The Role of Macro Photography in Clock Repair

While explaining any process on paper serves its purpose, nothing quite replaces the effectiveness of a sequence of detailed still images that, in essence, tell a story. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

_{A shot of punch marks around a mainspring barrel} _arbour

First, what is macro photography?

Macro photography is a specialized form of photography that focuses on capturing extreme close-up images of small subjects, revealing intricate details that might not be visible to the naked eye. It typically involves using specific macro lenses to achieve high levels of magnification, allowing photographers to capture subjects at a 1:1 ratio or greater. Careful attention to lighting, focus, and depth of field will achieve the best results.

For best results, I recommend a dedicated camera paired with a quality macro lens. While cell phones can capture impressive images, they are a compromise since they often struggle with foreground-background isolation and fail to deliver clear macro shots. For shots that necessitate a low shutter speed, maintaining absolute stillness is crucial, making a tripod an essential accessory.

For me, photography seamlessly integrates into my various hobbies, so, taking pictures of clocks, movements, parts, and so on is a natural extension of my photography hobby. It goes without saying that having a reliable camera is indispensable for clock repair.

getting ready to punch a bushing into a clock plate — _{A brass bushing awaits punching into a clock plate}

My preferred camera/lens/tripod combination

I own several cameras by Panasonic, Fuji, and Olympus. Although the former two are great cameras and have their uses, an Olympus E-330 camera manufactured in 2006 remains my preferred choice for macro photography.

Olympus E330 with 50 mm macro lens on a tripod — _{Olympus E330 with 50mm F2 macro lens} _{on a Manfrotto ball head tripod}

With its 7.5 megapixels, the Olympus E-330 interchangeable lens camera boasts ample resolution for my needs, especially when downsizing files for blog posts, ensuring detailed yet compact images—ideal for conserving server space on a blog platform.

No camera will perform well without a good lens. Paired with an Olympus 50mm F2 macro lens, it excels in capturing those extremely close clock shots and enables me to isolate my subject while maintaining a pleasing background blur.

While artificial lighting is occasionally necessary, I predominantly rely on the natural light streaming in from a west-facing window in my workspace. When artificial illumination is necessary, I turn to a continuous studio light (with colour temperature adjustment), using the on-camera flash for rare occasions.

While the camera uses an older CF memory card, I can still procure these cards and even aftermarket BLM-1 replacement batteries. The camera will run until it fails and that day looks far off though perhaps it’s already telling me something. The memory card door clasp broke recently, so I must now keep the door closed with velcro tape otherwise I get an on-screen error message.

A distinctive feature of the E330 is its live view switch allowing the transition from automatic to manual focus mode through this switch, securely locking focus on extremely close subjects.

_{Live view A/B switch for manual and auto-focus}

A tripod such as the Manfrotto 785B Compact is necessary for macro photography because it helps to stabilize the camera, ensuring sharp and clear images, especially when using slow shutter speeds or working with extremely close subjects where even the slightest movement can result in blur.

With any repair task, I meticulously capture dozens of photos from various angles. These images serve as invaluable references, particularly when encountering challenges during reassembly or when puzzled about the positioning of specific components like wheels, levers, washers, or springs. Furthermore, I diligently organize and catalog these photos for easy retrieval, years later, if necessary.

_{An arrow points to a kink in a movement hairspring}

My advice is straightforward: Invest in a quality new or used camera equipped with a dedicated macro lens for clock repair. You don’t have to spend thousands; any older camera of good quality will suffice, although finding a compatible macro lens may be the biggest challenge. It should be capable enough to deliver satisfactory results. I was searching eBay today and found an E330 with 50 mm macro lens well under $450. Add about $100 or so for a decent tripod, $30 for a CF card and a CF card reader and you have everything you need for macro photography.

_{A very worn pivot on a Gilbert movement}

Trust me, you’ll appreciate the benefits it brings to your craft.

April 12, 2024

Photography and Clock Repair: Choosing the Right Camera and Lens

Photography can be a useful tool in almost any hobby, including clock repair. While written instructions can be helpful, a well-crafted video or series of detailed still images can be even more effective. As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

In this article, we will explore the benefits of using any type of camera to record the process of repairing a clock. However, we will also discover that there is a specific type of camera and lens that offers the best results for this purpose.

Not all cameras are created equal. While cell phones can take decent pictures, they have limitations when it comes to isolating foreground from background and producing high-quality macro images. Nevertheless, if a dedicated camera is unavailable, using a cell phone camera is still better than having no documentation at all when it comes to clock repairs.

My preferred setup

The author has used several cameras for clock repair photography but their go-to camera is a digital interchangeable single-lens reflex camera, the Olympus E-330, which was made in 2006. Despite its age, the camera has more than enough megapixels (7.5mp) and is fully capable of producing superior results. The photos can be resized to a smaller dimension for publication on a blog, without a significant loss of quality.

To avoid any shaky images while capturing photos with a low shutter speed, I utilize a sturdy and high-quality Manfrotto tripod with a ball head. Using a tripod is crucial when taking photos with a low shutter speed because it helps to stabilize the camera and prevent any unwanted camera shake or blur, resulting in sharper and more professional-looking images.

E330 with Olympus flash — _{Olympus E330 with 50mm macro lens}

Paired with an Olympus 50mm F2 macro lens, the Olympus SLR is excellent for taking close-up shots and producing a pleasing soft out-of-focus background blur or bokeh.

All closeup photographs on this page were taken with the Olympus 50mm f2 macro lens.

A dedicated macro lens is important for close-up photography because it allows for a high degree of magnification with minimal distortion and high image quality but most importantly it isolates the subject.

Macro lenses are specifically designed to produce sharp images at close range, with a flat field of focus and minimal aberrations. They also typically have a wider maximum aperture, which allows for better control over the depth of field.

Using a non-macro lens for close-up photography can result in image distortion, reduced sharpness, and difficulty in achieving accurate focus.

_{Balance wheel hairspring showing a slight kink}

A capable and versatile camera is also essential for macro photography. One of the E-330’s best features is its ability to switch from automatic to manual focus mode and lock onto an extremely close subject through a 10X magnification box, making it ideal for clock repair photography.

The author takes dozens of photos from every conceivable angle during a repair job and catalogs them for future reference.

_{New main wheel bushing for a banjo clock}

Can I use my cell phone?

Yes, it is possible but with an understanding of its limitations!

Many modern cell phones have a built-in macro feature that allows you to take close-up photos of small objects. However, the quality of the macro feature can vary greatly between different phones and models. In general, the camera features of a cell phone improve with a higher price point.

Some phones have dedicated macro lenses or sensors that allow for better magnification and clarity, while others may rely on software, often called digital zoom, to enhance close-up shots. Phones with higher-end cameras and more advanced features tend to have better macro capabilities.

That being said, even with a macro feature, even the best cell phones can still have limitations when it comes to close-up photography. They may struggle with focusing on small subjects, produce lower-quality images with more noise or distortion, or have a limited depth of field.

A dedicated camera with a good macro lens that can be focused manually is still the preferred choice for serious close-up photography.

Finally

Based on my personal experience, I would recommend using a dedicated camera with a high-quality macro lens for achieving the best possible results when documenting clock repairs.

Having a good camera with a dedicated macro lens can greatly enhance the clock repair process. It doesn’t have to be the latest and greatest or the most expensive, but it should be decent enough to produce high-quality results.

I believe that a camera is one of the most indispensable tools for repairing clocks. There have been several instances where I had to consult a photograph to ensure the precise placement of a clock component on a movement being repaired, which has saved me hours of frustration and prevented any potential mistakes.

Overall, the utilization of photography as a tool in clock repair enables repairers to document their work and have a visual reference to ensure accuracy and consistency in their repairs, ultimately resulting in successful and lasting repairs.

April 14, 2023

Macro photography images and clock repair

How do you get those wonderful macro shots, a reader asked.

Close-up of bushing wear — Extreme close-up of bushing wear (the black mark is an identifier – a bushing that needs work)

Photography easily becomes part of almost any hobby and in my view, a camera is essential for clock repair. Describing a process on paper is one thing but it cannot replace a well-crafted video or a series of detailed still images. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Having the right tool is also important. For optimum results, I suggest a dedicated camera with a good macro lens. Why? You can take wonderful pictures with a cell phone but cell-phones are very limiting because they have difficulty isolating the foreground from the background and have a hard time producing decent macro images.

I have a number of cameras, two Pansonics, a Fuji, and an Olympus E330. While the first three cameras are either new or relatively new the last, an Olympus E-330, made 14 years ago, is my go-to camera for macro work.

Bushing installed on escape wheel arbour — Close-up of a bushing installed on escape wheel bridge

At 7.5 mp it has more than enough megapixels and reducing the file for blog work makes for a particularly small but detailed file when server space is limited (as on a blog). I use artificial light on occasion but for the most part, rely on natural light from a west-facing window in my workspace. When artificial light is required, I rely on a continuous studio light and rarely use the on-camera flash.

Paired with an Olympus 50mm F2 macro lens it is excellent for those very close clock shots and allows me to isolate my subject while maintaining a pleasing background blur.

After almost 15 years it works every day and I can still purchase CF memory cards and even aftermarket BLM-1 batteries. Simply put, I will use it until it goes to photography heaven.

Reverse side of punched bushing — The reverse side of a punched bushing, notice how the background is completely blurred out

The E330s best feature is its ability to activate a switch from automatic to manual focus mode and lock on an extremely close subject such as the above and below photos.

Looks like a large pivot hole but actally punched close to the hole — Looks like a large pivot hole but actually punched close to the hole, an example of subject isolation

Some clock repairers record everything on paper and to each their own, but for me, there is no substitute for a digital image. During any clock repair job, I will take dozens of photos from every conceivable angle. If I have difficulty reassembling the movement or am puzzled as to where a particular wheel, lever, washer, or spring should be positioned, my photos are my best reference. In addition, I catalog my images so that I can refer to them, days, weeks, or months later if need be.

My advice is simple, buy a good new or used camera with a dedicated macro lens for clock repair. It does not have to be the latest, greatest, and the most expensive but decent enough to give you good quality results. You will thank me.

November 25, 2020

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