Camera for coin photography... Need help!

So this weekend i plan on buying myself a camera to photograph coins. I want one that you can attach a macro lens to and get a really great close up shot. I need help narrowing down what to buy. I have a budget of about $350 to $400 I can cough up more money if needed though. So any suggestions would really be great.

 

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Any D-SLR will do. The macro lens should be at least 100mm. I started with 50, moved to 100, and now routinely use 180mm. The smaller lenses are useful for whole-slab shots.

Buy a remote shutter release. It's inexpensive. I also bought an AC adapter so I don't have to swap and charge batteries.

How are you planning on stabilizing the camera? I messed with a tripod for a while. Clumsy. Then a desktop tripod. Better, but not strong enough for the weighty D-SLR and long macro. Finally settled on a copy stand. I've seen some on ebay for around $150. I bought "new" and spent much more.

If your copy stand doesn't have rails for lighting then buy a couple of cheap gooseneck lamps and screw-in halogen flood lamps, like the GE PAR 30's. You will get the best results from halogen, not Ott's, GE Reveal, fluorescent, etc. Others will differ but trust what you hear from those who shoot professionally. (See http://browncopper.com/Lighting_shootout.html )

You'll need post-processing software, maybe the most important element. I use a Mac which is great for creativity and has some awesome apps. There's a lot of free or cheap PC stuff you can get by with.

Buy the book, read and study it: Mark Goodman's Numismatic Photography.

Coin photography is not only fun (sometimes frustrating) but it will improve your eye and grading skills if you really get into it.
Lance.

 

On a related topic, I want to know how some people take really nice pictures with their phone's camera. Check out the "post your prettiest coin" thread and there's several really nice shots from a phone camera. 1925 peace dollar in there was one example.

 

I use a Canon PowerShot A520, cost me about £80 ($125) 4 years ago, built in macro, turn the settings to "Auto"
My camera stabalizer however was really expensive after I had eaten the icecream it contained, LoL
Cut a hole in the base for the lens to poke through and it self focuses at just the right distance from the coin.
I use a black velvet piece of cloth as a none reflective background and the lighting is either daylight windowsill or a daylight replicating bulb that shines through the semi opaque icecream carton. Bingo

 

Really neat setup for something relatively inexpensive. I think you just answered a lot of beginner photographer's questions for shooting coins and other small items.

 

thanks for the info i do plan on buying a copystand and already have a gooseneck lamp but need a new bulb.

 

so i've been looking up 100 mm lens for D-SLR's and they look quite costly is there any alternative to this type of lens ( would a 50mm work?). I heard something about extention tubes, can someone please fill me in ?

 

Extension tubes are very difficult to work with. When you use one focusing and getting the distance to the coin right is a real pain. I know that Lance (lkeigwin) is a phenomenal photographer, but the fancy DSLR setups are really more than someone needs to take very nice photographs of coins. I have a $140 Canon (SD1400IS) point and shoot camera with a Macro setting and with a timer (to avoid shake). I mount that little camera on a copy stand, adjust my gooseneck small halogen lights, and I take photos that I think are perfectly acceptable.

I also do semi-professional photography for weddings, portraiture for senior photos, and some other photography so I own a DSLR set-up that cost me in the $4000 range. I will say, after trying both the extension tubes, a 100mm macro fixed lens, etc. the small camera is so much easier to deal with. DSLR cameras are great for the pros, but the lenses are always in the way of your lights, and they are just unwieldy in general to work with. My little Canon point and shoot is the size of a deck of cards, is 14MP, and lets me take sharp, and very large photographs.

If you really want to get in the realm of DSLR fixed lens (detachable lens) photography, then go for it. But, the Canon equivalent of that 180mm lens that lkeigwin is referencing will run you $1500 just for the lens.

I'm attaching a couple of the photos I have taken with my little camera mounted on a copy stand. I do all of my editing in Adobe Photoshop and GIMP (free software similar to Photoshop). I have given you a mix of coin compositions so you can see how well copper versus clad versus silver photograph, as well as how proofs photograph versus business strikes.

All the best,
-Brandon

 

those are some excellent shots and perhaps i will go in a the direction you have thanks for the help

 

Are you looking at doing raw or slabbed? The point at shoots struggle with slab coins from what I have seen.

There are 60mm macros out there but I would stick with 100mm or more. I have a 150 and 180 I use.

 

oh and those shots are all with the macro setting on your point and shoot? the point and shoot cameras i have are terrible when it comes to that setting so i have to take shots through a loupe. And do you use an axial lighting setup ?

 

i'm looking to photograph raw coins

 

You don't need axial for raw coins. I am hesitant on point and shoots because I don't know which ones actually have a good macro feature. When you see one recommended like you have above, I would do some more research and check it out.

 

As you could tell from the coins I posted, 4 of the 5 were in slabs when I shot them. The conder token was raw.

I'm not sure why the point and shoots would have more problems with the slabs than a big clunky DSLR, unless you (Todd) are suggesting that putting a polarizer filter on the lens may help with glare or something?

I don't use any fancy axial lighting (never have, never will). Usually I use diffused light just because I prefer a softer look and because it brings out detail in coins. Others use mostly direct lighting and sometimes blow out (all white) stripes where the cartwheel luster is showing. It's a personal preference, and certain types of light (diffused or direct) work better or worse on certain types of metal compositions. If you haven't picked up the Mark Goodman numismatic photography book like lkeigwin suggested, that's also a worthwhile $20 purchase.

I'm not a pro, so I'm just offering a feasible alternative to the super-spendy DSLR options. blu62vette is a pro, and lkeigwin has super nice photos, so if you want to go that route you can definitely get superior images to mine. I have shot with Canon point and shoots and Panasonic point and shoots. The Canon processors seem to be of superior quality, so I'd stick with industry standard of Canon or Nikon no matter whether you go DSLR or point and shoot. Just my 2 cents.

 

The clunky DSLR's offer much more control. I do not use filters or diffused light.

I have seen some people that can't seem to get a point and shoot to focus correct on a slabbed coin. I figure this has more to do with a bad macro feature than anything That is why I said if there is a camera recommended by someone, take a look at it.

 

You also photograph coins for a living, and have thousands of dollars worth of equipment...so, the requested budget of $350-$450 is unrealistic for probably even the copy stand you use

 

Crap!! I didn't even see the budget part!! I just saw Lance mention a DSLR, and I agree any most will do. But does not fit the budget.

Just to add another note, my first real setup was all used and not expensive. The current setup is expensive only because I had to re-buy the entire setup due to wear and tear. The first setup was under 1k. Current setup is more mainly due to a pricey body. I try to find things used when I can, that saves a lot of money. Patience pays off on photo gear. Buying in a rush in painful, I had to buy a lens quickly a couple months ago and it hurt.

 

I know. I have a Canon 50D, and I have wanted a 180mm L-glass for a while...but I can't bring myself to drop the $1K+ for it. Used is the way to go, but even used most of these 150 or 180 fixed lenses are expensive!

 

Unless you're considering doing professional photography I think you can get excellent results using a better point and shoot camera. As you're looking at them, pay attention to the cameras focal length capabilities in macro. I bought a Cannon powershot SX110 IS a couple years ago and I'm very satisfied with it. The big plus with the Cannon is the included software that lets you tether the camera to your computer and run the camera directly in a camera window. You can change settings and run the shutter release with the click of the mouse. It allows you to take tons of pics while you're adjusting lighting and camera angles and see immediate results. I think the key with using a point and shoot is taking lots of pics and experimenting.

 

thanks for the responses guys it really helps, like i said i can shell out more money if needed lol but i think i may go with a point and shoot(possibly the one suggested) . I'm not looking to do professional photography but am looking to get great pics for myself and for when i sell coins.