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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi 2
#28118466 - 12/31/22 07:31 AM (1 year, 28 days ago) |
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Hello There! Some of you, like myself right now, may be in need of a new camera for your hunting hobby as we venture into the new year.
My wishlist for my next camera is hopefully going to be based on some of my favorite photographers on MO.
Joseph Pallante (pallantejm) - Olympus E-M5MarkIII View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/65551?q=1oBVa
Cho Fungi (eric6717) - Fujifilm xt200 View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/107546?q=1oBVb
Bill Sheehan (B_Sheehan) - Sony a6000 (mirrorless) WITH Macro Lens: Sony – 30mm f/3.5 View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/7066?q=1oBVc
amadej trnkoczy (amadej) - Nikon D700 / Nikkor Micro 105mm/f2.8 and Canon G11, 6.1-30mm/f2.8-4.5 View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/931?q=1oBVd
Ian Dodd (kundabungkid) - Nikon 200mm & Nikon D500 (plus more gear) View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/410?q=1oBVe
Lord Mayonnaise - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentax_K200D View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/1864?q=1oBVf
Michael W (Michael Wallace) - Nikon D40x and probably an additional macro lens. I'd ask him about his setup and any recommendations. View this contributor's observations here: https://mushroomobserver.org/users/956?q=1oBVg
I personally recommend NOT going with a DSLR or a Micro Four Thirds model unless you are known as a very, very patient person and you are willing to learn new things. I DO recommend implementing a MACRO lens, and maybe a ring flash. If you need to work at a more patient level in terms of life in general, buying a DSLR or Micro Four Thirds camera may allow you to shift into a more patient mood.
A tripod and multiple lighting options using various portable lights brought into the field with a backpack may be highly rewarding. If you prefer a "point & shoot" camera, you may want to investigate this model: Panasonic Lumix DCZS80 Digital Camera (Black), or a similar model. Whichever brand/model you eventually commit to owning, I would buy a new model, and avoid getting cheated with a used model. I would also use www.amazon.com, and avoid the spy-vibes emanating from other sites that are slightly more discounted.
I recently received a message from a friend in Australia, saying, "I don't use any P&S (point and shoot) cameras for macro, but a friend of mine advises for you: 'I use the Olympus Tough TG-6. Great macro and low light photos. Tell them to buy the ring flash, too!' "Her images are great. The camera is also waterproof. Hope this helps."
Cheers!
If anyone else has recommendations or insights, please feel welcome to reply below. Try to remember this tip: It's better to learn a camera, in my view, by taking notes, as though you were teaching the next person to purchase your model. I hope this helps multiple contributors.
Edited by Thomas Envisio (02/06/23 12:44 PM)
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: Thomas Envisio]
#28134197 - 01/10/23 06:30 PM (1 year, 17 days ago) |
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: the man] 1
#28154958 - 01/24/23 05:18 AM (1 year, 4 days ago) |
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Here's another photographer who appears to be excellent...
https://www.instagram.com/this_forest_floor/
Someone should invite her to Mushroom Observer for the sake of establishing scientific names with better photography.
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: koraks]
#28158346 - 01/26/23 12:57 PM (1 year, 1 day ago) |
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Thank you for adding your notes, koraks.
Here's a very short video by Alan Rockefeller that will allow photographers to understand basic settings and gear.....
I found this video to be very helpful. I also took hand-written notes while listening.
Edited by Thomas Envisio (01/26/23 01:05 PM)
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: Thomas Envisio]
#28158356 - 01/26/23 01:01 PM (1 year, 1 day ago) |
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For those of you who have not truly seen his awesome photography, you should really look at it using the following link:
https://mushroomobserver.org/observations?by=thumbnail_quality&q=1oIG4
Once you open an observation, you can click the upper right corner of an image to make it slightly larger. Then click Show Original Image. Once the image is done loading, you can single click on it to zoom in further. You can then further use browser zoom. I prefer Brave Browser for these images.
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: koraks]
#28194337 - 02/19/23 10:36 AM (11 months, 1 day ago) |
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: Mead] 1
#28194390 - 02/19/23 11:28 AM (11 months, 1 day ago) |
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I'll let someone else answer this question. I have no experience with Olympus cameras like that one.
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Thomas Envisio
Artist

Registered: 12/28/22
Posts: 1,662
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Re: Cameras Known For Excellence When Photographing Fungi [Re: Thomas Envisio]
#28212362 - 03/03/23 11:16 AM (10 months, 20 days ago) |
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Greetings To All Of You!
Below are some comments I generally send to new contributors, and it is meant in a completely polite, cordial manner - without critique or demanding standards of anyone. Please have a glance.
Creating Your Observations
Hello There. When you first endeavor to photograph fungi, you probably will need some tips for making observations. Some folks obtain poor photographs taken in excess haste, and others take professional level photographs that not only take lots of time in the field, they also can require software processing. Regardless of what camera you use and the amount of time you invest, the following photographs should be sought out whenever possible - in an ideal situation. It's especially important to do this when dealing with rare fungi. This will help identifiers.
Pileus

Gills/Teeth/Pores/False Gills/Etc.

Stipe

Stipe Base

Annulus

Cut In Half

Spore Print

Substrate With Primordia

Habitat

The Completely Dried Collection Awaiting Analysis

Spores Via Microscopy

Cheilocystidia

Pleurocystidia

Pileipellis

Mycelium On Antibiotic Agar In Petri Dishes

By taking multiple excellent photos, the odds increase for proper identification. This will not only help you and others in the localities you travel to, it will help mycologists and those saving rare fungi to prevent extinctions and endangerments. Cheers!

Mushroom collectors really ought to consider spore prints when posting their observations. The spore print is an easy way to assist in the identification process. A spore print is a gathering of many, many spores ejected from the gills, pores, or other spore-bearing surface. Although spores are individually invisible to the un-aided, un-magnified eye, when hundreds of thousands or millions of spores appear in a spore print, they leave a color which is taxonomically helpful. Spore prints can also be used to grow mycelium, and eventually mushrooms, too.
Note: Spore deposits can often be seen on the pileus surfaces in collections of specimens found growing very closely together. Sometimes spore deposit colors can also be seen on solitary specimen stipes, or on the substrate(s) and sorrounding surface areas.
Here's how to make a spore print:
▓ Before going hunting, clean a tupperware container with excellence and wash your hands. Place the tupperware container in a clean, new paper bag for extra cleanliness. Go straight to the site of the mushrooms and swiftly collect them into the tupperware container. Return to your living quarters in haste. ▓ Immediately after returning from hunting to your living quarters, wash your hands thoroughly with effort. ▓ Clean a table surface or shelf surface intended for this task. ▓ Tear off a piece of new aluminum foil. Its size should be slightly larger than the cap you are about to use. ▓ Using a clean knife, scissors, or your hands, swiftly remove the stipe of a freshly harvested mushroom, severing it from the pileus (cap). ▓ Place the cap onto the aluminum foil with the gills or pores facing the foil (face down). ▓ Get a freshly cleaned and dried, clear drinking glass that can fit nicely over and around the cap - and place it there. Rubbing alcohol can be used to help cleanse the glass beforehand if necessary. ▓ Wait roughly 24 hours and do not remove the glass - not even for a moment. ▓ After 24 hours approximately you should now have a good spore print. ▓ After removing the drinking glass, immediately place the spore printed foil into a new ziplock bag. Seal it thoroughly, confidently. This can then be mailed out to the appropriate mycologist for further study using Fedex, UPS, DHL, or a fast shipper of your choice. You can write a note on the ziplock bag using a permanent marker for the mycologist so he/she knows what they are dealing with in truth. Most people just include the MO observation number. Some prefer including a _collection card_.
Below: A purple spore print of Psilocybe stuntzii taken directly on a microscope glass slide
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