How do I take good pics of my CPU's?

[Bei Fei]

After 2 hours of shooting with my 4.0 mp camera on macro mode I have yet to take a useable pic of the cpu stepping. Does my camera suck? Fugifile finepix a340?

[Soulburner]

You need light.

What are the lighting conditions?

Try different distances from the object and avoid an angle that is giving a glare or reflection.

Post a sample pic.

[Bei Fei]

I will post an image later tonight.

[psyconut713]

i had the same problem, cant make out anything on the chip, edges are all blurry

[evoic]

Turn the chip / board on it's side.
Lots of behind / above lighting.

Stand a little ways away, and zoom in on the chip with no flash.

I took both of these with the same camera, but different lighting situations.....you get the idea.

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/Evoic/eBay%20Pics/Forum%20Sales/33035.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g263/Evoic/eBay%20Pics/Forum%20Sales/Picture001.jpg

[Soulburner]

The best pics in this case will be taken with macro mode and no zoom. I don't think standing back and zooming will help.

[Cracker]

The best pics in this case will be taken with macro mode and no zoom. I don't think standing back and zooming will help.
Yep, use macro mode, no zoom, and no flash. You must have sufficient light... this is the key. ;)

P.S. A tripod helps too if you are shaky or taking pics with the shutter speed too low.

[Praz]

It's just as Cracker said. Especially the light part. I don't have any pics of a processor handy but here are a couple shots of a circuit board.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/28/1027440/board1.jpg


http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/28/1027440/board2.jpg

[Soulburner]

Try to move your stuff near a window. Best light you will get. Don't bother cranking up the lamps in the house.

Here are a few of mine...super macro, no flash, natural light, between 2-10 inches from objects.

Plus a steady hand and Image Stabilization ;)

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k245/BlackHawk2k6/Computers/IMG_0335Edit.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k245/BlackHawk2k6/Computers/IMG_0290Edit.jpg
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k245/BlackHawk2k6/Computers/IMG_1571Edit.jpg

[leoftw]

I just use Macro mode , I don't have any CPU pics though :P

[ColonelCain]

I just propped the CPU up on my keyboard, mounted the camera to a tripod, held a surefire flashlight as far as I could away (pointing at the CPU), and took it. Then I threw it into Photoshop, did a quick "auto-fix" on it, saved it to a smaller file (damn the 5D's insane res :D), posted it.
http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q60/ColonelCain/_MG_0734.png

[nitteo]

with macro on a point and shoot:

1) Stable platform
use a tripod if not use a box, book, or anything solid you can leave the camera on TO USE the 10 sec timer!

2) Light! Use natural sunlight if you can, if not use a desklamp. but most camera's have decent flash.

[Soulburner]

Flash is out of the question for 95% of hardware shots due to glare and reflection.

[Praz]

The pics like I posted would be impossible with a flash.

[ColonelCain]

The pics like I posted would be impossible with a flash.

Found that out as when I was taking pics of my X850XT for a review that I still need to right up..:rolleyes:

[Bei Fei]

Thanks for all the advise. I have a tripod and good lighting, but I can seem to get readable text. I better look at getting a better camera. I will take my marketing camera home and see what that gets me.

[Praz]

You might want to post a couple of the shots. Maybe someone will have an idea that might help.

[Soulburner]

Like I said we need to see some examples so we can see what is wrong...

Try different distances too, macro modes are specific in the range you can be from the object.

[Praz]

I snapped a quick pic of an IHS. No flash, lens distance approximately 6" and used the 2 second timer with camera on a tripod.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/28/1027440/ihs.jpg

[pissboy]

Thanks for all the advise. I have a tripod and good lighting, but I can seem to get readable text. I better look at getting a better camera. I will take my marketing camera home and see what that gets me.

does it have a manual focus? I had to switch mine to manual to get anything decent out of it.

[lowfat]

I snapped a quick pic of an IHS. No flash, lens distance approximately 6" and used the 2 second timer with camera on a tripod.

http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/4/28/1027440/ihs.jpg

that is pretty much how i do every picture i take. But for hardware i often i use 3 inch mini tripod.

[dinos22]

photocopy the sucker :D

[Cracker]

In addition to the previous tips, a decent camera is required. And I find that I often have to take several dozen pics to get the exact pic I want. This is the beauty of digital cameras... I used to do the whole film and SLR thing and it was the same but far more expensive. ;)

Here's a pic of my current cpu taken almost a year ago... I was in too big of a hurry to spend a lot of time but it served the purpose. And it's a pic with flash... pics with flash can be done but you must take a lot of pics to catch a good flash image.

http://home.comcast.net/~size7pc/SL9S9.jpg

This was taken with a Canon A70 which is already an old camera, lol. I'd really like to get a new SLR digital Canon.

[Soulburner]

I just don't like flash photos...they look un-natural and can often glare or reflect...

I still say just put it next to a window during the day :cool:

And most cameras have a macro mode and most of them work pretty well...its one thing compact cameras can do rather well, even the cheaper ones.

[Praz]

that is pretty much how i do every picture i take. But for hardware i often i use 3 inch mini tripod.

6" mini sitting on the table. :)

[[XC] Lead Head]

I just don't like flash photos...they look un-natural and can often glare or reflect...

I still say just put it next to a window during the day :cool:

And most cameras have a macro mode and most of them work pretty well...its one thing compact cameras can do rather well, even the cheaper ones.

Got to love PowerShot S3's 0CM Macro:)

[aussie-revhead]

I have an S5600 and use macro but also use light reflection to highlight the lettering . A tripod would help greatly so use one if you have one but I dont and Im not going to buy one for the once-in-a-few-months new cpu shots.

:up:

[Bei Fei]

Finally here are the best pics out of ~50.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o105/Mazar_2006/DSCF2443.jpg
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o105/Mazar_2006/DSCF2432.jpg
http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o105/Mazar_2006/DSCF2428.jpg

Please leave feedback thanks

[Praz]

The last one looks good. Just needs to be bigger.

[largon]

Take the cpu outdoors, drop the F-number, decrease exposure time and stick the lens as close as possible.

If this doesn't yield a good pic, buy a better camera.

[Soulburner]

There is nothing wrong with the camera here. You need to get closer and find an angle that won't reflect. Had the same problem before.

[skndvr]

tripod would be the best bet. if you dont have one use books.
if you have an external flash use a bounce flash. or you can try to difuse your internal flash with a piece of white paper. I dont know what your camera is capable of so i cant really say.
Another way is to increase the ISO of your camera. The higher the number the more sensitive to light it will be. But it will have more noise (little spots)
lower the number less ensitive to light but better clarity. Try play with those things. I am sure you can change the ISO most digital cameras can. good luck.

[Bei Fei]

I am going to try take some this weekend of my case and a few other parts and see what I can come up with. Thanks for the advise:)