Dear Lyle,

Maybe I can help you. I was once a profesional photogapher and later, for 35
years, a university professor (of English). Now retired, I'm back to doing
photographer as a hobby/small business and am producing the kinds of
archival images you mention.  I have done a number of images for my own
publications , as well as for others.

I think your best bet would be a Canon Digital Rebel. It captures
simultaneously in RAW as well as JPEG, is 6.3 megapixels and is a single
lens reflex. I work mostly in RAW, but often in JPEG as well. I save in
TIFF.

 The trouble with shooting off a tripod  for copy work is that you have the
problem of shadows caused by the legs. I use a copy-stand and always shade
the workpiece with a white photo-umbrella to keep unwanted light and
reflections from above
away. Because the camera is a SLR you can also get good results hand-holding
it. I always carry and use black tape-covered metal strips to hold the
workpiece flat.(Home Depot can supply metal strips that you can cut to
lenght with a hacksaw.)  I use automatic white balance, and make what
compensation is necessary--surprisingly little-- in the computer. I work in
8-bit depth and save in
12. I hold the ISO as low as I can to avoid noise.

You can't really get first-class images though without Photoshoping your
work.  I use Photoshop 7, which has an amazing amount of tools, but also has
a quite high learning curve. I save  save in 300 dpi if the images are for
publication .

At present I'm doing images for a book on Scott Fitzgerld and one on African
American architecture.  I'm using the above for the work.

I hope this helps.

Cordially,

Maurice

Maurice Duke, PhD
-



----- Original Message -----
From: "Lyle E. Browning" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2005 5:34 PM
Subject: Re: Cameras in archival facilities


> On Feb 13, 2005, at 4:08 PM, Richard Labunski wrote:
>
>> Dear List Members:
>>
>> I read in the Chronicle of Higher Education recently that some
>> researchers
>> use digital cameras to capture images that they use in place of
>> photocopies
>> (when the material is too fragile) or for illustrations in their
>> published
>> work.  (I know that copyright permission would need to be obtained for
>> the
>> use of illustrations).
>>
>> I would like to purchase a camera for this purpose and would be
>> interested
>> to know:
>>
>> 1)  If you have a recommendation as to what type of digital camera
>> would be
>> best suited to taking images of handwritten letters, old newspapers,
>> and
>> other archival materials? (The camera would be on a tripod probably a
>> foot
>> or so above the document, so it would have to be one that is effective
>> for
>> close-up images).
>>
> I have used a Nikon Coolpix 5000 with very good results in just those
> ways. It has a macro capability, allows white balance to be set based
> upon the color of the material photographed in relation to available
> light, is able to turn off the flash and will save in TIFF. I do find
> that saving in JPG works very nicely and can convert the image later if
> necessary. TIFF images tend to be very large and unless you're
> enlarging very small parts to enormous size, the image doesn't become
> pixilated.
>
> I'd say that anything above 5mp would work and it's a preference matter
> beyond that. Most of the cameras do the same things. I have found that
> you will need two batteries and probably two 256mb cards to hold the
> images. Once liberated from film, it is simply amazing how many photos
> become useful.
>
>> (When it comes to illustrations, I need a camera that will take images
>> that
>> can be saved in a TIFF format and can be used in a forthcoming book).
>>
>> 2)  And if the Library of Congress and other facilities permit
>> researchers
>> to use a camera for items that they have not digitized themselves?
>
> Most will, if they haven't got prohibitions against cameras period.
> Best to check individual locations before though.
>
> Lyle Browning
>
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