Over the life of this website I have used a variety of photographic equipment and cameras to capture images of games and figures.
I currently use a range of cameras (and phones) for taking photographs of miniatures, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the photos were taken using other cameras, which are now retired.
Digital Cameras
Over the years I have used a range of digital cameras, though many of the pictures on the website were in fact taken on film before been scanned or digitised before they were put on the web.
Currently I use one main camera to take photographs of miniatures and I use it in particular ways and to capture different types of shot.
Canon EOS 400D
My current main camera is the Canon EOS 400D, this replaces a Canon EOS 300D which was stolen.
- High performance digital SLR with 10.1 Megapixel Canon CMOS sensor and DIGIC II Image processor.
- Fast 3 frames-per-second shooting with 27-frame burst and a 0.2 second startup time.
- Strong, lightweight body
- EOS Integrated Cleaning System including a Self Cleaning Sensor Unit
- Picture Style settings for a broad range of control over colour, contrast and sharpening.
- 2.5 LCD screen with 230K pixels and 160ยบ viewing angle
- High-precision 9 point AF system
- Picture Style image processing parameters
- DIGIC II image processor with 0.2 sec start up
- Digital Photo Professional RAW processing software
- Compact and Lightweight body+D12
- Fully compatible with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites
It is very fast and takes some very nice photographs. I use the standard 18-55 lense which comes with the camera.
As you can see, even with the standard settings you can get a very nice shot.
The camera is now over ten years old and I hope to replace it soon with something like the Canon EOS 4000D.
Extension Tubes
For extreme close-up work I use auto extentsion tubes, allowing me to get in really close. I have three tubes 31mm, 21mm and 13mm, all can be used individually, together or in some other combination. This allows you to fill the frame with a single 25mm figure (or in some cases smaller figures). I normally use the 13mm or 21mm tubes, but have used all three for extreme close-ups.
For an extreme close-up look at the Epic Dreadnought which is only 1cm tall.
Sony DSC W35
This is a pocket digital camera with a 7.2MP resolution and (importantly) a Carl Zeiss lens. This is a very nice camera. I would recommend when purchasing a pocket camera such as this, forget about the MP, ensure that it has a good lens, Carl Zeiss or Leica, and a lithium ion battery. Any camera which uses rechargeable AA batteries, you may find you are continually having to recharge or replace them. I charge my DSC W35 up about once a month! It’s good for getting quick photographs on the fly.
This is a sample shot.
iPhone
I have had a iPhone (in one form or another) for over ten years now. The camera is nice for most things, but isn’t as good for taking photographs as the Canon is.
This Warlord Titan was taken with an iPhone 8.
I usually use the iPhone when there is a lot fo reflection or glare which it seems to deal with really well, as well as large scale photographs of dioramas or models such as the Warlord Titan.