mrkennethtong Posted February 8 Share #1 Posted February 8 Advertisement (gone after registration) Any tips and tricks with the Q3 and taking pictures of food? I just leave everything on Auto. There must be a better way. Typical picture attached: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5754218'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 8 Posted February 8 Hi mrkennethtong, Take a look here Food Photography: Q3. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Trankster Posted February 9 Share #2 Posted February 9 I found this online which may be useful. https://www.jonathanthompsonphotography.com/stories/camera-settings-use-food-photography/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cogito Posted February 10 Share #3 Posted February 10 I’ve directed a number of food centric tv shows such as Top Chef, we always light food with large soft boxes placed above and to the far side away from the camera. you could do similar with windows and natural lighting. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoCruiser Posted February 10 Share #4 Posted February 10 Am 9.2.2025 um 00:48 schrieb mrkennethtong: Any tips and tricks with the Q3 and taking pictures of food? I just leave everything on Auto. There must be a better way. I think your problem is limited light, on the fly photography and the use of all auto. You should do some tests at home using P/S/A/M modes to understand deeply what they do and how you can benefit from them, that is usually a good way to learn and understand how to photograph under certain conditions. On the photo i see a moving spoon? or something similar what let me understand that you photograph during normal lunches/dinners and on the fly what create the problem that you may need higher shutter speeds. Against some believes here i used often Auto Iso for underwater macro photography where light is low, high dof is needed and keeping the camera steady is impossible. So i could use manual mode and set desired depth of view with the aperture and higher than normal shutter speed to control my floating movement and then Auto Iso took care of the correct illumination. However, Auto Iso can crank up ISo to a level where image noise can become too much visible. Also, as Cogito already mentioned, you may choose a table near a window or under a lamp where you have more light, artificial or natural. The third thing would be to use a small flash, but that is not what i like to do and probably disturb the others on the table and in the restaurant. Chris 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianTurner Posted February 10 Share #5 Posted February 10 For food in restaurants nothing beats an iPhone. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoCruiser Posted February 10 Share #6 Posted February 10 I do food photos with my iPhone and it works nice, but i am sure that using my Q2 and the correct settings photo quality will beat my iPhone 15. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. G Posted February 10 Share #7 Posted February 10 Advertisement (gone after registration) 3 hours ago, AdrianTurner said: For food in restaurants nothing beats an iPhone. Depends what type of photo you're trying to take. I have a few friends that are chefs in NYC and I often take my SL with the 35 APO or the 50 APO, but I'm giving them the photos to use so I don't mind carrying my bigger camera. If dining in a restaurant with the Q3 43, because of your seating position, there are two things to keep an eye on: 1. Your aperture - you're close to your subject so you may need f/4-f/6.3 or so for many of your shots to get appropriate depth of field. 2. Your focal plane orientation - this will ultimately effect where you will be focusing, If you're using AF, choose a focal point that is closes to you but also follows the angle of the focal plane. A tilt shift lens helps here, but with the Q3 43 that's not an option. Manual focus is usually easier in a restaurant because you can back off your closest focal point a little bit and increase aperture slightly. The rest is fairly simple - keep IBIS on and do your best to keep your ISO down (it's usually going to be somewhat high since most restaurants are on the dimmer side) and brace the camera or your arm on something. "No elbows on the table" is terrible advice if you're shooting in a dim space. I don't like using any supplemental lighting in a restaurant, even the flashlight on a phone. So practice keeping really steady and maybe use a delay on your shutter. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LocalHero1953 Posted February 10 Share #8 Posted February 10 If by food photography you mean a snap of the meal in front of you, then a smartphone shot is as good as you're likely to get; I also use a Q3-43 in Macro mode, then adjust the white balance in Lightroom. The problems with both these approaches are: Low light, so you shoot wide open at high ISO, thus limited depth of field from a close-up, and high noise/poor colour. Reliant on restaurant lighting, which may be coloured and narrow in frequency; unless you have a broad spectrum in your light source you won't bring out the best colour in the food. If you're thinking about professional quality, editorial food photography you need either flash/strobe lighting in controlled conditions or continuous lighting. Until recently flash was the best option, but now you can get good results with high intensity COB LED lights (e.g. Zhiyun Molus X100). I am not a professional, but I had the opportunity to photograph the dishes served at a smart college dinner. I was given one of each dish to take away to another part of the kitchen where I had set up a micro-studio: two strobes with umbrella reflectors on either side of the dish. I used a black cloth as background. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 16 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5755056'>More sharing options...
PhotoCruiser Posted February 10 Share #9 Posted February 10 I found this one i took at dinner in Montreux a few hours after i bought my first Q at the Leica Store in Geneva 1/20 sec f/16 iso 3200 Q 28mm lense in macro mode this photo is not edited in any way, straight out of the camera Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5755106'>More sharing options...
chris_tribble Posted February 12 Share #10 Posted February 12 I hesitate to comment. Irrespective of the quality of the photo, this is not a dish I would ever want to have placed in front of me! Words fail me 🫢 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhotoCruiser Posted February 12 Share #11 Posted February 12 Yeah, the brown can be misinterpretet ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCINFANTRY Posted February 12 Share #12 Posted February 12 Use ocf (in restaurants, LED controlled at home) Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5756146'>More sharing options...
MCINFANTRY Posted February 12 Share #13 Posted February 12 Led continuous Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5756147'>More sharing options...
MCINFANTRY Posted February 12 Share #14 Posted February 12 This is the lux master with a 12” softbox. I use a 36” softbox at home with a godox led bi color Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5756238'>More sharing options...
Dr. G Posted February 13 Share #15 Posted February 13 22 hours ago, MCINFANTRY said: This is the lux master with a 12” softbox. I use a 36” softbox at home with a godox led bi color Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! The Lux Master has a modeling light? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCINFANTRY Posted February 13 Share #16 Posted February 13 5 minutes ago, Dr. G said: The Lux Master has a modeling light? no sir i stepped back and took the photo with the flash firing Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. G Posted February 13 Share #17 Posted February 13 1 hour ago, MCINFANTRY said: no sir i stepped back and took the photo with the flash firing Ah, thanks. What tripod and mount is that for the Lux Master? I could use something like that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCINFANTRY Posted February 13 Share #18 Posted February 13 Leofoto mt-04 i carry the lux master, tripod, modifiers, travel tripod, cane extension ball head and rode microphones and iPad Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5756825'>More sharing options...
PhotoCruiser Posted February 13 Share #19 Posted February 13 I think OP's question was regarding shooting food with his Q3 in a Restaurant without a big setup, or at least that is what i understood from his question and the attached photo. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. G Posted February 13 Share #20 Posted February 13 (edited) 26 minutes ago, PhotoCruiser said: I think OP's question was regarding shooting food with his Q3 in a Restaurant without a big setup, or at least that is what i understood from his question and the attached photo. Chris Yes - as I mentioned in one of my previous posts it can all be done without a flash if you keep certain things in mind. These were taken with the 35 APO Summicron-SL and 50 APO Summicron-SL with only available lighting in restaurants, but a Q camera should be able to do the same: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited February 13 by Dr. G 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/419149-food-photography-q3/?do=findComment&comment=5756870'>More sharing options...
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