Watch photo advise needed

[Tiny]

I see many amazing close up photos of watches on the forum. I'm not much of a photographer but I have a basic camera and a couple of lenses.

Using a Nikon D90 with a Sigma 105mm 1:2.8 Macro, I can't get closer than filling the frame with a watch face. And even then, at any angle other than straight ahead, the depth of field is so small I can't get the whole face in focus.

Can any of our photography experts advise what equipment and technique is required to take really close up pics of dial components and hands etc? Artistic composition and lighting are practiced skills which I don't expect to learn from a forum text, but if someone can point me in the right direction re. lenses etc I can try to learn the rest.

[Onelasttime]

iPhone 6s and Warmlight app works for me

[Tiny]

iPhone 6s and Warmlight app works for me

I hadn't considered the phone option, although thinking about it, they have superior processors to DSLRs. I've got an old MOTO G and it doesn't seem to focus very close, something like X4 only.

Really looking for options for the DSLR.

[MrSmith]

I see many amazing close up photos of watches on the forum. I'm not much of a photographer but I have a basic camera and a couple of lenses.

Using a Nikon D90 with a Sigma 105mm 1:2.8 Macro, I can't get closer than filling the frame with a watch face. And even then, at any angle other than straight ahead, the depth of field is so small I can't get the whole face in focus.

Can any of our photography experts advise what equipment and technique is required to take really close up pics of dial components and hands etc? Artistic composition and lighting are practiced skills which I don't expect to learn from a forum text, but if someone can point me in the right direction re. lenses etc I can try to learn the rest.

I shoot watches professionally :www.garysmithphoto.com

I use a camera with movements so I can tilt the plane of focus to get more of the watch in focus but even then I often have to stack using software (Helicon focus). A Cambo Actus is the camera which in principle is the same as the old bellows cameras you put a dark cloth over your head to compose the image with.
Do not stop down too far as you end up with diffraction coming into play and making the image soft, for me and the lenses I use I never go beyond f11.5

Don’t bother trying to stack/merge in photoshop as it can’t handle complex shapes like watch faces and movements.

[Watchtechie]

Helicon Remote and Helicon Focus gent get my vote.
I will be paying for both when my 30 day trial is up.

Craig

My lens is a Nikon 40mm micro, camera is a D7100

Hopefully this shows what it can do