Thanks to all of you who have started The Digital Dozen journey so far :) It's great to have you on board, and we have some fabulous posts to bring you over the next few weeks.
Before we dive into the nail art, we thought we'd start at the very beginning (cos it IS such a very good place to start). As we all know, photos can make or break a nail blog. We've probably all squinted through someone's bad lighting or blurred close-up, yet all the popular blogs feature crisp, clean photos shot in good lighting. People want to see the nails, the art and the colors! So the question is...What camera do you use, and can it really make that much difference?
Well if you're me, (Katee), A Girl and Her Polish, you'll use a Nikon COOLPIX S1800.
Kerrie, PishPosh and Polish, uses a Canon Powershot SX240.
Vic, Glowstars, uses a Cannon Ixus 230 HS.
Sue, Creative Nail Design by Sue, uses a Canon Powershot A2200.
After a month of blogging, I decided I needed more than a camera phone so I took a Best Buy gift certificate and headed out to purchase the ultimate camera. Problem was.....I had no idea what I was looking for. I settled for the Canon Powershot A2200 as a temporary solution until I could buy something else. That was almost two years ago. I'm still using it. I have been researching cameras and talking to people about what to buy for several months and I finally (yesterday) settled on a new camera. Check out my blog within the next few weeks to find out about how I made the decision, what I finally settled on and how it will impact my photos.....
Jolene, follow gashin, uses a Canon G11.
I use a Canon G11 for my blog. It's an older model, and is classed as a 'prosumer'-- somewhere between consumer snap-and-shoot and a professional full DSLR. I do not use it to its capacity (or anywhere near it), but I've found it's useful to have access to the white balance, exposure, and focus area. I will sometimes also manually play with the shutter speed. I keep it on ISO Auto and the macro setting and go to town! I do have a 'real' lightbox, that I bought in a photography store for about $150. I'm terrible at building things so it seemed like the route that would most save my sanity. That said, I've been noticing lately that I need an overhead light to go along with the diffused side lights, so even with 'pro' equipment, getting the ideal photos remains a process of tinkering and playing until everything is just right!
Debbie, The Crumpet, uses a Nikon COOLPIX S9300.
I use a Canon G11 for my blog. It's an older model, and is classed as a 'prosumer'-- somewhere between consumer snap-and-shoot and a professional full DSLR. I do not use it to its capacity (or anywhere near it), but I've found it's useful to have access to the white balance, exposure, and focus area. I will sometimes also manually play with the shutter speed. I keep it on ISO Auto and the macro setting and go to town! I do have a 'real' lightbox, that I bought in a photography store for about $150. I'm terrible at building things so it seemed like the route that would most save my sanity. That said, I've been noticing lately that I need an overhead light to go along with the diffused side lights, so even with 'pro' equipment, getting the ideal photos remains a process of tinkering and playing until everything is just right!
Debbie, The Crumpet, uses a Nikon COOLPIX S9300.
I use a Nikon Coolpix S9300 which was bought from the proceeds of my first blog sale! It wasn’t cheap, but it’s made a massive difference to the quality of my photographs, and the control I feel I have. I’ve had it just over a year now, and apart from the fact that it tries to make turquoises look green, I love it!
Kirsten, The Geeky Owl, uses a Canon PowerShot Elph 310HS.
I use a Canon PowerShot Elph 310HS. I use it because it's the only one I have! But it's been a trusty little camera and does all the things that I need it to do. Nothing fancy, but it works. Using the macro and a gorillapod (tripod) have helped a lot with my photos.
Heather, Peace, Love and Polish, uses a Canon PowerShot ELPH130 IS.
I don't have a very special camera, I use a normal point and shoot that I purchased for under $200. It's a Canon PowerShot ELPH130 IS. It's also my favorite color - RED! It does decent macro, has a variety of settings, and is very portable. I wanted something small so it travels easy (as I seem to travel a lot) - and this fits the bill. I'd eventually like to upgrade to something a little nicer, but for now - it works :)
Emily, The Lacquerologist, uses an Olympus Stylus-7040.
I use an Olympus Stylus-7040 that is quite a few years old. It was my point and shoot camera that I had in college, and when I started blogging, it was my only option, so I picked it up and used it! It's nothing fancy, but with the right lighting, any camera can take a nice shot. I plan to keep using it until it stops working!
Silvia, Toxic Vanity, uses a Nikon Coolpix L110.
I use a Nikon Coolpix L110 is a compact camera but with appearance and performance similar to offering a reflex. It has 12.1 mp but I usually shoot photos with 8 mp as defined out enough, and then reduce to medium weight on the web. Record 720p HD video with stereo sound, which makes it an all-rounder for the blog and Youtube videos. As I usually do the pictures tricks preferably with natural light or white light source without being direct.
Bee, Bee Polished, uses a Canon Powershot A480.
I'm using a Canon Powershot A480. It's not the worlds greatest camera by any means but I had it already and even though I keep thinking I'll invest in a better one I just always find other things to do! To me, great photo's are not always about the best camera. Great lighting, angles and a little bit of editing can go a long way! I do like that my camera is user friendly and has quite a few settings I can use to get better shots. I'll definitely upgrade at some point but for now I'm decently happy with my little Powershot! :)
Missy, Gnarly Gnails, uses a Fuji Finepix S4830.
For the first year+ of blogging I was using a Panasonic Lumix - a very simple point and shoot digital with a fantastic lens and great price point. I still use it on occasion and for videos, but I decided recently to replace it because it started to trip out on neons. I ended up spending even less on my new camera, which is a very substantial point and shoot with a huge body and lens - it's a Fuji Finepix S4830. I chose this camera because I loved the amount of settings I have control over - specifically the white balance. It also has 2 macro settings - macro and supermacro! Though so far I am still trying to work out some kinks with learning all it has to offer, but I'm getting there! My biggest challenge so far has been dealing with the massive body of the camera and being a lefty!
Ashley, Smashley Sparkles, uses a Sony DSC-H7.
My camera is a Sony DSC-H7. I like that it is somewhere between a point-and-shoot and a DSLR. Ease of use is important to me and I've never learned the more complex features of the manual settings. Lately I have also been taking photos with my iPhone 4S because sometimes it is just more color accurate!
Kirsten, The Geeky Owl, uses a Canon PowerShot Elph 310HS.
Heather, Peace, Love and Polish, uses a Canon PowerShot ELPH130 IS.
I don't have a very special camera, I use a normal point and shoot that I purchased for under $200. It's a Canon PowerShot ELPH130 IS. It's also my favorite color - RED! It does decent macro, has a variety of settings, and is very portable. I wanted something small so it travels easy (as I seem to travel a lot) - and this fits the bill. I'd eventually like to upgrade to something a little nicer, but for now - it works :)
Emily, The Lacquerologist, uses an Olympus Stylus-7040.
I use an Olympus Stylus-7040 that is quite a few years old. It was my point and shoot camera that I had in college, and when I started blogging, it was my only option, so I picked it up and used it! It's nothing fancy, but with the right lighting, any camera can take a nice shot. I plan to keep using it until it stops working!
Silvia, Toxic Vanity, uses a Nikon Coolpix L110.
I use a Nikon Coolpix L110 is a compact camera but with appearance and performance similar to offering a reflex. It has 12.1 mp but I usually shoot photos with 8 mp as defined out enough, and then reduce to medium weight on the web. Record 720p HD video with stereo sound, which makes it an all-rounder for the blog and Youtube videos. As I usually do the pictures tricks preferably with natural light or white light source without being direct.
Bee, Bee Polished, uses a Canon Powershot A480.
I'm using a Canon Powershot A480. It's not the worlds greatest camera by any means but I had it already and even though I keep thinking I'll invest in a better one I just always find other things to do! To me, great photo's are not always about the best camera. Great lighting, angles and a little bit of editing can go a long way! I do like that my camera is user friendly and has quite a few settings I can use to get better shots. I'll definitely upgrade at some point but for now I'm decently happy with my little Powershot! :)
Missy, Gnarly Gnails, uses a Fuji Finepix S4830.
Ashley, Smashley Sparkles, uses a Sony DSC-H7.
My camera is a Sony DSC-H7. I like that it is somewhere between a point-and-shoot and a DSLR. Ease of use is important to me and I've never learned the more complex features of the manual settings. Lately I have also been taking photos with my iPhone 4S because sometimes it is just more color accurate!
As you can see, we all use a variety of cameras. It is all about what camera works best for you, rather than which is the best camera. Many bloggers use iphones or mobile phones to great effect, and some of the biggest bloggers have admitted they still use the same camera they did years ago. So, over to you - which camera do YOU use?
