Assistance from coin photographic expert...

Hello, I was able to get some fund ready to buy a macro lens for my Canon Rebel T1i to take a better quality picture of coins. Everyone has different opinions in this forum through search box. It's kind of this and that. I decide to create a new thread and explain what I am looking for. I am looking for a macro lens with ability to snap a true color and luster. Which focal length is sufficient for close range snap shot and have a good exposure quality? I can't afford $600+ lens, but somewhere less than $600+ lens. I have 80 coins in process of grading at NGC and will be ready within two weeks from now. I want to able to snap them in best quality as possible.

P.S. I forgot to add "Need" before "assistance". Oh well.

 

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Im not sure about lenses, but were you the guy who had about 80 coins graded last year for your experiment? Is this another experiment? If so, Im curious as what this experiment is.

 

Yep, I am same guy from last year, but it's 28 coins from NGC and 20 from ANACS. The total is 48 coins from last year. This time, I am screening for best condition as possible based on ANA Grading Standard Guide. I am looking forward on result of grading on 80 coins.

 

Yes, I will post the result of grades.

I did use my kit lens that came with it, but I can't strike right exposure. I have tried place soft light in different positions, but the out come has been dull just like my avatar. I have seen many photography able to capture right color and quality with macro. As you said some of them was able to snapshot great quality from budget camera. It didn't worked with me. That's why I welcome any input from someone actually use macro. There are six or seven different macro lens for my camera. Half of them are $600 or more.

 

coin picture

Hello Aslpride
I have taken over 10,000 silver and copper coin pictures. I have found that what was stated earlier is correct. Point and shoot camera will take a better silver coin picture than trying to spend a lot of money on lenses and filters. I played around for almost a year with setting the camera features and doing everything suggested for taken good pictures. When everything is said and done. A good auto focus on macro, a camera stand to hold your camera at a set height (about 4 inches from coin) and one side light. this will give you a good picture for seeing your coin details in a picture.
If you are trying to get a shinny coin picture you will loose definition because of the mirror effect and you can see a pretty coin but you cannot see detail. If you want both? I have not seen that happen on very many coins. The mirror reflection is going to be hard to over come to get a true picture unless you are a professional with more knowledge than you are going to achieve from a forum. Just take the camera you have now, using the same coin. Change the background behind the coin and you will get a different look each time you change background color. This is why I like a gray background for silver coins. I have attach a sample coin picture. Regular blue back ground is good and still pick up detail. For pretty pictures with a shine and less detail use a black background.
I hope this helps
Thanks Biged
P.S. Using the timer on camera will help also. If you have more question you can PM me.

 

i use my cell phone and 2 desk lamps and i get great photos. no need to go crazy and by expensive lenses and such

 

Consider getting the Numismatic Photography book by Mark Goodman.

I would certainly like to use an expensive camera with an expensive macro lens. However, I am getting decent photos with my current point & shoot camera. It is all a balance between technology, performance, and price.

Have fun & please post some photos.

 

With all due respect, sir, there are a few gentleman here who can and do image coins on the professional level. Also, to say that P&S cameras are superior to DLRs is not only short sighted, but flat out wrong. While P&S cameras can give excellent results and are often easier to use, this in no way makes them better; knowing your tool and how to use it correctly is the key. The fact is that the quality of a photograph comes more from the person taking it than from the camera itself, so to imply otherwise is counterproductive on many, many levels.

In most cases, using one light does not give the superior results that you suggest. Case in point: the 10C image in your post. There is nowhere near as much light hitting the coins as there should be, and definition is lost because of it. The light that is hitting the coin is not doing so in a way that compliments the design, which in turn makes the coin look worse than it likely is. Also, the focus is somewhat poor, and this is not helped by shooting it in a flip. This may not matter much with a low-dollar coin, but if the same technique were used on one more valuable, it would be wholly unacceptable to serious buyers and collectors. That said, you've a fine start and with a little tweaking, I am quite sure your photographs could be greatly improved.

Please understand that I am not trying to criticize, but only point out certain factors in your post that are not quite true, or at least debatable. Using a copy stand (or tripod) and the background advice were right on the money IMO.

 

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Tripod to support in the order of 30 to 40 mm from camera lens to subject
Four broad spectrum light bulbs
Sheet of Light Diffusing Material

I should have bought the right equipment from the start.

 

biged239: Thank you for your input. I still would like to have an ability to do same as that pictures...




You can see my avatar as I did snapshot it myself and you can see it's dull.

 

urbanchemist: You make it sound so simple, but I doubt it can give a great picture quality of coin. Am I right?

Collect89: Thanks for reference. I will check it out at ebay or bookfinder.com.

BooksB4Coins: Thank you for point it out.

Derick: You speak my language.

 

Here's picture that I tried to use my current lens that came with my Canon t1i...



ASE already removed from pvc flip.




It's not bad, but I want more.

 

you would be incorrect. my phone happens to have a great camera on it. look at any of my toned coin pictures in the toned coin thread. i would say they look darn good. here are a few examples for you. it is also not just taking the photos. it is editing them properly on the computer. it's not like it happened over night. i had to try different light positions, bulbs, different angles. i am not saying everyone can reproduce my pictures with their phone. these are just a culmination of a lot of trial and error

you tell me what you think. this is just a few of the hundreds i have taken with my phone

 

urbanchemist: I am impressed. May I ask, what kind of phone did you use?

 

i have a t-mobile amaze 4g. it has been rooted so i am running software on the phone that utilizes all the processing power for getting high quality hd images. i have tried 3 different point and shoot cameras and have yet to be able to get quality images like my phone takes. basically i am just trying to show you don't have to have an expensive dslr with super expensive lenses to achieve good coin photos. good luck on your photo endeavors :thumb:

 

I have Galaxy SIII and iPhone 5. (iPhone 5 is employer phone, but can download any apps.) I wonder what kind of app did you use on your HTC? I can give it a try.

 

it's really more than just an app. my phone is hacked. so i am able to run special roms (phone operating system) that actually optimize the performance of the phone and it's camera a well as many other things. the galaxy sIII can be hacked as well. but it's not something i would recommend unless you really know the in's and out's of the phone and how it works. the process alone usually voids the warranty of the phone. the phone can also be bricked if not done properly. i would say just for the heck of it give the sIII a chance to see what kind of pictures you can get. it has to have a macro mode(closeup) already on the camera. give it a try. once again it is a lot of trial and error. i didn't get pictures like that right away.

 

I shoot with a Canon 100mm (non-L) macro lens, and the lens is by no means my limiting factor -- the things I most need to improve are my camera support (I'd like a real "copy stand"), my lighting, and my general skill level.

I'm about ready to upgrade from my nearly-10-year-old 20D to a T4i, but I don't expect it to make much difference in my coin photos. (I want the high ISO and video capabilities, along with the 18-135mm STM as a "walk around without 20 pounds of gear" lens.) I wouldn't even consider upgrading to a better macro lens at this point -- yes, the L macro is superior, but the one I've got is probably my best lens already (certainly better than my 100-400L).

If I were starting from scratch with coin photography as my main goal, I would either stick with the kit lens or get a nice prime (non-zoom) lens, get a cheap set of extension tubes (which let a normal lens focus more closely), get a good copy stand, and get a few lights that I can arrange as I like.

No lens upgrade will help you capture luster or color. Those are entirely a product of light direction and distribution. And as for making the final image bright instead of dull and gray, that's lighting, too, but also exposure compensation (which can be set in your camera) and post-processing (using Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or even a simple brightness/contrast adjustment tool).

I'd say "good luck", but I don't think you need it. Study, practice, and experiment!

 

What do you guys think about these?