Aside from collecting coins and bank notes from Vietnam (along with Laos, Cambodia & French Indochina), one of my hobbies is photography (though never tried coins, usually people, street and landscape). I would like to start meshing these two hobbies! I would like to get a setup and procedure for getting good high quality photos for cataloging my collection. All photo’s below are shot in the same manor with the same setup. A full frame Canon 5D Mark II DSLR with a 150mm f/2.8 Sigma Macro & full stack of extension tubes, (2) diffused 430 EXII flashes (controlled with remote triggers) from the top and with a 4 sided white poster board box around the coin that is sitting on a matte black plastic background. I think this works for some and not for others. The biggest problem coins will be the many newer proof coins that I have in my collection, coins with mirror like fields. This method just turns the backgrounds black and I’m thinking that these coins might need to be shot on angles and/or with the lighting at an angle? After using the flashes, I’m thinking that maybe a source of continuous lighting will be better? Perhaps there are some ‘table top’ setups that would work better for this kind of photography? Is black the best background, or should I just make it an 18% gray card background which would make white balance a breeze? I’m wondering what you think of the quick pictures that I did take already and idea’s on what I could/should do? I would like to also come up with a setup and method that is easy to repeat and keep consistent, which I don’t think I really have right now. Of course I will have to practice and play around some, this was just a quick first try. I’m now out of town working for several weeks so I’m going over the pictures and thinking about it. Each coin was photographed twice, front & back, then combined in photoshop. Is anyone into 'professional' coin photography? I have the professional quality equipment to produce pictures as good as any, I just need the knowledge and experience to use it in this (new to me) manor lol. I'll also look into books on this subject... Setup: (3) Vietnam 1946 5 hao KM2.2 Coins - (6) Shots Combined 1943 5 Cent French Indochina Rotated Die Vietnam 1946 1 Dong Aluminum Vietnam 1953 10 Su Vietnam 1986 Silver 100 Dong Soccer View attachment 203375
Keep in mind that these are severely reduced in size and quality so I guess I'm more worried about lighting and setup. The camera is 21.5 MP (so each combined pictures is more like 40 MP raw) but the files are output as small 70% quality Jpeg files. Vietnam 1975 1 (mot) XU (Very rare) Vietnam 1989 Silver 20 Dong PROOF - You can see the issue with proofs and this setup? Vietnam 1988 Silver 100 Dong Dragon Ship Vietnam 1986 Silver 100 Dong Fencing
I'm a little suprised that with this many coin enthusiests, there's not really anyone that's really into coin photography? Maybe there's a market here lol
Nice pictures. I think there are plenty here who are into coin photography, myself included. Right now I just use a Sony Cybershot with a $9 tripod and a couple desk lamps. Serves my purposes just fine for now, but do plan on upgrading sometime.
Nice Morgans! I think one problem I will have with the setup I'm using now, is that on some coins I'm getting a lot of highlights. I think I need to experiment with a softer, more diffused light source. I will probably experiment with some continuous lighting as opposed to my remote trigger flashes.
There are just a few things I wanted to mention, but I want you to know that I am, by no means, an accomplished coin photographer. These are things I've learned from others. 1) You are correct in assuming that continuous lighting is better. 2) Rather than angle the camera for shots, you should place the lighting at an angle. Photos taken with the camera at an angle not only distort the coin making it appear elliptical but also tends to hide flaws. A typical lighting placement might be at a 45 degree angle from the subject at, say, 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock with the camera directly above the coin. Even when shooting proof coins, this set-up would cause the light to bounce away from the lens. 3) A good friend of mine sells a lot of rainbow toners on eBay. He takes really good photos of them, and he uses GE Reveal bulbs. 4) You may also wish to experiment with axial lighting. 5) Finally, Mark Goodman has written a very good book on the subject, Numismatic Photography, 2nd Edition. You might want to purchase a copy. Chris
Thanks for the input Chris. I will definitely be trying out some continuous lighting and experimenting with the setup when I have time to play around with it. I have also, since posting, found that book. I do plan to purchase a copy so that it will be at home waiting for me when I get back, between traveling for to jobsites, in a few weeks.
