A gentle reminder might help......

As always advised, I searched the forums looking for some assistance with my photography. Couldn't find anything relevant or very current. Since usually the first responders are always commenting on the poor quality of the pix I thought a refresher on digital photography especially when it comes to manual settings instead of using auto. I currently shoot a Fuji Finepix s5200 2592x1944 (5.1 megapixels). Depending on how close I need to go I will add 1 or more diopters to the mix along with Macro. I have a Sony 21 meg that looks like pics from a Polaroid compared to the Fuji. I still get the ongoing blurry pictures comments and want to be able to be able to show what my eyes see as much as possible. I have some really odd lighting, LED, Halogen, or incandescent and the silver always looks gold and when I crop ,out goes my definition. Any body feel like carrying on with some suggestions?

 

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In regards to your lighting and assuming you're using more than one light, they're of the same type, right? Don't mix and match different types. Also, have you bothered to check your white balance?

Such cameras (the Fuji, not unknown Sony) are not the best for coin imaging, but you should be able to achieve acceptable results. What kind of diopter are you using?

 

I feel like I am getting closer to an ideal set up all the time. Lighting is the biggest thing I am still struggling with.

 

Ain't too shabby......

 

You're using two different types of lights?

 

I am using Fox Foto +1 2 3 +10 for closeups. Depending I sometimes will stack them all but that puts me about 1/4" above the subject and very hard to light.

 

Use only one light source, be it 'true light' (Verulux) or 'tungsten' and hopefully a photo editing program that can tweak the effects......

 

Actually, I just added a small led light strip. In addition, I use 2 clamp on lights with LED bulbs in them. I will eliminate the light strip.

 

Chris B do you know the spectrum of the LED? The ones I have tried were either soft (yellow) or hard (blue) I have mixed them both but the blue seems to always win over. I used to use clear refrigerator incandescence but that's very hard light to manage. Is this where adjusting white balance comes into play?

 

As mentioned, use one type of light source. Mixing light will get very varied results.

Understanding things will take some learning on your part. There is no "magic bullet" or setting that will take care of everything for your.

The first is to read your manual about white balance, or better yet since most manuals are dry in nature and good as a reference for *after* you understand, find a video about white balance for your particular camera.

Old Fujis, I believe, want to think there is color cast when there is a dominant color instead of a wide assortment of colors. So it adjusts white balance to what it thinks is right and just plain screws things up.

You'll have to learn about setting the white balance yourself.
This article may help .. you may have to read it several times, and play with your camera. ==> https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/white-balance.htm

This video will help about the colors ==>

here are two lights in my bathroom, two different colors of LED lights. When you have various colors it can really mess up the WhiteBalance (aka WB) of cameras. So if I was to take pictures in my bathroom I would unscrew one of the lightbulbs.
Also flourescent lights flicker and most cameras can't handle those very well either.


Also, if your images are blurry that probably means that your Shutter Speed is too slow for you to hand hold the camera at that point. Thus a faster shutter speed is needed. Read up about that too ==> https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/camera-exposure.htm

It's hard to recommend a shutter speed but try to stay at 1/250th ... I'm assuming you're like most ppl and really can't keep a camera steady for the sensor (not your own self awareness of how you think you hold it).

ie, you'll find yourself out of any AUTO modes and into a Manual or Shutter Priority or Program mode on the camera. So it will be up to you to put forth the effort into learning how to use your camera.

 

Also, try to use a white, grey or black background such as these 3 colors.
If you use other backgrounds you have to remember that light reflects. If you use a neon pink background then there's this thing called "color cast" in which the reflected light, reflects and can make an object take on that color as it's going to reflect too. So if you bright silver proof quarter looks like a Pink Hello Kitty quarter because it's on a neon pink background ... well, we told you so.


All of the above is just learning basics of photography.

Coin Photography can get expensive when the experts chime in of their equipment set ups with bellows and such.

You'll also want to take the photo from directly above, not at an angle or at least perpendicular unless asked or provides better detail of height such as with die cracks versus scratches. Angles, closeup and wide angles can distort images badly.

 

I don't know much about photographing coins other than if your results look like this then you're doing it wrong:

 

I guess this would depend upon one's definition of "wrong". GSC without question has excellent coin imaging skills, but unfortunately of the type most of us prefer not to see.

 

I've been deep into the manual modes but can't find shutter speed. Any idea how that may be annotated? It does have an anti shake mode. Also with only 6 megpix to play with should I always be shooting in as hi res as it goes?

 

You can probably control the shutter speed by using the aperture settings.
The lower aperture numbers open the lens more and that will increase the shutter speed. The higher numbers will slow down the shutter. These numbers will look something like F:1.5 or F:16.
You really need to mount the camera on a tripod or copy stand. It's tough to get clear images if you are trying to hold the camera.

 

This is a great book by Mark Goodman. https://www.amazon.com/Numismatic-P...1538739610&sr=8-9&keywords=mark+goodman+books

 

I think this is your manual
https://www.fujifilmusa.com/shared/bin/S5200ownermanual.pdf

so these are you PROGRAM Modes



So .. Shutter Priority is the function in which you have direct control over the Shutter speed. Also Manual has direct control over Shutter Speed.



That should help you on where to look in your manual.

The antishake may only be relevant for slower shutter speeds to "stabilize" the image.

If you start out with max hi res, you can always do a "save as" in many free software to lower it's size. But you can't increase the size if you take a small low image.

 

Just look at the top of your camera. See that S on the dial? That's probably you're easiest way, but the M will allow it as well. I would respectfully suggest reading your manual.

Edit: I now see Claw has already addressed this.