Hi Doug, really great questions! I've actually never tried the in-camera focus stacking/focus bracketing as Sony cameras don't have this functionality as far as I'm aware. The Laowa lens is also completely manual so the focus can't be controlled by the camera. One option would be to change the focus manually and while you could create some contraption to do this automatically (i.e. a rubber belt around the focus ring connected to a motor), it seems like a less precise method than just changing the distance. I imagine you would also need to reconfigure it for different lenses that have a different focus throw (change in focus for a given rotation of the focus ring). If you have the functionality in the camera, it would definitely be a lot easier than manual focus stacking. I'm not sure if there are any downsides, the folks on photomacrography.net would probably know. I wonder if it might have trouble for really "deep" stacks (in terms of distance covered and not necessarily number of photos), since the size of the subject on the sensor would be changing as the focus/magnification also changes. But I don't imagine that would be an issue for most coins at around ~1x magnification. I'm guessing your extension tubes maintain electrical contact between lens and camera so you would still be able to use the in-camera focus bracketing with them? The Laowa is a really nice lens but probably not worth upgrading to if you already have the Canon 100mm and the extension tubes are working for you. Yeah I find it spins too fast as well. There is a setting to adjust it but I couldn't quite find the right balance as when I started slowing it down it appeared to get quite choppy. The setting also has no units (e.g. frames per second) so it's hard to dial it in correctly but I will give it another go! If anyone does find an alternative to using museum putty or similar, I would pay good money! I really would rather use something else as I don't like using it for coins with fragile surfaces but I'm having a hard time coming up with something better, and I'm sure many of us have tried.
A very engaging and impressive website, @Kaleun96 - I like the 360 views, which are much nicer to me than the video alternative of someone rotating the coin in hand. I also like the various routes that you provide into the coins (maps, database, gallery...) Your photo rig is elegant. I think a small clear plastic base with a grove might be a way to get away from the clay. Thanks for sharing.
You've done what I wanted to after I made the photo below a couple of years ago. I didn't have the time or equipment and still don't. Those are great results and some nice coins.
Thanks for checking out the site! The groove idea might be worth looking into, so far the complication has been how do you make it worth for coins with different thicknesses and diameters but perhaps I should buy a 3D printer and make "inserts" for different sized coins. Nice! I think that turned out pretty well. How did you support the coin? If I were to guess, I'd say you had it propped up at the back and when you get to nearly 180 degrees rotation you then flipped it around and propped up the other side?
I made a rotating pvc stand which I no longer have. The coin stayed with a slight groove and rested on it's back almost vertical. Yes I had to rotate after 180 degrees.
Just a heads up that I added a few more 360 photos today. Two I really liked in particular: an Alexander tetradrachm from Susa: https://artemis-collection.com/360-alexander-susa-tetradrachm/ and an Athens owl tetradrachm: https://artemis-collection.com/360-athens-owl-tetradrachm/
Sorry I missed the updates to this thread. Things on CT get pushed off the first page by the more popular posts and I do not live online (at least not here anymore). I have always been into still photography and am not sufficiently into learning motion skills to make it happen. I have been practicing with the in camera Focus Bracketing routines but have not shot a coin for a while. Flowers lend themselves to the Focus Bracketing technique better than coins that reveal their faults as you get close rather than their beauty.
I've found some here but it's a bit of a pain ordering from the UK these days. I'm in the EU and everything takes time to go through customs to get taxed! https://www.protastic.co.uk/tools-p...dustrial-strength-black-tac-putty-sticky.html I do wonder if it might be too black though, I don't want it disappearing completely into the background as it might make it look like I've taken a small chunk out of the coin! But would be great if it's just less noticeable than the white tack.
Very well done and wow-- your website!! Wonderful visualizations and data. Bravo! Love your logo too.
Sigh. My website. Haven't updated it in years. Don't see it happening this year either. I need to revamp the whole thing. If I do, I'll strive to make it more like yours!
I worry about that too - it can take a lot of effort just to maintain a site, not to mention needing to make big changes when plugins stop being supported or an update breaks things etc. Hope you're able to find time for it again in the future! I should give a shout-out to Classical Numismatics for the logo, he kindly made the logo for my site in similar style to the drawings he does for his videos.
I've added five new 360 photos yesterday, including for the first time a denarius (the one in my profile picture) and a sestertius of Hadrian: https://artemis-collection.com/showcase/360photos/ I also found some black putty/tack, which is much less noticeable than the white stuff I was using earlier. I'd still prefer not to use it at all since it is quite difficult to keep it out of the way while insuring it holds the coin in place and stops it from moving even slightly. Alas, I don't have any good alternatives yet. Apologies if I shouldn't be constantly bumping this thread, I figured it's better than creating a new one every so often. Unrelated to this thread but I've also made some significant updates to my coin map to make it easier to navigate and explore the different mints.