OT: Ideas needed for photo size reference

Matt@RFR · Oct 28, 2016

Kind of a wierd request, but most of our parts are fairly small and when taking pictures of them, it's important to have something in the picture for a size reference. Most every picture we have on the website right now has a dime beside the part for said reference. Now I'm looking for something to put on the part for those nice close ups to show fine detail. Any suggestions? Ideas include a grain of rice and maybe a grain of sand. Whatever it is needs to be nearly universally recognizable, these pictures are for customers and purchasers, not other machinists. I thought about the point of a pencil or something like that, but that takes over the picture and pushes the part in to the background. Mechanical pencil lead would be good, but I doubt too many of the younger generations would know what it is.

This is a good example. It's a very rough picture to give my photographer ideas of what I want to see. It would be nice to have something set on top of the part for size reference. The lower right corner of the part, which I think would be where this reference would go, is very roughly .300" x .200". A quarter would hide the entire picture. (The arrow points to a .060" hole whos wall is .002" thick where the left step edge is, and is .012" away from that M2 thread)

jlevie · Oct 28, 2016

I'd suggest laying a 1/2" machinist's scale next to the part.

Your picture looks a bit out of focus. For the best results you need to use a camera with a close-up lens or a macro lens for objects that small.

James Lederer · Oct 28, 2016

How about a sewing pin with the head oriented for comparison? That's pretty universally recognized.

J_R_Thiele · Oct 28, 2016

A never carried dollar bill with the part sitting on it, shot with a high f stop to increase the depth of field. If unable to get the bill in sufficient focus, it may be necessary to fold it or have a cut section.

A postage stamp would be another option.

Both of the above would be universally recognized and available for comparison.

APD · Oct 28, 2016

Machinist's scale, probably best in mm.

Any other object is subject to customer interpretation. A scale will show actual measurements that nobody can really argue with.
If you are trying to convey the size of the object, why would you show anything other than a measuring scale?

If the scale is too obtrusive in the photo, you could get a transparent scale and set the part on or below it, or photograph on graph paper with the grid size clearly labeled.

paul39 · Oct 28, 2016

I would get a good mm scale and cut off about 10 - 15 mm and mount on a stand that could be placed in the photo close to the plane of focus so that it would be sharp. You want a satin finish so that it would contrast with the black marking and not reflect like a mirror finish.

Shinwa 15� mm Rigid (15 mm x �.5 mm) Zero Glare Satin Chrome Stainless Steel Machinist Engineer Ruler / Rule with Graduations in mm and .5mm Model 13��5: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

You could use a ruled graph paper for a background with 1/4 inch or smaller squares. If you always used the same size you would have a comparison for all your products. I would use a gray background as opposed to white.

Paul, retired commercial / industrial photographer

Edit: APD writes faster than I.

SteveBausch · Oct 28, 2016

Golf ball
iPhone charging cable
Condom in package
22 cal rim fire
223 military round
AAA battery
Dice
Battery from digital calipers
Ibuprofen tablet

JST · Oct 28, 2016

For really small parts, set them ON a penny or dime, Or on top of (part of) a dollar bill (you can't show the whole bill)..

It's hard to find anything that is universally recognized anymore, other than money, and even money is going away fast. I really can't think of anything to put ON the product..... Many folks under 25 might not recognize a pin..... or needle.

Georgineer · Oct 29, 2016

Matt@RFR said:
It's a very rough picture to give my photographer ideas of what I want to see.

jlevie said:
Your picture looks a bit out of focus.

Add your own comment.

George

cranium · Oct 29, 2016

When processing/editing the photographs you could overlay a scale or an arrow or circle above the area you want to highlight.

ArtTech · Oct 29, 2016

I think the sewing needle idea someone gave is good. It is universal, everyone would know what it is. Rather than including the point of the needle in the pic, include the eyelet, could give a "3D" impression if eyelet was oriented properly in relation to your part. One could also scale up or down the size of sewing needle used to accommodate each unique part size.

HuFlungDung · Oct 29, 2016

J_R_Thiele said:
A never carried dollar bill with the part sitting on it, shot with a high f stop to increase the depth of field.

I think this is key, get more depth of field so that the background is clearer. You can't accomplish this with a cell phone camera, you need a real camera and lots of light to make it work.

Perhaps just holding the part in a pair of tweezers or needle nose pliers would suffice for a scaling impression.

JST · Oct 29, 2016

Problem with "sewing needle" is that there is no such thing. There are MANY such. A large "needle" may be 0.090 (or larger) diameter and several inches long, while a small one may be 0,025 and an inch or so. Who is to know which it is?

Money is pretty standardized in size, and well-known, which is why it is such a good reference.

Mud · Oct 29, 2016

Maybe cut a piece out of a dollar bill that is recognizable like the all seeing eye at the top of the pyramid or the In God We Trust and stick it on the corner of the part? Or mill the corner out of a dime, with the date, and use that?

EPAIII · Oct 30, 2016

You want something universal. I can make a few suggestions:

A stapled staple. Most people have seen staples that have been used.

A grain of uncooked rice. These vary so get one (some) that are of an average size.

The eye of a needle. Again these vary so use one of average size.

A straight pin (used by seamstresses).

A thumb tack. But they can vary somewhat in size.

The point of a ball point pen. They are more constant than pencil lead.

A fly. Or an ant.

A small paper clip. These are fairly standard.

Georgineer · Oct 30, 2016

Many of these suggestions are of things which are commonly seen in different sizes - button cells, pins, needles, , tablets, dice, paper clips. We might do better to go back to the 14th century and use "three grains of sound ripe barley being taken out the middle of the ear, well dried, and laid end to end in a row" (that's the definition of an inch, if you didn't know).

I best like paul39's suggestion of a slip of machinist's rule on a stand, though if you are showing millimetres it would be better to use a backgraound of 5mm squares rather than 1/4".

George

Jachin · Oct 30, 2016

If the target audience understands taps sizes, identify the clearly visible tapped hole size. For dummies lay it on a cellphone, debit card showing the chip, but who knows what a dime is nowadays.

Marty Feldman · Oct 30, 2016

Anyone who cares about the details of the parts you are making will immediately and without any ambiguity understand a section of a small machinist's rule. Don't try to get cute.

-Marty-

gbent · Oct 30, 2016

Starrett, B & S, and others made a number of steel rules that are only 3/16" wide. Many can be had with 1/64 graduations. Photograph the end that shows the graduations to be 1/64.

It sounds to me like a 1/2" wide rule will be to large.

Chip Chester · Oct 30, 2016

As sort of mentioned above, a USB connector is pretty, well, universal. Somewhat large, but you could position it so key dimensions are comparable.

An actual engineer's rule is non-ambiguous, especially if graduated in inches and mm. Pencil eraser or pencil point might work. Or, have the photo background (real or composite) be a partial drawing showing some dimensions.

Chip

OT: Ideas needed for photo size reference

Titanium

Cast Iron

Hot Rolled

Stainless

Stainless

Titanium

Stainless

Diamond

Stainless

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Stainless

Plastic

Titanium

Diamond

Diamond

Similar threads