Ideas for photographing pages quickly.

WIAWSNB

Thanks again, folks. 

From what I understand, it's just the info contained therein that's important - it doesn't have to be a neat, flat 'copy'. No idea of size, but imagine they are intact books so needs to be treated as such.

I'll do some experimenting with just hold-and-click, and I suspect that modern camera resolutions will capture the detail just fine. I'll offer my services as a page-turner and holder

DullGreyGuy

WIAWSNB said:

Thanks again, folks. 

From what I understand, it's just the info contained therein that's important - it doesn't have to be a neat, flat 'copy'. No idea of size, but imagine they are intact books so needs to be treated as such.

I'll do some experimenting with just hold-and-click, and I suspect that modern camera resolutions will capture the detail just fine. I'll offer my services as a page-turner and holder

Assuming you are trying to copy a whole book and not just random pages etc then you are probably better off having the camera in a tripod so it's always in the right place and parallel to the surface, even better if you have a remote trigger. Its then press shutter, remove weights, turn page, put weights on, press shutter. Much quicker than having to align the camera each time, reframe the book etc

Section62

WIAWSNB said:

Thanks again, folks. 

From what I understand, it's just the info contained therein that's important - it doesn't have to be a neat, flat 'copy'. No idea of size, but imagine they are intact books so needs to be treated as such.

I'll do some experimenting with just hold-and-click, and I suspect that modern camera resolutions will capture the detail just fine. I'll offer my services as a page-turner and holder

Finding the right focus and exposure modes/settings also needs some playing around - might need the focus to be on a Macro setting.  With the wrong settings if the pages aren't completely flat you can find part of the page is in sharp focus with other parts slightly out.  Likewise auto exposure settings can give iffy results if different pages have different density of writing/text.

WIAWSNB

Section62 said:

WIAWSNB said:

Thanks again, folks. 

From what I understand, it's just the info contained therein that's important - it doesn't have to be a neat, flat 'copy'. No idea of size, but imagine they are intact books so needs to be treated as such.

I'll do some experimenting with just hold-and-click, and I suspect that modern camera resolutions will capture the detail just fine. I'll offer my services as a page-turner and holder

Finding the right focus and exposure modes/settings also needs some playing around - might need the focus to be on a Macro setting.  With the wrong settings if the pages aren't completely flat you can find part of the page is in sharp focus with other parts slightly out.  Likewise auto exposure settings can give iffy results if different pages have different density of writing/text.

Thank you, and good point. My phone camera is always telling me to 'move back'. I always took it as personal. 

I'll do some dry runs. 

GDB2222

Are you training to be a spy? 

WIAWSNB

GDB2222 said:

Are you training to be a spy? 

Not training, no... 🙂‍↔️ 

FreeBear

DullGreyGuy said:

WIAWSNB said:

Thanks again, folks. 

From what I understand, it's just the info contained therein that's important - it doesn't have to be a neat, flat 'copy'. No idea of size, but imagine they are intact books so needs to be treated as such.

I'll do some experimenting with just hold-and-click, and I suspect that modern camera resolutions will capture the detail just fine. I'll offer my services as a page-turner and holder

Assuming you are trying to copy a whole book and not just random pages etc then you are probably better off having the camera in a tripod so it's always in the right place and parallel to the surface, even better if you have a remote trigger. Its then press shutter, remove weights, turn page, put weights on, press shutter. Much quicker than having to align the camera each time, reframe the book etc

Have a quick look at how this guy set up a camera. Pay attention to the lighting as this is key to getting even illumination -> https://danmurano.com/photography/setting-copy-camera

If you can hook your camera up to a computer and do live views on the monitor, it will be easier to focus. Alternatively, a 90° view finder attachment on an SLR.

Still think a cheap scanner off ebay will be much easier to use... You won't have to worry about lighting, shutter speeds, focusing, or aperture settings (and no film development/printing costs).

outtatune

WIAWSNB said:

Thanks again, folks. 

From what I understand, it's just the info contained therein that's important - it doesn't have to be a neat, flat 'copy'. No idea of size, but imagine they are intact books so needs to be treated as such.

I'll do some experimenting with just hold-and-click, and I suspect that modern camera resolutions will capture the detail just fine. I'll offer my services as a page-turner and holder

Are these published books? If so then unless your and their time is literally worthless you'd be better off just buying second digital copies.

rustybloke425

FreeBear said:

WIAWSNB said:
I understand there will be lots of pages, so it needs to be quick and simple.

Flatbed scanner then.

Flatbed scanner is simple, sure. But a hell of a lot slower than taking a photograph. Result will be a lot nicer definitely.  But not quick by any means. 

silvercar

If you are using your phone then the Notes app (iOS, though no doubt others have similar functions) you can start a new note and choose the camera button, then scan. That will allow you to take a photo of each page and it scans it better than a photo. It also means each book can be saved as a single document rather than each page saved individually.