look at Canons web site and it does not say if they are or not.

Thanks

Nick

[DaveL]

Nick,

a wider angle lens will let you get more in the shot but you will start to get distortion of the verticals so they will bend inwards at the top and bottom of the photo. You will need to correct this in a photo software package using the perspective tool. Some later a new packages have a barrel distortion button which will do it for you.

A better solution is to take a series of photos with a 50% overlap and then join these to get a wide angle view of your subject.

Dave

[harrinp1]

If you are looking for a DSLR that canon have just announced a new entry level replacment for the EOS 300D then 350D, which is very similar in features to the 20D but a lot cheaper. The focal length on digital cameras can be quite confusing, my wide angle has a 12mm focal length wide open but because the
digital SLR has a smaller sensor that a traditional 35mm camera then you have to times the focal length by 1.6 to get the equivalent 35mm length - so my 12mm becomes 19mm, which is still very wide and great for doing shot of the villa that make it look large.

[markjones]

Check out the Nikon D70 with the kit lens which is 18mm - 70mm and is ideal for the inside of your villa.

The price is reasonable as well,

Regards,

Mark

[DaveL]

A good quality digital SLR will start at about £700 with the lens you want. The software solution should be £50 at the most. If you only reason for needing a wide angle lens is some villa pictures then I know which way I would go.

Regards Dave

[Snapper]

Nick, my advice on this would be to get vr360 in to do your villa's virtual tour and use the stills that they take for you. It's not so much a good camera and wide-angle lens that you need for good internal shots but a good flash system. I've spent ages and ages photographing the inside of the villa and I still use vr360's stills on all my ads.