Some recent photographs...

I have specialized in macro photography for some years, but only recently have I dialed-in my technique for coin photographs. I collect US and world die varieties, so I shoot to maximize diagnostic details. That way, I can study the photographs and keep the coins safely locked away. I'm using a 36mpx Nikon D810 with a first-gen AF 60mm micro lens, tethered using ControlMyNikon software.

I'll shoot whole coins when the grade/details merit using my technique. This shot is comparable to a 32X microscope, but with much greater field of view. There is no sharpening done in the camera or with software in the pic below--the lens is that sharp. Lighting was a single diffused source.



This obverse was shot to maximize details over luster, so that the RPD and MPDs could be seen clearly.



The date area, showing the diagnostics of the variety. Sometimes I convert images to grayscale for shots when color only distracts from the variety's markers.



Details of a quadrupled die on the 1890 Snow-1 IHC, most visible on the tops of the legends. This also corresponds to a 32X microscope shot, but with a larger field of view with consistent sharpness.





Another IHC die variety--the 1887 Snow-1 DDO in legends; the arrows point to doubling in the feathers.



I also enjoy shooting MS silver coins. This is coin from Peru is only 15.5mm across.



It's also an overdate--1900/1890--here's the detail shot:




A Great Britain half-farthing from 1844, a copper coin smaller than the US cent. I chose this lighting angle to pick up the profile on Victoria.



Another small copper coin from British India, shot to maximize details such as the large retained break:



I collect world overdates. This is one from Belgium, a 2c 1919/1914

 

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your close-ups are really good. The pictures of the entire coin look grainy.

 

Thanks and well...they look "grainy" because you're looking at microscopic details of the minting process--my technique is to resolve those details. Usually, macro coin photography doesn't usually get this close or this sharp. Remember, no sharpening in-camera and little (if any) in software was done

 

You are an artist of some measure to be certain, Kurt. I applaud your technical prowess with the lens and your scrutiny to detail of such treasures as the coins displayed. Thanks sofor sharing them with me! ~ Jim

 

Those are amazingly sharp photos, Kurt, I'm impressed. Much sharper than I've been able to get with my 100mm macro. I don't have another lens to try, but I am curious...

 

Excellent photographs Kurt, your pics always inspire me to look at coins with a new perspective.

 

Thanks, and I have a Nikkor 105 AF-S macro lens that doesn't get nearly as sharp as my 60mm.

 

VERY clear and sharp corner-to-corner images!

I wonder if you can get the same result with a digital microscope?

 

Thanks! I think you can get similar (or better) sharpness/detail with a good digital scope, but you won't have the same field of view. I also have a digital imager dropped into a lab-grade microscope, but I can't get the same image quality--and the most I can capture is portions of dates or letters on coins.

 

Here's another example where focus-stacking really brings out the most detail--in this ancient Greek coin from Athens, a classic "Owl Tetradrachm".



Focus-stacking can also generate a 3D simulation of the coin rotated to show its relief, like this:

 

.......VERY impressive indeed! ~ Jim

 

Kurt you amaze me..... one of these days I'm going to cherrypick your mind. your images are so unreal like a master's canvas!

 

I own one of those, and they do great close up...but I have to use the scanner or something else to capture the entire coin. My photos do not come close to these professional examples, but they do the trick.

 

That is amazing. Wow.

 

I've been fiddling with my setup, wondering why can't get these extreme macro shots so close, and just found a big improvement. Mirror lockup! It made a big difference, and I will be using it from now on! Are you using it on your Nikon?

 

Lighting was a "single diffuse light source?"

Do you use a light box of some kind? I've seen ring-type flashes that go around the outside of the lens.

 

Yes...I'm shooting tethered in "live view", so the mirror is up. From running tests, I've found that mirror bounce degrades the image noticeably. I also found that when I'm shooting, the slightest bump to the table supporting the copy stand will show up on the photo.

These are lit with a single IKEA LED light, model Jansjo, simply with some thin whitish plastic wrapped around the bulb--it seems to work well enough.