This question is on photographing rods and is for Tom K. but would like to see other jump in as well. In Tom article in Rodmaker Volume 3 Number 5 he states that 35 mm cameras are the way to go when photographing custom rods. I am wondering if now, 4 years after this article, if you still feel the same?

As always thanks

Tom Church

I think digitals are much better now in the past couple years. But I had a conversation with a very esteemed photo shop just last week and they told me that film still produced a better photograph than digital, but that digital was good enough now that the naked eye would have a hard time telling the difference.

Also, you can now get SLR 35mm style cameras in digital format. I would think that something like a Canon EOS SLR would be about the same either in film or digital.

Well After meeting with alot of photographers discussing wedding pictures it seems like they are recomending everything be done with digital due to the clarity of the newer modern didgital cameras. Second they swear by not developing anything via Wal-mart 1 hour photo places. She showed me how the colors degrade at one year incriments. She did the same with the print at home pictures. Which were awfull after only 2 years. I dont ever take any picures but just what I've been shown. Others here may be camera experts.

At this point I'd probably urge you to go digital. I think the image quality is a mute point, provided you understand how to take good photographs.

You do need to be careful when selecting a camera, however. The functions of digital and film cameras are identical, only the medium for creating the images differs. Consumer digital cameras, just like their film counterparts, don't always have really good macro features, which is important when you want to take close up shots of threadwork and such. And, few consumer digital cameras allow you work past an aperature setting of F8, which means you simply cannot get good depth of field in your photos.

The camera that Curt mentions is a fantastic digital camera with the ability to accept macro and close-up lenses, plus, it works down to an aperature setting of F22. It's also about $1500 at the present time. The film version of that same camera is about 1/3rd that amount.

The cost of the better digital cameras continues to fall, so if you can find a consumer level digital model that will do most of what you want to do, I'd get that for now and make do for another couple years until the better and more professional models drop to a more convenient price.

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This Thread cited below had 10 good Replies to this issue: [CMH]

Cost effective rod camera --Charles Fox-- 08-19-04 13:27
"Would anyone have info on some of the more cost effective cameras
(digital) to take close up pics of rods, guides, butt wraps, etc. with
appropiate filters, really seeking one for taking close up shots ..."