Digital Camera for coin pictures.

[Chris Perkins]

Having read lots of reveiws online, and seeing some of the picture results I decided to set about purchasing a digital camera good enough to photograph coins with. New high spec digicams are very expensive so I eventually settled on a second hand Nikon Coolpix 990 digital camera.

Apparently it's a very good camera and with a minimun focal length of just 2cm it seems ideal for taking pictures of special coins, the kind that don't scan well or deserve a far higher quality image (ancient/hammered coins, medals with high relief and expensive coins mainly).

In fact I found a Roman coin site that uses the Nikon 990 to take pictures of ancient coins, and they really look wonderful.

When I've taken delivery and learnt how to use it, I will hopefully post some of my best pictures on the forum.

In the mean time, any digital camera techniques for taking pictures of coins will be gratefully received, as I have until now scanned almost everything.

[Master Jmd]

have fun

will this mean more pictures on the site?

[Chris Perkins]

It may mean some of the coins for sale will have better pictures, but I doubt it will mean more picture, for 2 reasons:

1: It's quicker to scan a whole side of coins than it is to photograph them. So most coins will just have a scanned image, like now.

2: Bandwidth! With my www.titanhosts.net hosting I'm allowed to share 1gb in bandwidth with you people (ie anyone that visits predecimal.com, forumees etc) every month. For the past 5 months or more due to the high levels of traffic, I have been over that limit. Last month it was 4x that limit! If I keep sharing so many pictures with my site visitors I'll have to pay extra to my web hosts every month! So, I'll try to keep image sizes down.

[Raoul]

Hi Chris, i have now had my Sony DSC-P8 Cyber- shot for 6 months and i find the best way way for Macro shots is to get plenty of light on the subject also i have found this gadget handy in two ways.

1 It holds the items steady

2 You can shoot through the magnifying glass,which brings it closer.

Its dirt cheap to buy, and can by bought at any electronic shop.

[Emperor Oli]

Bloody hell, you put coins in those claws?!? Doesn't it scratch them?

[william]

Probably...

I suppose Raoul's coins are already a bit scratched from being in the ground though...

[Chris Perkins]

I won't need one of those, my Nikon will focus on a knat dropping when I get it. I'll make sure I have plenty of light, thanks for the tips, and I do hope you put the coins in holders or something before those claws.

[Raoul]

Yes you are right, i do cover the edge thats in the claw.

[mint_mark]

... New high spec digicams are very expensive so I eventually settled on a second hand Nikon Coolpix 990 digital camera.

Chris, that's a perfect camera for coins...

I have a coolpix 950, the earlier model. Apart from the amazing macro focussing one of the best features is the twist in half design of the body. You can attach the camera to a small desktop tripod and then the lens can point down at the coin. I made a small pedestal out of a box and some black velvet.

Lighting is important... you have to take a few pictures of each coin with light from different directions and then pick the best.

Here are some top tips from me

Use macro mode (obviously), but zoom the lens out until the indicator goes green, showing the lens is in the optimum position for focussing.

Use aperture priority with a small aperture (and therefore a longer exposure). You're on a tripod so you don't have to worry about movement... this means you can get away with less intense light and gives a more uniform exposure.

Before each session use a sheet of white paper and the custom white balance feature. This helps get the colours right whatever the colour of the light you are using. I use an angle poise desk lamp with an energy saving bulb... surprisingly yellow!

Only use the picture resolution you need... 640x480 is enough for my ebay listings.

For bright coins (like silver) set some exposure compensation (eg +1). This can help capture lustre and eases the bright object on a dark background problem.

Finally, when you press the shutter button don't hold it halfway down for autofocus first. When you fully depress it you can't fail to move the camera as the picture is taken. I just press it all the way at once, then while the it is autofocussing my hand is away and the camera stops moving. By the time the picture is taken everything is still... or it may be that the 990 can do timer mode with macro, but the 950 can't.

The only downside is that the photos can show up every little defect on a coin... you might find yourself undergrading

Anyway, it is worth persevering with this camera... it can take amazing pictures. I have photographed tiny mint marks on coins all the way up to pictures of the moon (through a small pair of binoculars... a crater even showed up!)

[Chris Perkins]

Thanks very much Mark, I'll be a newbie with a proper Camera, so I will refer to your tips when the Camera is delivered!

I'm so please I was clever enough to start this forum!

[Chris Perkins]

No camera yet!

The seller lacks communication skills and wouldn't take a bank transfer as payment. He has now confirmed receipt of the cheque, so I hope he gets it sent out quickly.

(In answer to your note Mint Mark)