... either put car wax on the slab, or [microscope lens] Immersion Oil. Sometimes, you can get a good pic even with some Armor All. Light diffracts much less with these substances on the plastic's surface. Old, scratched CD's / DVD's ? Same treatment - the optical / laser reader gets a better 'read', when the polycarbonate has 'assistance' conducting light to the digitized media (the coin too) within.
So.. Sounds like a plausible theory but have you done it? Can you show us an example? I wouldn't want to try it first and have my slabs melt away!
Tell ya' what paddy - you answer my question in other thread, about how to tell a clip, from circ. damage, and I'll give you examples. MEANTIME, you can google 'Immersion Oil' / or read about light diffraction/diffusion, etc., and save us both some keyboard time . (NO hydrocarbon will solve polycarbonate. Some HC's will SOFTEN them, but not SOLVE)
Well, I expected an off-site link ; a lazy dodge. I didn't expect silly 'fertilizer' ... ed.: Coin collectors are usually higher-than-avg IQ. And we all know what is said about rules, and exceptions thereto.
It's common practice to put a tiny drop of clear oil on slabs to hide the scratches from the camera. I'm not sure exactly what type of oil is used.
Although it's been done I'm not sure I would want any chemicals, no matter what they are and what they accomplish, anywhere near my slabs. None are completely air tight
I think you are saying these substances allows the camera to see through the slab better, filling in scratches and very fine texture of the slab so the light can penetrate the plastic better to the coin underneath. Minimizing Refraction and reflection. And/or are you saying this allows the camera to focus better by not getting distracted by the slab? That's all fine and good, but you can also accomplish this by focusing past the slab onto the coin. Yeah, that won't help some of the light not scatter off the surface of the slab, especially messy or scratched of pitted slabs, However, in coin photography usually people that are serious already have plenty of light. Too much light sometimes! So, to me, the effort of smearing sticky or liquid all over the slab, my hands, the working surfaces, and then transferring back to the slab case, are just not worth it! What a mess! Then you add in the fact that some of these substances may be bad for the slab or bad for the coin, yeah, its a hard pass from me. I would LOVE to see some examples though. Before and after. Do they really improve the photography enough to justify the extra work, mess, and cost? I like experimenting as much as the next guy, so would be at least curious to see some coin pictures using your recommendation.
Just use barely enough to cover just the surface. I'm thinking that this is like when I use McGuire's tire dressing on sun beat plastic headlight lenses. While the dressing stays moist, the lenses stay pretty clear. Once the dressing wears off, the lenses are back to their sun beaten condition. Same is probably what's going on with covering the plastic with a drop of oil on slab material. I know professional car detailers who use Ben's mosquito repellent (100 Deet) on plastic headlight lenses. They say that's the best to use on such application, as the results are longer lasting. Perhaps you could try the repellent on a spare slab material and see how that works.
There's the best analogy. I think 1 or 2 others said similar so far... -------------- So you don't like the idea of Im. Oil ; fine - that's why I STARTED the post with "either car wax, or ... ". (I did NOT know that slabs are NOT airtight) But mineral OR vegetable oil ain't gonna damage polycarbonates (if indeed slabs are made thereof). -------------------------- Any of you can prove it yourselves. If you have any scratched CD's or DVD's that the Optical Drive in your computer won't read (audio OR video (as long as the digital media isn't damaged) ), put on some car wax. -------------- Chris M ; take 100 coin collectors, and 100 people off the street, and avg IQ will ALWAYS be higher amongst coiners, WELL above margin of statistical error. Read AND DONE too many studies in intellect / brain- and neurophysio to not know.
According to most people who I tell that I have spent over $700 on a single cent, they usually think I have a pretty low IQ. Then again, those people don't have any idea what a 1909 S VDB is either.
You're the one who made that claim, so I expect you to provide the statistical data to prove it. ~ Chris
I just get out my Novus polishing set and with a bit of elbow grease I can get rid of ALMOST any scratches.
How would you keep fingerprints or dust from clinging to the wax, oil, or other porous filler? My opinion I would not do it.
'Porous' isn't a good word Mr. Q. ; in fact , you would be using wax, or oil, to 'fill' pores [scratches] in the plastic - scratches that diffuse and / or diffract light , when you take a pic.
I learned something new thank you. I still have a question. After you take the photos what substance would you use to remove the filler? I would like to try your method on a old empty slab. Thanks again nuMRmatist...