Tips for taking digital pictures of boards?

Paul

Anyone have any tips on taking pictures of boards? Specifically what lighting techniques seem to work well. The overhead fluorescents seem to be a big problem. I've tried several times but either get glare off the tinned parts or the parts come out too dark. Thanks!

Paul

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Wait for a cloudy day and take the photos outdoors. (This works well here in the Northwest, anyway, where such waits are short.) Barring that, get one of those 2' x 4' fluorescent diffusers from a building supply store and suspend it above your subject in front of the light source. What you're trying to do is simulate a cloudy day as much as possible. You could also purchase or fabricate a "light tent" like this one to get still more even illumination and to eliminate more shadows.

BTW, Parallax does an amazing job with photographing their products. I'd love to see some shots of their setup. Guys?

-Phil

Update: Attached below are some examples of different lighting situations. Also, always use a tripod along with the 15-second shutter delay (or remote shutter release) to eliminate the "shakes". Handheld shots just don't cut it, and you can get a decent tripod these days for $19.

Post Edited (Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)) : 4/26/2007 7:48:01 PM GMT

Beau Schwabe

This is obviously an issue of trial and error, but generally I find that turning off the camera flash combined with an adequate light source (brightness) works the best
regardless if the light source is natural, incandescent, fluorescent, etc.

"Most" digital camera's are geared for an optimal focal length of 8.5 inches on the close-up option.
If you want a good image of a non-populated board, a flat-bed scanner works out very well.

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Beau Schwabe

IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.

JonnyMac

Use at least two (three is better) lights that have diffusers in front of them. Here's an all-in-one-box solution for small items:
-- http://www.canogacamera.com/detail.aspx?ID=40205

Paul

Yes, the picture named board_fluorescent.jpg··looks very familiar. Springtime in Ohio·sounds similar to the NW.··If you don't like the weather... just wait an hour. Thanks for taking the time with the pictures! Gotta love this Parallax community!

Looks like there's quite a range of situations that should improve my picture taking. I have some diffused plastic panels I could fabricate a 'light tent' or 'light panel' from. I'll give it a go this weekend. I knew the tripod would be a big help and now I know the purpose of that 15 second delay on my camera!

Thanks for the info! This will help a lot!·

breps

something like this would work good for you.

http://www.adorama.com/SUDS20.html

we use them at my work, we have 2 extra and place them so they form a triangle with the camera. they'll fire when they see your camera flash fire so no cords lying around.

Bean

I have the best luck using a scanner. But the one I have has a great depth of vision, so it works really well.

Bean.

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stamptrol

If there is an IKEA store near you, they have white canvas laundry hampers for a few bucks.

They're about 14 " in diameter and 24 to 30" tall. The material is really like white plastic tarp sheeting. There are some frames inside that make it stand up and hold its shape. I put the boards or whatever inside with some fairly bright lights outside the unit. The canvas material diffuses the light very nicely so flash may not be required to avoid shadows.

Best of all, when you're done, the thing folds down to a very small size and is pretty much sealed against dust and dirt getting inside.

Cheers,

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Tom Sisk

http://www.siskconsult.com
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RDL2004

You didn't say what kind of camera you have, but if you have any control over the aperture setting use the largest f/ number you can (smallest aperture i.e. f/16 or f/22) in order to get the most depth of field (more in focus, front to back). This will require longer exposure times, so a tripod is mandatory along with delayed or remote shutter release. This is assuming you're not using a flash, of course. You will get better results using two or three diffuse light sources or outdoors on a cloudy day, as the others have said, instead of a single flash.

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- Rick

Post Edited (RDL2004) : 4/27/2007 1:10:44 AM GMT

Alan Bradford

HI,

I am by no means remotely close to a being ·professional photographer.

I took this photo using a dual 500 W halagon flood lamp stand pointed at the cealing behind the camera.
It is one of thoes cheap Wal-Mart/Home Depot type Yellow Floodlight Set.
I moved the stand around to get the shadows and reflections minimised.
I put a piece of sheet rock behind and below·the subject.
While·this is not a circuit board, it does have lots of shiny reflective stuff.

The camera is a Nikon D50 DigitalSLR . Middle of the road quality.
I did not use a tripod, or long exposure.
I do like that suggestion and will try it on the next project.

Good Luck,
Alan Bradford
PLasma Technologies
www.plasmatechnologies.com

kjennejohn

Shooting in sun light works best for me. Set a solid colored cloth over a table in front of a sunny window. Put the camera on a tripod of some kind to eliminate "jitter". If you're shooting up close, use the camera's MACRO function, if available. Remember that a low F-stop (light is reduced) produces a greater depth-of-field, so everything comes out in focus. Use the camera's F-stop setting to achieve this if results come out with some portion out of focus using auto-settings. If you still have too much glare, try changing the shooting angle, or place a light cloth or frosted plastic sheeting between the light source and the board to reduce and diffuse the light.

Hope that helps,
kenjj

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

If your camera has good a good zoom with adequate depth of field in the telephoto range (mine doesn't), back off from your subject and zoom in to fill the frame. The reason for doing this is to eliminate the distortion that so often mars close-in macro shots. Why this happens is easy to understand: things that are closer to the camera by, say, one inch are much closer percentage-wise when the camera is close to the subject than when it's further away. The photos below illustrate this principle.

-Phil

steve_b

Use a coffee filter to diffuse your flash or a lighting source.
Use a tripod or a steady surface for the camera.

If you have MACRO mode, know the limit of it.
Keep the background neutral so that your camera doesn't use it as an exposure reference....of which I would set my camera to spot exposure (center dot...for focus too).
Make sure the silkscreen is clear to read!
Cell camera's are no good for any of this!

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Steve

"Inside each and every one of us is our one, true authentic swing. Something we was born with. Something that's ours and ours alone. Something that can't be learned... something that's got to be remembered."

Kenny Gardner

>> Wait for a cloudy day and take the photos outdoors.

Yep. May thru July in So Cal by the ocean. June Gloom make for lousy weather but great pictures!

Kenny

KatyBri

Many of the "better" digital cameras allow you to select the light type and their software makes adjustments accordingly. Really helps.

Paul

Thanks for all the suggestions. My 'low end" Samsung S700 set to MACRO had a funny 'fisheye' effect to it. I will try backing off the distance and try the optical zoom to see if I can get a better looking picture. Since the 'cloudy day' lighing has been suggested a couple time (and I'm what you call chee... er... 'thrifty') I'll give that a go for a while. I think it does have a light type setting in there too. RTM????

Thanks again,
Paul

Paul Baker

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) said...
BTW, Parallax does an amazing job with photographing their products. I'd love to see some shots of their setup. Guys?

-Phil

Here are a couple photos of our setup.

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Paul Baker
Propeller Applications Engineer

Parallax, Inc.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

Ahh, very nice! Thanks, Paul!

-Phil

Paul

Styrofoam panel reflectors! Brilliant! (literally!) Thanks Paul

AIman

Originally I went to school for production which doesn't mean I know everything but what I can share works well.

When you are taking a picture of something like this you want to be sure to do 4 things. I will explain in detail below.

1) Use back lighting

2) Use front lighting

3) Shut OFF your flash

4) Make sure you have a good background



1 - Back lighting. Simply put postion a light above and behind what you want to photography. Typically around 20 degrees above and behind. The angle used may vary for best lighting but above and behind is a must.

2 - Front lighting. Put a light up front at about 45 degrees. The reason for front lighting is to give a good clear picture of what is shown. Complimented with back lighting this removes shadows and when positioned properly a very clear picture.

3 - Shut OFF your flash. Biggest mistake people make is using a flash with lighting. Flash creates glare and glare blurs pictures.

4 - A solid colored background, such as a blanket, will help show details of what you are taking pictures of and trying to show. For tech stuff I highly recommend NOT using a same color background as the object. For example, lots of robot stuff I auction off on Ebay is based on a blue blanket BECAUSE there are very few items of a technical nature that are blue. I use a blanket the light fuzz helps keep light from rebounding. This is a similar effect to bounced flash but much easier to manage and eleminates the need for a flash.

Reality - sometimes the top two (front and back lighting) aren't acheviable because of equipment, location·etc. Do what you can. For lighting simple lamps with tipped shades work... if available. Worst case scenario take your item outside on a sunny day.

Tip - Be patient. If you have a digital camera shoot a dozen pictures, pick the ones you like the best and dump the others. If you are using film, set up carefully, focus carefull and if possible do a time exposure. Time exposure with any camera will increase clarity. Patient set up and picture taking is the single most important thing you can do.

Tip - To focus clearly - provided you can use manual focus - zoom in as close as you can, focus well and then pull out. This makes sure that the details are crisp and gives a much better picture.

Tip - Pictures taken at a slight angle still show details while at the same time help to reduce glare and reflections. Doesn't mean that straight on won't be a good picture, however for items that reflect light a slight angle is a tremendous help.

Tip - Be patient. Rushing creates bad pictures. If in doubt be patient.

Tip - Be patient. (Get the idea?)

Tip - Don't worry about being perfect. The best photo's are usually unplanned or are taken spur of the moment/as an after thought.

SSteve

Paul Baker (Parallax) said...
Here are a couple photos of our setup.

What brand of cooler do you recommend for the support system?

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Whit

Hey Paul,

I saw this today at Wal-mart and then found one on Amazon. Thought you might be interested.

http://www.amazon.com/Hiro-Portable-Studio-High-Power-Lights/dp/B000AYGPIC

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Whit+


"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney

SSteve

I posted some pictures of a completed project at http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=653627. All of the pictures were taken with a digital camera on a tripod.

The picture of the boards was taken in my carport (indirect light) with the aperture at f/7.0 and a 4-second exposure. The picture of the inside of the box was at f/7.0 with an 8-second exposure.

Like kenjj says, a low f-stop gives more depth of field. But keep in mind that a low f-stop is a larger number.

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OS-X: because making Unix user-friendly was easier than debugging Windows

links:
My band's website
Our album on the iTunes Music Store