Which type of camera is good for taking close-up photos of mineral specimens?

Which type of camera is good for taking close-up photos of mineral specimens?

Added (1). I need a camera with manual focus to take very clear, close-up photos of gemstones. I will appreciate any help.

Actually what you need is a macro lens and a good light source.

I do field photography for a geologist from time to time and I use a Nikon D300 and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens.

In the lab, I use two 500 watt lamps to light the specimens.

If you do not have the budget for a digital SLR, macro lens and 500 watt lamps, you can probably find a decent P&S camera with a closeup feature. For lighting, you can use a pair of LED worklights

No, what you really need is a camera with a macro lens. A normal lens won't focus close up, even in manual focus. You could buy an entry level DSLR, say around $600, and buy a macro lens, but it will cost as much if not more than the camera.

Probably the cheapest option is to buy point and shoot cameras or a bridge camera, most of these have a macro/close up mode.