(Coin photography) lighting question

Is it best to have 2 light sources or 3?

I also picked up some vellum to diffuse the lamps and one of these:

24x24 inch/60x60 cm Photo Studio Shooting Tent Light Cube Diffusion Soft Box Kit with 4 Colors Backdrops

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

This probably won't come as much of a surprise, but it depends. It adds flexibility. I have 4 lights with my copy stand. It came with two and I mounted additional arms and lights just to have them available. You can get by with 2 but for some coins you'll want that third or even fourth light.

 

I consider this a worthwhile experiment. There is one inherent problem with it, though. The highly diffused light will de-emphasize the luster on BU coins. I'm not sure that's a good idea.

 

Ok, thanks for the quick reply!

 

100% agree. I have six but never have all turned on at once for one photo. Since all I collect and photograph are ancients, the type light that is best for one coin may be all wrong for another. A few years ago I made this image showing three different lightings for three different coins. While there is always room for opinion, most people would not select as 'best' the same lighting for each coin but might prefer a different one for each. Each horizontal row used the same lighting arrangement for each coin. I never shoot moderns or slabs so I have no idea what to do for them. If you get a perfect image on your first shot every time, you are either a much better photographer than I or might need to experiment more.

 

The only time I don't use two is when I only use one. Above a certain level of quality, it becomes an aesthetic exercise anyways. I could see myself experimenting with three - at 10:00, 2:00 and 6:00 - with lustrous silver, which tends to obscure the date area if you do what's necessary to avoid blowing out the devices and contrast.

I don't think you've ever seen a single image from me here which was not some variation of the "2 at 10 and 2" theme.

 

I have a total of 5 lights at my disposal. Most of the time I make use of 4 and at times use 3. On rare occasions I've used all 5 on a single coin. Most of the time the 5th light I use with a bouncer to illuminate some holograms and CAC stickers on slab shots.

I would highly discourage the use of a light tent for coin photography. The light will be too diffuse and will take on a scanned effect. Using multiple lights with each having it's own diffuser is the best way to work. All of my lights are at various angles and distances depending on the subject matter depicted on the coin, color and amount of luster. There is no magic formula to setting up your lights. It's all a matter trial and error. For a basic two light setup, the best starting place would be 10:00 and 2:00 at high angles. Make adjustments from there.

 

I employ three (sometimes two) jansjo lamps, all with vellum diffusion..........the best position of the lamps is varied. It depends on what you're shooting at and I move the lamps around a lot to try and achieve the best lighting for the shot.

 

I use the Jansjo lights along with the Coinsafe half dollar tubes for diffusion. The half dollar tube fits directly over the head of the Jansjo nice and tightly and the shape of the head acts as a ball joint so the light source can be directed very easily.

 

How incredibly clever.........

 

I use two, sometimes with a reflector for fill, but never three lights. Too many lights and you will fill in too many shadows and lose depth.

 

F stop........

 

I'm not referring to depth of field, rather visual depth of the design of the coin. Filling in all the shadows makes the coin look flat.

 

I can overcome that.....

 

With the brilliance that just emanates from your personhood?

 

Fabulousness can be blinding! It's why he uses the brown paper bag as a diffuser.

 

I use 3, but don't necessarily place them in the conventional 10-2-6 position, nor do I place them at the same elevation. I move them one at a time while watching the result on the monitor until I'm satisfied (or reasonably satisfied) with the result.

 

This is exactly what I do, I make many adjustments in positioning of my lights until I see the results I like.

 

Rather than attaching the diffuser over the lights, I attach the diffuser to the lens. Then I move the lights closer or farther from the diffuser to vary the amount of diffusion, and the apparent direction the lights come from.

With one of my diffusers, I have blocked the area around 12:00. This allows me to use just a single Jansjo, but I usually still use 2 of them to make things easier.

 

Are the Jansjo's LED bulbs?