09-16-2007, 01:07 AM
I second the scanner idea. To do it correctly with the camera, you'll need a copy stand and some lights. I would think you wouldn't want to use the on-board flash at those close distances. It's true with a scanner you may not be able to or not want to open the books flat, but I would think the quality would be good enough for your purposes. Or, what about photocopies and keep them in a binder? With either the scanner or copier you would not have to put the lid down if you are worried about damage to fragile spines, just throw a black cloth over the book to keep out stray light.