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With the watch background thread in full flow, I’ve been wondering how most of you take such great photographs of your watches. Most of them are close ups with excellent focus and resolution. I guess most are taken with the owners mobile phone but I can’t seem to replicate the same level of focus using my iPhone and wonder if I’m missing a trick or if my iPhone 13 mini is not up to the job.
I've always had the latest and greatest iPhone - currently a 15 pro max. In all the time I've owned watches I've never been able to take a close up photo! Hoping for some inspiration and trade secrets in this thread.
I imagine it's different on different phones. I know with the Google pixel it will switch to macro mode if you hold it close.
Google macro mode for you phone model.
iPhone 15 Pro Max here too. After having the 12 Pro Max for a few years and being massively disappointed in the close up photography (to the point where I still used my business 11 Pro Max), I was delighted to find the auto-macro function on the 15 Pro Max.
The close ups are, frankly, incredible for a mobile phone.
Click image for full resolution
https://i.ibb.co/vmx5y7H/IMG-6097.jpg
I find reflections both from wherever the light source is, or of the phone/camera itself to be the bane of every attempt I make.
I find that a piece of A4 can make a very decent light diffuser,.it can really knock shine and reflection down.
I have a cheapo lightbox that I use for model aircraft photography that I keep meaning to try but, I've yet to buy a watch display stand.
Other than that, the HDR and colour temp adjustment can make big differences IME.
Wouldn't call myself a photographer, but getting close, iphone 13 mini, seems to involve moving the phone away from the watch until the focus is good and then putting your finger on the 0.5 number on the bottom of the visible screen and moving it anti-clockwise. A semi-circular screen appears and you can zoom in.
This is the non-professional method. Someone with more talent will be along soon.
Excellent tips thanks. I’ll definitely try some of these.
The 0.5 and then zoom in works well. Thanks for that. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...ba02462110.jpg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Decent lighting and a macro lens helps!
https://i.imgur.com/SLdhW6C.jpg
I just use an old full frame DSLr plus a 100mm macro lens. Old kit, but decent quality (5D Mk2 and an EF-100 lens).
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c0c0385e_c.jpg
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...754dc405_c.jpg
There are threads on this before. Here is one. Hope this helps:
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...-watches-only)
Mind you I’ve sold all my DSLR kit - I may buy it back as a D700 (I did have the D850 superb machine but overkill for this purpose) can be bought for a few 100 quid and get a 105mm Nikor macro is all you need for superb shots.
Typical shot:
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-...qz6dgF4-X3.jpg
But here is a iphone15 pro max shot taken just now for an “industrial” image
https://photos.smugmug.com/Photograp...MG_1052-X2.jpg
Photos don’t have to me macro to be fun. Here is one on a smoked glass table top
https://photos.smugmug.com/Watches/n...JC_6928-XL.jpg
UX; 15 Pro Max.
Click image for full resolution
https://i.ibb.co/kJsjtff/IMG-6105.jpg
It works with a good phone or a small pocket camera. But if you want the real deal you have to use a DLSR camera with a macro lens.
Here is a setup with my Nikon D850 and a Zeiss 100mm macro planar lens.
http://www.watchwallpapers.com/stupr.jpg
The result
http://www.watchwallpapers.com/gopr5.jpg
And some Photoshop.
http://www.watchwallpapers.com/stupr1.jpg
Try filming the watch for a few seconds as it gives clearer resolution close up, then you can take a screen shot from the video. That’s what I’ve done when I’ve needed a good close up pic but can’t get it via photo mode.
Just took this; I hadn't noticed the dark "fill" within the D before, although as my eyes are quite knackered on close up, I'm not surprised. :biggrin-new:
https://i.ibb.co/Mcns0VG/IMG-6112.jpg
And at this orientation, the D looks like a little robot pussycat. :smile-new:
Something like this may be of interest:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mobile-Came...A286MCB4RWEGSP
Like with any photography, composition and lighting are probably more important than gear, but in terms of the latter, what you want is a fairly long focal length lens with a short minimum focus distance. The following are all taken on an iPhone 14 Pro and illustrate the difference between the 3 (or 4 if you count the 2X zoom which is really just the 1x lens which they crop into). All are taken as close to the watch as possible before you lose focus:
Disclaimer: All were shot in fading natural light and on a messy desk so are not to be taken as a good example of good lighting and composition. :P
0.5x "macro" lens:
You have to get very close to the watch and the lens distortion makes it look daft. Even worse when it's on the wrist.
https://i.imgur.com/Vw5EeRy.jpeg
1x:
https://i.imgur.com/CdKY67a.jpeg
This is as close as you can get with the 1x zoom on the iPhone 14 Pro. Not really a close up.
2x:
https://i.imgur.com/KIubcKT.jpeg
Better, and some soft focus in the background. This is actually the same image sensor used for the 1x zoom - Apple just crop into the centre of the 1x image to get this "zoom."
3x:
https://i.imgur.com/U4iVumY.jpeg
Not much to say here but you're even closer. Worth noting that the 3x lens is not as good as the 1x and 2x zoom lens in terms of light performance so images can look noisier.