I'm curious how many coin photographers there are on the forum, so I thought I'd ask! I may do other surveys later to get more details about techniques and equipment and such, so I'll keep this first survey fairly simple...but add your own details if I missed asking the right questions.
First one should be insurance and/or inventory. Doesn't have to be both. Fourth should be selling on online auction sites. Doesn't have to be EBay.
Great question! I started photographing my coins 2 years ago when the addiction of coin collecting seized me. I do it mainly to post on forums for attribution purpose mainly. I do sell on eBay, but that is only to feed my addiction,(cash to buy more coins) so the better photo you have, the better chance to attract buyers. There are a lot of what I call expert on this forum that have provided me with excellent info. SuperDave and others are freakin awesome! I know this has come up in the past, but it sure would be nice to have a forum here dedicated to coin photography. Thanks for the survey RPM!
Photography is as important to me as are the coins themselves. One of my primary aims in numismatics - perhaps the primary aim - is to spread the word and teach professional-level photography using relatively inexpensive equipment. It is advantageous on every level for a collector to learn good photography skills - it improves insurance coverage, raises the value of coins offered for sale, makes grading and variety discussion far easier, negates the need for a stereoscope observation system, and enhances one's reputation as serious about the hobby. And it's at the point where the "$400 professional imaging system" we were discussing a few years ago can now be created for somewhat over half that. Then again, the OP knows all of this, because many of the techniques I teach, I learned from him.
Here, here Dave!! You said it much more eloquently than I would have. And yes, the OP, Ray is somewhat of the God Father on this subject. If you ever have any questions, you should check the coin photography section over here. http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=81
I store all gold coins and other valuable ones in safety deposit boxes. Back in the early 1980s, I started taking pics of all coins before taking them to the bank, so I could look at them anytime. These were film pics, and of variable quality, but never sharp compared to modern digital pics (especially close-up shots of mint marks or overdates, since I never tried stacking with film) . Nowadays, since DSLR photography with magnified live view is so much easier and better than film, I routinely photograph all (non-junk) coins, just to have an easily-accessible record of them. Storing files on a computer is much simpler than having a pile of film prints, so keeping a much larger number of photos around is not a problem these days.
I'm curious what equipment you would recommend to someone wanting to create a "...professional imaging system...for somewhat over half...([of]$400)"
The "<$400" system consisted of a camera, extensions, helicoid, full-coin lens, details lens, adapters, and tripod. At the time I made the original recommendation, all that equipment together could be sourced for <$400. If you're only looking to do full-coin pics, then you don't need the details lens, which was budgeted at $50 I believe. Today, the camera is cheaper than it was then (used of course), the helicoid is cheaper (more choices available), and if you're wanting to be very budget-minded you could start with a cheaper lens. I'll pull up a representative list of parts from eBay and see how much this system would cost today...Ray
I cannot give enough praise to Ray's under $400 system and both Ray and Dave are master sensei's of coin photography.
Here you go: Total price including shipping: $201 Camera (Canon Rebel XS): $109 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-EOS-R...264807?hash=item2381b95f67:g:ZO0AAOSwmgJY5kZc EOS-M42 adapter (US): $5 http://www.ebay.com/itm/For-Black-A...391372?hash=item462fd7ef4c:g:evIAAOSwQYZWyo4a M42 extensions: $8 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Macro-Exten...hash=item2c6ae0cab5:m:mkzsdJiy3yrqcDryT2bR0yQ M42 helicoid: $22 http://www.ebay.com/itm/M42-to-M42-...644618?hash=item4b13daa9ca:g:XnUAAOSw1S9Wfz~M M42-M39 adapter: $3 (unfortunately, long lead time from China) http://www.ebay.com/itm/M42-M39-no-...495117?hash=item3d36a0874d:g:v~EAAOSwnbZYECZf Lens (75mm El-Omegar): $20 http://www.ebay.com/itm/EL-Omegar-7...id=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&mehot=lo&sd=142308609312 Tripod: $34 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zomei-Q111-...877402?hash=item2ef69b6f9a:g:VTYAAOSwMVdYGMpG
