I use a Canon PowerShot A2500 camera to photograph my coins. It cost around $100 one or two years ago. Does a more expensive camera do a much better job of photographing coins? I've heard it said you need two light sources to properly photograph coins, but I don't have enough room in my tiny apartment to do that. Does it really matter? My coin photographs are pretty good, though I probably can't get good close-ups (like the L on the 1864-L cent) as a more expensive camera).
What are your objectives in photographing your coins? If you're happy with your current results, then you probably don't need anything more expensive. You can "properly" photograph coins with nothing more than diffused daylight, but it's more difficult to do so and waiting for the "right light" can be tedious. For artificial light, having 2 or more light sources does make things easier, but they don't have to be very large. For one of my lighting solutions I use a pair of small halogens that are only slightly larger than a 12 oz soda can. Photography is my other main hobby. I have far too much gear and I freely admit I've justified more than a little of it for photographing coins. But for posting in a forum like this one, for example, my 3.2 megapixel Coolpix 995 from 2001 would still suffice for many if not most shots.
Search through my posts. A lot of the experts here chimed in on a very similar question. You should be able to get everything you need from them.
My objective is just to have pictures to look at while my collection stays in my safe deposit box, and to share the pictures with family. I've learned a few things. On my small table, I put the light in one corner and coin in the other. The 60-watt equivalent usually works better than 100. Don't get too close, nor too far from the coin. Here is a picture of my set-up.
2 goose neck lamps with 5500k bulbs. copy stand then you should be good. I have Powershot G16. Take a look at my auctions in the Advertising section for a reference. Still not the best, but its good enough for me.
How many watts is that? I find that 60-100 watts is plenty. 100 watts on a shiny coin is too much. I am using watt "equivalents," of course. Nowadays, 25 watts is 100 watts.
I have a difficult time getting good pictures (to me anyway) no matter what camera I use, currently I have Nikon Coolpix and am hesitant to spend more money on a camera because I'm not sure it would make much of a difference so I really can't help with that. What I have found to help is lights, I have two of these and they seem to work well for me and don't take up much space either. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20169658/ Here's a couple pictures I've taken with the Nikon and two of those lights. I have trouble with copper coins but silver and gold look okay.
Need way more light on those Morgans. You are taking the picture with lights at 2 and 9 it looks like. I would lower them just a bit in order to get an even photo.
5500K is a light temperature which is roughly equivalent to daylight. Home lighting is typically around 2800-3000K. I'm pretty sure your camera will adjust for light balance automatically or you can choose to set it manually, but you may find that your results are a little more consistent with a full-spectrum, daylight balanced source. The wattage you need depends on how close the light is to the coin, the aperture of the camera and the shutter speed. If you've got the camera on a tripod, copy stand, or other support you need a lot less light than if you are trying to hold the camera by hand.
I just remembered another problem I have with shiny coins. I get my own reflection in them if I'm not careful.
There are tons of postings, so it might be hidden in here somewhere, but I suggest buying magnification lenses to allow you to look at finer details like an L on an 1864-L. Those usually run around $20-30 and do wonders.
It depends on your skill level. It is possible to "max out" the coin photography potential of an inexpensive camera, but you can get great pictures from such a camera. A good light setup will get you a good photo with a really cheap camera. A bad one with get you a bad photo with a $3000 setup. I use two gooseneck desk lamps almost all the time. You'll get much more even lighting than you do with 1. Also, you have control over where the light falls when you can move the lights around.
It took a while to find a small enough CF card, but I did manage to wake up the Coolpix 995 to take these quick shots:
my set up; Swing type wall fixture with GE Reveal lamp on a dimmer, piece of foam on an angle and I use a Canon SX20IS here are two pictures I took TODAY+ set up. I use PhotoScape to crop & combine
Most of what makes a good photo are the lights you use and the lens. The camera isn't as important and is more about the features. As always, if you're considering getting into more advanced coin photography I would suggest picking up a copy of Mark Goodman's Numismatic Photography, 2nd Edition. There are many different routes you can go depending on your preferences, budget, and the types of shots you want to capture. That book is a quick read but is incredibly packed with information. It will get you to ask the right questions when approaching coin photography and will serve as a great reference book while taking photos.
I'd put a much higher emphasis on the lighting, as it is about 90% of the work to get right. This assumes a certain basic functionality for the camera and lens. Once you meet the minimum requirements, you are 95% of the way there.
