Camera required for interior shots

[Itsallicanafford]

Hi chaps, can I ask some advice please. I work for a company that installs science labs. For our brochures we usually employ a pro to take the images of our completed work. Sometimes, it’s a bit difficult to arrange this in the time between completing the lab and it being occupied. What I am looking for is a new camera suited to internal shots, capable of producing high quality images. For quite a few years I used to use my D300 but I could never get the white balance correct so the new camera must have excellent auto white balance suited to internal shots. Focal length should be 28mm in 35mm film terms. Budget Upto £1200 all in. I have seen that the original Sony Alpha 7 is well priced at circa £800.00 but not sure if this meets the above criteria? Advice, alternative options would be great. Cheers

[theboss]

I’m only a hobbyist but it’s all about lighting - get one or more flashguns with a remote trigger and diffuse and/or bounce the light. This will be more more important than the choice of body.

[toohuge]

White balance can be a real pain and auto wb is not the solution here.

Setting the correct wb is fairly simple .... as you’re in a controlled environment and have the time - get yourself a white balance card and even on your d300, you’re able to set the custom white balance by taking a shot of the neutral white balance card. Do this at each location and you’ll be good to go.

White balance can also be corrected in post production if you’re shooting raw.

[S. Gonzales Esq.]

Ah yes - the gap between handover and occupation. It can be challenging to work around that, particularly if the job needs good weather.

I'm afraid I know nothing of camera models, but I'd recommend four things:

- A sturdy tripod
- A wide angle zoom of around 17mm equivalent
- Shooting in RAW
- Spending some effort on processing the files

The last two will let you tweak WB after shooting. You could take a separate capture with grey cards in the frame to get it really accurate, but I find there's almost always something neutral-coloured to take a balance from.

Bear in mind that mixed lighting will potentially give you two or more colours in different areas - I often have to process and combine multiple versions to get a result that looks like it does to the naked eye.

You could use some lighting if you have the time, but combining multiple exposures is a lot simpler and usually works well.

Here's the most lab-related example I could find in the archives:

[Itsallicanafford]

Firstly chaps, many thanks for the replies, they are very much appreciated. So I now have one of these, no idea of how to use it though!

[GetCarter]

Not so much lighting these days (unless it's really dark), more taking RAW, long exposure, Good tripod, wide angle and most important a prog like Lightroom... which does wonders straightening angles and brightening shadows.

[Gad-Westy]

Itsallicanafford said:

Firstly chaps, many thanks for the replies, they are very much appreciated. So I now have one of these, no idea of how to use it though!

One very simple way is to just include it a shot. Shoot in raw. In Lightroom (or similar) use the white balance sample. Click it in on the grey card then copy that white balance to all your other pics.

[Beggarall]

Itsallicanafford said:

Firstly chaps, many thanks for the replies, they are very much appreciated. So I now have one of these, no idea of how to use it though!

Looks like you have a neutral (gray) balance card. As ever, there are lots of tutorials on Youtube etc - like this . Using it assumes you have some sort of photo-editing software - like Lightroom. You need to include the card in at least one of your shots and then click on it using the eyedropper tool in LR (or Camera Raw in PS) to achieve the right white balance. I assume you are shooting in RAW? Once you have the balance right in one shot, you can synchronise the rest of your images to the same setting.

[TheRainMaker]

The A7 will be fine for this sort of thing.

I would get the body only then try to get a second hand SEL2470Z the kit lens is a bit poop.

[toohuge]

Either include this card in one of your shots as mentioned above.

Or google d300 custom white balance and it’ll talk you through it. Very simple - essentially you tell the camera the next photo you take is all neutral and it’ll set the wb based on that.

Regardless of camera you own - you’ll need to do this to get the correct wb.

[Itsallicanafford]

Thanks again for all the replies. I used to spend a lot of time on photoshop before life got in the way and robbed me of any time!

It would be great if I could get shots as close as possible out of the camera without post processing.

So, I will have go today at the custom white balance controls today and see how I get on, might be I stick with the D300 and get a wider lens as I only have a 35mm (50mm equivalent) lens at present.

Edited by Itsallicanafford on Sunday 21st April 09:38

[RobDickinson]

Absolutely no reason why a d300 cant do this.

[Phunk]

Yup, your D300 will be fine.

Tripod, a wide angle lens and shooting raw is all you need

[Itsallicanafford]

Chaps,

just a quick update, i have visited the site and taken the images. I spent a few £ on a sigma 10-20 F3.5 and the White balance is much better now i know how to use my camera properly (i've only had it 12 years or so...). I think what i really need is a tripod so i will get one of those as I have another visit booked in a few weeks.

thanks again for all the help, much appreciated , when i get the Ok from the client i will post up a few shots for further comments!

Cheers

[steveatesh]

RobDickinson said:

Absolutely no reason why a d300 cant do this.

This site is going downhill. In the “olden days” you could write a post with some well worked out man maths fully justifying spending the household budget on a new shiner thing, and expect sufficient support to use as evidence when making your case to other interested parties.

It’s a real disappointment when experts give honest advice and frustrate your plans....

I’m sure he would have preferred you to say that he definitely needed a new camera, the Sony A9 being the best for this purpose with a couple G Master lens an absolute necessity

[Bumblebee7]

steveatesh said:

RobDickinson said:

Absolutely no reason why a d300 cant do this.

This site is going downhill. In the “olden days” you could write a post with some well worked out man maths fully justifying spending the household budget on a new shiner thing, and expect sufficient support to use as evidence when making your case to other interested parties.

It’s a real disappointment when experts give honest advice and frustrate your plans....

I’m sure he would have preferred you to say that he definitely needed a new camera, the Sony A9 being the best for this purpose with a couple G Master lens an absolute necessity

[Itsallicanafford]

i have to admit i was one response along the line of 'white balance and noise have come along way in last 10 years' away from buying something new and shiny...