Photographing Coins

[zookeeperz]

On 05/11/2017 at 11:19 PM, Unwilling Numismatist said:

Thats a nice page of coins zoo

The whole book is like that 120 but it is so hard to take pics of all at once for obvious reasons. All different metals all twinkling differently. I have passed the point of snapping every single one individually would take forever. seeing as I have 20 or so full books from all over the world

 

[Unwilling Numismatist]

I'm just trying a new camera for when the images aren't required to be exceptional - ebay 50p's and forum posts where quick and dirty will do.

I wanted something plugged in to the pc, which can sit connected unobtrusively for quickie shots, rather than having to break out the DSLR every time.

This is a £23 webcam, and windows 10's inbuilt image software to crop the spare, I would be interested to know your thoughts.

The first coin for your perusal then gentlemen.

 

[zookeeperz]

20 minutes ago, Unwilling Numismatist said:

I'm just trying a new camera for when the images aren't required to be exceptional - ebay 50p's and forum posts where quick and dirty will do.

I wanted something plugged in to the pc, which can sit connected unobtrusively for quickie shots, rather than having to break out the DSLR every time.

This is a £23 webcam, and windows 10's inbuilt image software to crop the spare, I would be interested to know your thoughts.

The first coin for your perusal then gentlemen.

 

I think it is par for the course these days with cam/scope images. Unless you have stereo scopes which cost a fortune you are always going to make a choice between quality and clarity. That is more than acceptable and only the periphery suffers a little loss of focus but  I would have no trouble Identifying anything. I know some cams have settings other than point and click like a camera with fixed point or facial tracking

[Unwilling Numismatist]

I gave in.

Microscope USB cam - £35 quid from Amazon.

 

 

[zookeeperz]

About the best you can get mate with today's cam digi-scopes either get main detail and loss in periphery or full focas and loss in condition I.e luster always looks flat. Which is the trouble with 2D pictures of a 3d subject. I think that only SLR camera's really do coins justice as they have depth of field with no loss in the coins look. I have three lights and a room light but guess where the darkest place is ? yup the bloody coin. It is all about shinning lights in places you wouldn't naturally think to. Indirect lighting is what gives the finish to coins. albeit lesser degree with scopes. Is why sometimes pics look almost pro and other times no matter how you set it up the coin looks dreadful. Which isn't good especially for selling purposes. Even with my camera which isn't an SLR I find it extremely difficult to get that really nice clear pinpoint picture. In fact it never happens. Just took these my decimal bag of coins prob close to 2kg lol. 1/2-1p-2p's-5p-10p all UNC all manor of dates

[zookeeperz]

This is from my very expensive £175 digi-scope . Much easier to get it a little bit close to accurate as there is nothing I need to be in focus early like hair or a pattern. If the coin had a rainbow or even natural toning it looks like the coin is stained and never shows the patina of a coin.

[zookeeperz]

Like this now to look at it to me looks bloody awful but the coin has a lovely patina just a naturally aged coin very close to UNC but because I cannot capture the coin as I see it. The effect makes it looked like a stained grubby thing that wouldn't get a second glance. Probably showing 10% of it's true appearance.

[zookeeperz]

[Unwilling Numismatist]

I know what you mean, it took me a couple of takes to get some lustre to show on my threepence, but I was only messing with it inbetween working, so haven't really explored best lighting etc yet.

Mainly I got it because getting the DSLR out is just annoying for coins.

[Peckris]

5 hours ago, zookeeperz said:

About the best you can get mate with today's cam digi-scopes either get main detail and loss in periphery or full focas and loss in condition I.e luster always looks flat. Which is the trouble with 2D pictures of a 3d subject. I think that only SLR camera's really do coins justice as they have depth of field with no loss in the coins look. I have three lights and a room light but guess where the darkest place is ? yup the bloody coin. It is all about shinning lights in places you wouldn't naturally think to. Indirect lighting is what gives the finish to coins. albeit lesser degree with scopes. Is why sometimes pics look almost pro and other times no matter how you set it up the coin looks dreadful. Which isn't good especially for selling purposes. Even with my camera which isn't an SLR I find it extremely difficult to get that really nice clear pinpoint picture. In fact it never happens. Just took these my decimal bag of coins prob close to 2kg lol. 1/2-1p-2p's-5p-10p all UNC all manor of dates

I hope you're being generic! Otherwise I'll take that remark with a mighty pinch of salt. A mirrorless ILC is every bit as good as a DSLR, and even a serious enthusiast FLZ (like the Sony RX100 series, Lumix LX10/100, the Canon equivalent, etc) will do a great job, having both good DOF, low noise at high ISO, and fast lenses.

[zookeeperz]

44 minutes ago, Peckris said:

I hope you're being generic! Otherwise I'll take that remark with a mighty pinch of salt. A mirrorless ILC is every bit as good as a DSLR, and even a serious enthusiast FLZ (like the Sony RX100 series, Lumix LX10/100, the Canon equivalent, etc) will do a great job, having both good DOF, low noise at high ISO, and fast lenses.

I was generalising . I still wouldn't be able to get close ups crystal clear. But I am just a humble point and click guy . I don't know anything about photography other than the click button. But when I have asked in many forums about why my pics lack the fine detail that is crystal clear I am always told to get an SLR . Probably still wouldn't aid me unless I invested time in learning about photography. I tend to stick to the auto program . I don't have the time or the state of well being to read anything longer than a sentence such is the effects of narcolepsy . As soon as I start to concentrate on one particular thing I end up in the land of nod lol. So variety checking is somewhat hazardous at best  . I wouldn't knock anyone's set up I don't qualify in the knowledge department my comment was purely based on what I have been told. Not that it really answered my question. Like why? 

People who know things on a subject matter and I am guilty myself we seem to think that everyone will know what we are talking about. All fine and dandy if that subject floats your boat too. But if you are a complete novice even the terminology used backs me off asking anything else in fear of looking like a complete simpleton . I just wished my camera pics were better than my digi-scope pics. I paid a few bob for the camera although granted it isn't a market leader. It has super macro settings so I just surmised we are good to go. Sadly that couldn't be farther from the truth. So it's in it's bag and probably stay there for eternity 

 

Richard

 

 

[Unwilling Numismatist]

Most auto modes will pick a spot to focus on and shoot, where you may focus at random on any given high or low spot - probably not even centered. if you shoot manual and set up your focus point and manually focus,. then you 'll get sharp

 

[zookeeperz]

15 minutes ago, Unwilling Numismatist said:

Most auto modes will pick a spot to focus on and shoot, where you may focus at random on any given high or low spot - probably not even centered. if you shoot manual and set up your focus point and manually focus,. then you 'll get sharp

 

Just been messing with it and in the dark with 2 mini floodlights. I think the result is much better top picture is normal and bottom is what i just took . Only thing is the coin is the colour of the top set but it looks like the bottom set in its detail as in you can see the patina rather than a stain look. i'll just keep at it lol.

 

 

 

[Unwilling Numismatist]

A little bit of practice on exposure and aperture and I think you'll have it nailed

 

Edited April 26, 2018 by Unwilling Numismatist
crikey my spoolinng is bod tonight

[jaggy]

4 hours ago, Peckris said:

I hope you're being generic! Otherwise I'll take that remark with a mighty pinch of salt. A mirrorless ILC is every bit as good as a DSLR, and even a serious enthusiast FLZ (like the Sony RX100 series, Lumix LX10/100, the Canon equivalent, etc) will do a great job, having both good DOF, low noise at high ISO, and fast lenses.

What matters is not so much the DSLR but the lens, the lighting and the editing (e.g. Photoshop). A top quality macro lens like the Nikon 105mm with decent lighting will produce outstanding results. Unfortunately, that lens costs $900. It is, however, on my list to purchase at some point in the future.

[secret santa]

I think my Canon macro lens was about £600 but worth its weight in gold.

[Peckris]

On 26 April 2018 at 10:29 PM, zookeeperz said:

People who know things on a subject matter and I am guilty myself we seem to think that everyone will know what we are talking about. All fine and dandy if that subject floats your boat too. But if you are a complete novice even the terminology used backs me off asking anything else in fear of looking like a complete simpleton . I just wished my camera pics were better than my digi-scope pics. I paid a few bob for the camera although granted it isn't a market leader. It has super macro settings so I just surmised we are good to go. Sadly that couldn't be farther from the truth. So it's in it's bag and probably stay there for eternity 

Mea culpa. When you said "SLR" I assumed you had one and therefore were talking with knowledge, or I wouldn't have started!

[hazelman]

On 9/23/2016 at 7:21 AM, brg5658 said:

Lighting is immensely important - I'd say the most important ingredient for taking good coin images.  The type of light bulb (LED, incandescent, fluorescent) you use is less important, but understanding how to use that light source is key.  For example, being able to set a custom white balance in your camera for your particular lights is key to getting realistic colors.  The size of the light source (small bulb vs. large bulb) or the apparent size of the light source (e.g., a small light source diffused acts like a larger light source) is also important for fully lighting the coin's surface.  The angle of the lights changes the appearance of the coin's surfaces a lot -- and your lights should always be placed above your mounted camera lens, if not even higher.  With regard to lighting (in particularly angle), I wrote up a little article on the NGC forums some 3+ years ago, and I think it may be helpful.  Keep your lights at a high angle to the surface on which the coin is placed, and diffuse them enough or use large enough light point surfaces to avoid hot spots on the coin.  See my little schematic below of what my photography rig looks like.

Second to lighting, I would say that mounting your camera on a solid copy stand or tripod is very important.  Images taken with a hand held camera will be a bit "shaky" or lacking in detail.  I have seen hand-held images of coins that get the message across, but the ability to zoom in and see details or inspect surfaces is very limited.  Not only is mounting your camera on a sturdy surface important, but it is also important that your camera is aligned to the flat surface of the coin properly.  By that I mean, the camera's detector (a small rectangular flat surface at the back of the lens where the image is focused) needs to be perfectly parallel with the coin's surface (i.e., in parallel planes).  This is important for focusing reasons.  The easiest way to make sure your camera is mounted parallel with the surface on which the coin is placed is to use a little mirror.  Place the mirror where you would place the coin, and adjust your camera in the x, y, and z planes as needed until the center of your lens' reflection is perfectly centered in the camera's viewfinder.  See the little schematic I created below.

Lastly, practice, practice, and practice some more.  I have now taken somewhere around 20,000 images of coins over the past 7 years.  I have only been happy with my images for the past 4.5 years.  It takes a while to get up to "happy" quality -- and I'm still improving my images and tweaking things today.  I try to take at least some coin photos 2-3 days of every week.  It just keeps me in the "zone".

I hope some of these hints help a little.

Best, Brandon

Any advise on the best copystand? 

[Sleepy]

I think kaiser make the best copy stands, but they are expensive.