tl2 and still life product photography

[andrewjoo7]

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Hey guys, im new here. 

 

Looking to purchase a tl2 for my business.  Trying to give it to our marketing / social media team so that they can upload still life photos of our products on a regular basis.

We are by no means professionals at taking photos and find that the tl2 would be easiest to use.  We are pleased with the image quality that  Leica produces.

 

Here is an example of types of photos we want to take

https://ibb.co/nrTsGGS

 

Hard to explain as we are not experts but seems like these images look a bit artificial? but we are sort of after that look. 

 

My question would be can the Leica TL2 achieve this, and with what lens should we go for if we want to take photos like these?

 

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[ynp]

Yes. Easy. 

If you plan to use some studio strobe lights, the TL1 is even easier, because you can trigger the strobes with your on-camera flash.  

The macro 60mm is the best, but for your size of the subjects, the kit Zoom will work too. 

Edited July 14, 2019 by ynp

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[andrewjoo7]

thank you for your input, 

im very new to photography and don't have a clue about what different lenses do.. so you recommend using macro lenses for these kind of shots?

not looking for bokeh in the still life images, rather the picture as a whole like the image above.

 

could you kindly explain to me what the difference is between 18mm lens, 18-56 lens, 23mm lens, 11-23 lens?  

[ropo54]

You might also want a tripod, to stabilize any camera shake from holding in one's hands. An 18mm gives one a much wider perspective as compared to the 60mm lens.  Any of them might work, but I'd probably first opt for the 60mm, which also allows for macro imaging. Rob

[ynp]

The form of the shadow casted over the flat surface says that it’s a hard light, it means it a a very little light source. You can imitate it with a off camera flash unit without diffuser.

The perspective shows that a normal focal length (around 40mm on the TL) was used. You will not need a wide lens such as the 18mm for this kind of the shot. It’s too wide and the product image will look unnatural and IPhone-ish. The 35-56mm range on the kit lens should work better for you. 

[ramarren]

Constructed still-life tabletop photos like this are their own art form. If you want to become adept at producing them, I would suggest reading up on macrophotography and still life work to give you a basis for understanding what equipment you need relative to the results you want. Certainly any T/TL/TL2/CL etc camera with appropriate lens is perfectly capable of making photos like these. Far more important is what equipment and lighting needed for the results, and what you do with it. 

For me, this kind of work means a sturdy tripod with a good head that allows precision positioning of the camera, the camera with a medium telephoto lens that can focus closely enough, appropriate stage and lighting equipment for the subject, and the sense/skill to use it all together and obtain consistent looking results. No simple laundry list of bits and pieces gives you that last part, unfortunately, but it's not that hard to acquire by buying a minimum setup and then working with it, trying different things until you get what you want. 

[tommonego@gmail.com]

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Looking at these photos, if your media team did them, they have some skill. If you have someone with this level of photographic knowledge I would ask them what camera they want to use. They should also be able to determine the necessary lens(es) they would need. If you used a pro for these don't expect the media team to be able to do work on the same level. 

The expense is not just the camera, for the TL2 doing still lifes a tripod would be necessary, get a decent one. Lighting, since your products don't look like they move so LED lighting could be used, strobes work too but good ones are expensive and more difficult to control. Does your media team have a place to do still life photography? 

[andrewjoo7]

wow a lot of wisdom and kindness on this forum,, I posted the same thing on some photography forum and they are all so arrogant and said it cannot be done with a Leica and that its rather better to pay someone to just do it.. anyways thanks guys,, ive been researching quite a bit and will learn up on everything you guys are saying.

 

Thank you

[andrewjoo7]

3 hours ago, tommonego@gmail.com said:

Looking at these photos, if your media team did them, they have some skill. If you have someone with this level of photographic knowledge I would ask them what camera they want to use. They should also be able to determine the necessary lens(es) they would need. If you used a pro for these don't expect the media team to be able to do work on the same level. 

The expense is not just the camera, for the TL2 doing still lifes a tripod would be necessary, get a decent one. Lighting, since your products don't look like they move so LED lighting could be used, strobes work too but good ones are expensive and more difficult to control. Does your media team have a place to do still life photography? 

thank you for your response, unfortunately my product team did not do this, this is by a company called Aesop Skincare.  My media team are given tasks to rent out natural lighting studios and they are definitely not a pro by any standards.  As silly as this may sound we've been using iPhones for all our social media pictures so far and looking for an upgrade.

[andrewjoo7]

3 hours ago, ynp said:

The form of the shadow casted over the flat surface says that it’s a hard light, it means it a a very little light source. You can imitate it with a off camera flash unit without diffuser.

The perspective shows that a normal focal length (around 40mm on the TL) was used. You will not need a wide lens such as the 18mm for this kind of the shot. It’s too wide and the product image will look unnatural and IPhone-ish. The 35-56mm range on the kit lens should work better for you. 

could you kindly explain to me what a lower length range and higher in terms of lens produces? I get the impression that a lower range is for a wider angle, and longer is for more zoom / macro images?

[andrewjoo7]

6 hours ago, ropo54 said:

You might also want a tripod, to stabilize any camera shake from holding in one's hands. An 18mm gives one a much wider perspective as compared to the 60mm lens.  Any of them might work, but I'd probably first opt for the 60mm, which also allows for macro imaging. Rob

thanks rob, will take that into consideration

[FrozenInTime]

Not really sure you should / need to start with a Leica for this.

Any micro 4/3 camera, with the Lumix-Panasonic 30mm or Leica-Panasonic 45mm macro, would get you going just fine for web use.

[pico]

49 minutes ago, FrozenInTime said:

Not really sure you should / need to start with a Leica for this.

Any micro 4/3 camera, with the Lumix-Panasonic 30mm or Leica-Panasonic 45mm macro, would get you going just fine for web use.

I agree and suggest that 4/3 enthusiasts also look at Voightlander's 25mm F/0.95 as an adventure.

Edited July 14, 2019 by pico

[ramarren]

6 hours ago, pico said:

I agree and suggest that 4/3 enthusiasts also look at Voightlander's 25mm F/0.95 as an adventure.

Hmm. You don't really need anything that fast and ideally would have a bit more length for the kinds of photos I saw the OP use as example.

The PanaLeica Macro-Elmarit-DG 45mm f/2.8 is a superb lens for this kind of thing if you're using Micro-FourThirds. Its roughly equivalent to a 90mm lens, which is the same as the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm f/2.8 ASPH macro lens in terms of field of view and general utility for the purpose on the Leica T/TL/TL2/CL. 

My own choice would be the Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 on the CL body, or jump up to the Macro-Elmar-R 100mm f/4 on the Leica Focusing Bellows-R if I wanted a bit more shooting distance for perspective reasons. But for folks who are relatively new to this kind of photography, sticking with currently available lenses and such is probably a better bet for a positive experience. 

[ynp]

12 hours ago, andrewjoo7 said:

could you kindly explain to me what a lower length range and higher in terms of lens produces? I get the impression that a lower range is for a wider angle, and longer is for more zoom / macro images?

To get a similar perspective as on your sample photo: With wider lens (wider range of the zoom) you shoot the same subject from a shorter distance and that can visually distort your subject (the nearest part of your subject will look bigger), with a longer lens to keep the same perspective you step away and the subject will look better and more natural. Because of that people above (Ramarren) recommended you the manual R lenses, the 60mm and 100mm., not because they are macro lenses.  I think that your kit lens at longer range will be adequate for the web output. My daughter shoots some products for sale with her TL1 with her 18-56. 

Edited July 15, 2019 by ynp

[LocalHero1953]

You need to be sure the TL2 is the right camera. It does not have a viewfinder. If you want to use the add-on viewfinder, that will occupy the hotshoe. If the hotshoe is occupied, it cannot be used for a strobe or strobe trigger. If you need both viewfinder and strobes, you will need a different camera, with built in viewfinder.

If you are using continuous lighting, or you are happy composing only with the rear screen (up to you, but I wouldn't be), then the TL2 will do the job.

[andrewjoo7]

3 hours ago, ynp said:

To get a similar perspective as on your sample photo: With wider lens (wider range of the zoom) you shoot the same subject from a shorter distance and that can visually distort your subject (the nearest part of your subject will look bigger), with a longer lens to keep the same perspective you step away and the subject will look better and more natural. Because of that people above (Ramarren) recommended you the manual R lenses, the 60mm and 100mm., not because they are macro lenses.  I think that your kit lens at longer range will be adequate for the web output. My daughter shoots some products for sale with her TL1 with her 18-56. 

this helped me understand the concept, thanks

[andrewjoo7]

7 hours ago, ramarren said:

Hmm. You don't really need anything that fast and ideally would have a bit more length for the kinds of photos I saw the OP use as example.

The PanaLeica Macro-Elmarit-DG 45mm f/2.8 is a superb lens for this kind of thing if you're using Micro-FourThirds. Its roughly equivalent to a 90mm lens, which is the same as the Leica APO-Macro-Elmarit-TL 60mm f/2.8 ASPH macro lens in terms of field of view and general utility for the purpose on the Leica T/TL/TL2/CL. 

My own choice would be the Macro-Elmarit-R 60mm f/2.8 on the CL body, or jump up to the Macro-Elmar-R 100mm f/4 on the Leica Focusing Bellows-R if I wanted a bit more shooting distance for perspective reasons. But for folks who are relatively new to this kind of photography, sticking with currently available lenses and such is probably a better bet for a positive experience. 

thanks for the suggestion, what about the 18-56?

[ramarren]

4 hours ago, andrewjoo7 said:

thanks for the suggestion, what about the 18-56?

I have no experience with it, but nothing stops you from trying it out.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with trying to get what you want with whatever you have at hand as a start, and then buying more appropriate equipment if you find you need it afterwards. 

50-56 mm is a decent short tele focal length on APS-C, should net good perspective, and if you need to get closer than that lens' native focusing range the ELPRO close up lenses are outstanding quality. The lenses I mentioned above I just happen to own already (and have used on several different cameras, including Leica R cameras), and this kind of work is what I bought the CL to do partially because I already owned those lenses... 

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[andrewjoo7]

I notice there is not much of a bokeh on that photo I posted, I also looked at the Summilux-TL 35mm f/1.4 ASPH which looks superb and crisp however with a small depth of field.  Im wondering can the same shots be taken without a bokeh?