Numismatography

Lehigh gives a good suggestion as the 7th post in this thread:
http://www.cointalk.com/t97148/#post837554

 

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New Conder Token acquisition • Hants, Portsmouth DH 89

Here's an example of Hampshire Portsmouth DH 89 in Choice Uncirculated condition. Hants is the abbreviation for Hampshire.

 

I don't collect modern coins and the rules for ancients are different (we don't have proofs). I did learn a couple things trying to shoot this gold Indian:



All three are the same coin. Left is direct, center axial and right is a combination of the other two using Photoshop Elements stacking layers and moving the transparancy slider to get the balance wanted. I don't know if this is a good photo or not but it was fun and educational (and looks more like the coin than either of the parents).

When you want to shoot a coin at an angle, you can use a focus stacking program like CombineZ. You shoot several shots with different focus points sharp and the software selects the sharpest sections from the parents and makes one image with excessive depth of field. My sample is a test cut Athenian owl but the idea of the photo was to show the cut as much as to show the coin:


The following shows the idea of the stack but the subject coin really didn't benefit from being shot at an angle:

 

Larry he looks like the lion from The Wizard of Oz...saying "put em up...come on...put em' up"

And this is another dateless one too
NGC had one typed that way in one of Charmy's newp's.

Great Token, I think I can count the shingles on the roof with this one.

 

Photographing an edge

Just reporting the results of an exercise conducted on another board. By placing a token in the reflective cone of a flashlight, the edge can be photographed as a ring (or a ring around the token itself with a little photoshop manipulation.) I guess if an edge is particularly interesting or a subject of study/comparison, this might be worth doing. However, I would be hesitant to do this with a high grade token unless I can find a flashlight cone without sharp edges!

 

Why is it when I try this. The letters (edge) are all reversed?

 

It's a reflection of a mirror.
You'd have to use computer software to flip it I assume.

 

Has anyone used a camera/lens-mounted ring light for coin photography?

If so, can you share your experiences?

-LTB

 

I found the ring good for high relief Greek coins but less pleasing for normal coins. The one I used was $25 at Staples Office supply and had a fluorescent tube with 'odd' color balance so I had to shoot RAW files to get proper color corrections. I shoot everything RAW but these required considerable tweaking to get a good balance. My gallery http://www.pbase.com/dougsmit/coinlighting
shows sets of three shots of the same coin with the top being the ring light. Middle is a compact fluorescent used directionally and the bottom is window light. At present, I only try the ring if I have failed with my standard set up because of the added difficulty in setting the accurate color balance.

 

Response to Doug's nice post : )

Your setup is interesting, Doug, and quite effective. I took a good look at most of your images. : )

In general, I liked the combination of lighting, but there are certainly some images of each type which appear to be best for certain coins. As most numismatographers agree, there is no one setup that is best for all coins. I believe your display proves that. : )

I think your 400 ISO setting is good, though I use 200 normally. In general, I believe that showing three images of a coin is perhaps the best way, since we both know that few single photos capture all that is to be observed and enjoyed about a nice collectible coin. I suppose video might be best to show the changing appearance of a coin as it is moved in the light and observed at various angles, and even at various levels of zoom/magnification.

I have a sort of ring light. It was a reading magnifier and unused, so my mother-in-law let me have it, to do with as I pleased. I brought it home and looked at a few coins with the magnifying glass, then I removed the glass and took some photos using the ring light. The arc of the 3/16" fluorescent tube is only about 280º, not a full 360º. I wonder if your ring light has a small bulb like mine, or something heftier and brighter.

I also have a Nikon Creative Lighting System which I use on occasion, not often. There are adapters that fit various lens sizes and allow mounting a ring with four SB200 speedlights. Each speedlight also has its own little stand if I wish to place one or more speedlights remotely from the ring. Slaves are triggered by the on-camera flash, so I generally block the triggering light from reaching the coin. I block it with my hand, but enough light is allowed to reach the sensors on the slave units.

In spite of myriad bulbs and reflectors, cards, track lighting, and other miscellaneous gear, I generally use one or two Ott-Lites. I was a yachtsman, and developed a mind for jury-rigging equipment to make it work for various purposes. That ability shows itself handy time and again in my numismatography, and I don't look for one best way to photograph hundreds of coins. Each coin gets individual treatment, though many respond to similar treatment.

In my Creative Lighting System case was included one(1) SW-12 diffuser (Part No. NK4907.) I ordered three more for about $12 each. Now I have four identical 5.75" x 8" diffuser panels and I often use them with other kinds of lighting, including my Ott-Lites. I recommend them and it doesn't matter whether you use a Nikon camera or not. ; )

I also sometimes use an axial lighting setup of my own design which works really well for toned coins. I use it on the leaf of my desk or in the top or second drawer. It stows easily in a drawer in a few seconds, though setup requires a couple of minutes.

I suppose the most important tip I could doffer would be this... View the effects of changes in lighting through the lens as you vary the lighting. There is no other way to see what the camera will see, in advance. Watching with one's head off to the side of the camera will never reveal the subtle nuances produced by changes in lighting angle and intensity. Viewing through the lens reveals a sort of a movie, and its my job to select the best frame from that 'movie.'

 

For the record, I usually shoot at ISO 200. I did the matching series at 400 because of the relatively dim ringlight and a mistaken belief then that I needed a faster shutter speed. I now find that my stand is solid enough that shutter speed means nothing. I also find that ISO 100 adds nothing over 200. The tone curve of 200 is smoother and any noise difference is minimal.

 

I really like yarm's method of reflecting a token's edge lettering. I found a flashlight and removed its reflector to try it out.

Thanks, yarm... I have scratched my head for years after trying several ways to reflect the lettered edge of of a Conder Token. And for that matter, any edge of interest might be suitable for this type of photo: milled or engrailed edges, or various designs. I can imagine reeding making a starburst pattern around the edge of a coin.

I have a token or two like yarm's and may show one here soon with its edge revealed like yarm's. : )

 

I've seen this technique before and liked it.
It just shows more about the coin.

 

This is a cool thread and I have learned a lot. thanks for the info

 

Wow! This is one of the most fascinating and informative discussions I have ever had the priviledge of reading. In the many years of collecting I have never had the need to take high quality pictures myself but have marvelled at many I have viewed. This thread has made me want to try and, more importantly, learn how to do it. With the time I now have being retired this is going to be a wonderful journey. I can't waite to show all of you my attempts and maybe, down the line, my successes - though they be months and years in coming.
Thank You!

 

Reflective coin surfaces

When trying to capture the details of a moderately reflective silver coin, I decided to experiment with specular lighting . diffuse lighting , ambient lighting & reflective lighting ( which some folks call "fill light" ). The results can be pretty dramatic. I found I can cause the coin to reflect the colors and textures of it's surrounding environment. This may not be the best way to photograph coins with the intended purpose of resale , but IMHO it can become an art form in and of itself.
I have posted examples of photos taken with only defuse and ambient lighting and then examples of adding reflective lighting for a more dramatic effect.

 

When you only collect 1 type of coin then It gets a little easier but even after 3 years with the same camera i am still experimenting trying to get a little more from it.

 

Three years

Three years and you've done excellently. It's probably time to buy a second coin now. LOL (Just kidding, of course. : )

That's a super pic of a terrific example of the bronze two cent piece.

 

Still playing with Proofs. Older PHD camera (Press here Dummy)

 

Wow, those pictures are awesome. They show every detail of the coin. WOW