Photographing all my coins.

Maybe I'm being too anal about this...

At one time, I wanted to have nice, high resolution photos of all my coins.

Then I saw what it would cost to receive this result, with a DSLR body and a 60mm lens, it would be upwards of $1200.

That's $1200 that can be spend on other things.

Does anyone else hear not take photos of all their coins?

 

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Taking photos of your coins is the best part

 

Um, yeah, not ALL of them.

I actually have very very few photographs of coins. Mostly photos from a few vendors where I bought them. I can see the attraction, but:

1. I suck at it
2. I simply do not have time.

It is what it is. Maybe when I am retired, or children are older, I might have time to do coin photography.

 

i use my cell phone and get great photo results. that's not costing me anywhere close to $1200.

 

Buying an expensive camera is like buying expensive golf clubs.

If you don't know the fundamentals, you will still suck.

 

You don't need a big box camera to take pics Tim. My point and shoot serves me just fine for what I want to do. I'd like to have one of those nifty Cannon or Nikon SLR's but I, like you, can't justify the cost at this time. Too many other things I'd like to buy, but perhaps down the road?

 

Yes, just ask me, (on either topic unfortunately).

 

I bet that $350 driver added an additional 20 yards to your slice!

 

I spend zero dollars using my iPhone and it takes great pictures I think. my problem is more the correct lighting, but i just dont care, as long as I can get a better depiction of the coin than the seller, and it gets it closer to what it really looks like, well then im happy. If the sellers photo are some of the nicer ones, i just use their image from then on.

Also there was a thread where there was like a $6 lens from ebay that you can apply on what appeared to be multiple phones or cameras just by switching the rings out, maybe give that a look if you have a crap lousy phone with photo capabilities.

 

I suck at golf too, unfortunately, and thats what typically keeps me away from the game, i usually produce a lot of torn up grass

 

Trey, not sure what you mean about the lighting using your iPhone... but since my android camera phone didn't have a manual adjustment for white balance, I use the Camera Zoom app. It then gives you those options. The app is available for the iPhone as well.

 

By lighting i mean that i dont set-up anything particular to capture the photos. I just either use the sun or the the 3-lights from my fan overhead as my source (CFLs, dont know the wattage though), other than that i just gently roll the coin from different angles, snap a few shots and edit the ones i like the best. So far ive been satisfied, and if theres anything else i want out of my photos, well lets just say i leave that up to the gracious professionals/amateur-photography-hobbyists, and I definitely know who to call first in that regard

 

I don't suck at golf, in fact I wish I could suck at golf. I'd have to improve 200% just to get at the level where I suck at golf. I used to be a caddy and I once came in dead last in a caddy tournament with a 206. The funny thing was I cheated, I didn't count whiffs.....

 

Boy, we could probably have the combined worst round of golf on record. I admit I am not horrible sometimes at the short game. Get me within 120 yards and I am usually fairly close to the green. My issue is the 4 ground squirrels I killed to get within 120 yards of the green, and 8 putting the green.

You ever use a 7 iron off the tee on a par 5? Yeah, my driving is THAT BAD. I can hit a 7 iron, and that pretty much is my golf repertoire.

 

A simple point and shoot with a decent macro is really all you need. You can get a half decent camera for around a hundo. As for lighting the best light set up is FREE. Natural sunlight works best, just set up by a window. The only other thing that is helpful is some type of small tripod or copy stand, eith of those are pretty inexpensive $20 or less. Save the money for the coins. With this simple setup you CAN take really nice photos.

 

Atleast now he can make it past the ladies tee

 

Just bought my wife a canon t3i yesterday so maybe I can post better coin pictures now

 

lmao.

 

You don't need an expensive camera to take nice photos of your coins. I have a nice refurbished point & shoot I got for $100 and a tripod that was in the $20 range and a couple goose neck halogen lamps that were $13 each. And I am very satisfied with the quality of my images.

Here's an example of some images I took recently:



Yeah they're not super high res and you can't zoom WAY in without the image starting to look really grainy, but for under $150 I think they're pretty good.

I'm sure you've heard it a thousand times, and I don't doubt you'll hear it a thousand more, it takes practice and the most important thing is the lighting.

I agree. How else will you show them off?