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The fourth of six Lincoln's from my just received PCGS submission. Found raw on eBay, PCGS graded it PR62RB.

My photo



TrueView

 

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Don't collect gold coins (although I wish I could afford them) but I bought this for some good reference material. Couldn't beat it for $20. I know it's an older edition, but I think I will be OK.

 

Ah, buying the book before the coin. A very wise choice indeed.

 

Robec, I like your photos more than the TruViews; they don't seem to be as pumped up (I'm reluctant to use the word "juiced" ). They look more true to the way a coin looks when you hold it under a single-point light source, such as a reading lamp (or an adjustable-arm lamp at a coin show). I realize there is a strong shadow created when using only one light source, such as around the top and back of Lincoln in your photo, which is not ideal. But the shadow at least suggests the depth you see when holding the coin in hand, as opposed to the "perfect" illumination of the TrueView shots, which is possible only with multiple light sources.

I know this topic—photographing toners and what constitutes true color—has been recently discussed on CT, maybe on this thread (and not for the first time and probably not the last), but I confess I didn't follow it and am sorry to have missed it. In fact, if anyone can tell me which thread that took place on, I would appreciate it.

To avoid opening a can of worms, let me say that I like both sets of photos—it's good to have both versions to get a fuller sense of the coin. However, I must say I'm more convinced by your photos. The TruViews seem to portray the coin under uniquely ideal lighting, which is not how we typically view coins.

BTW, nice pickups and sweet reverse on this one.

 

I used to own that edition, but updated when I won a Whitman certificate. It's basically the same thing when I flipped through. Its an awesome book, even if you don't do gold.

 

I have noticed one thing with Phil's TrueViews over the last year or so. It seems his photos are a bid heavy on the reds. I don't know if it is the color profile he uses or a saturation setting in his camera. I honestly don't think he spends time doing a heavy amount of post production. He simply doesn't have time.

I've noticed on blast white silver, the photo has a pinkish cast to it. His photos on blast white used to be spot on, but some setting has changed.

Thank you for your compliment and comments.

 

Hey Ovalman, Excellent post.

I do find this whole topic of accuracy of photographs very interesting. I have been shooting a lot of my coins with my iPhone and comparing the images to TrueViews shot by PCGS and I have been finding excellent correlation. (Not saying others might have different experiences though!).

The PCGS TrueView image posted below is a great example of a coin photograph that many people might look at and think it was "enhanced" or "juiced" ... However I was able to capture an almost identical look of this coin before I sent it in for grading and slabbing at PCGS. (I photographed the raw coin in a 2x2 plastic flip in indirect sunlight only, no artificial light.)

The interesting thing is I can ONLY capture TrueView-like images in only ONE SPOT in my house ... directly underneath 2 opaqued skylights in my family room addition. If I try to photograph coins under artificial light using my copy stand they (pretty much) always look terrible and I never get anywhere close to the look that Phil captures. (I have tried a multitude of bulbs too: incandescent, halogen, tungsten -- nothing mattered).

Just a final note that my iPhone photos are completely raw and not post-processed in any way.

(Just goes to show you that sometimes when you see a crazy looking photo, it's the coins that are "over the top" and not the photographs.)

One last note, I have completely proven to myself that the CAMERA makes no difference in coin photos. Trust me, my 3 year old iPhone camera sucks -- (there are no settings you can adjust and you are forced to use autofocus, which is pretty bad) and I can make photos that mimic the "color/look" captured by PCGS TrueView Photos so closely, it's uncanny. (Of course I cannot focus as clearly as someone with a good camera could, and I cannot make BIG images, and sometimes the glare impinges on my images) -- so my iPhone images are NOWHERE NEAR a professional photograph! But they do provide at least a sanity check against the PCGS TrueView's.

In any case, in my opinion, the ONLY thing that matters is the light source (the light quality, the spectrum, and the lighting angles). So forget the expensive $2000+ cameras and buy some opaqued skylights.

 

Man, I need to get me a couple of those skylights!!

 

My Coin Photography "Setup" ...

Just stand under the skylights ... coin slab in one hand ... iphone balanced in the other hand ... reflect the skylight glare on either side of the coin ... and when the autofocus gets done going crazy ... push the shutter release button with your thumb ... (All while trying not to shake too much or drop everything!)




Another TrueView-like photo shot with my iphone. You can see the skylight glare on the slab. It's very clear by the "normal" color of my thumb and the PCGS slab label that there was no "juicing" of my iPhone photo -- and the colors are close to being SPOT ON with the TrueView.

 

You know what would be a fun experiment ... have robec ship me his 1938 and 1953 posted above ... then I can take some iPhone photos under my skylights and see if they look more like the TrueViews or more like his shots. (Or perhaps I could find two different camera angles that would produce images on my end that looked like BOTH shots.)

My gut feeling is robec's images and the trueviews posted above are BOTH completely spot on and accurate ... it's just 2 different lighting and viewing angles (and two different light sources/spectrums).

I think what I have stumbled onto (sort of by accident) is a light source and setup where the light quality/spectrum mimics really closely what Phil has at PCGS when he shoots TrueViews.

By the way I am NOT saying that Phil at PCGS TrueView uses indirect sunlight (or stands under skylights) when he shoots TrueViews ... I know for a fact he uses "very hot, artificial lighting" -- however for some odd reason I can ALWAYS capture a look under my skylights that nearly 100% matches the color and look that the PCGS TrueView captures.

 

i'm tempted to send you this...


i know what it looks like in sunlight... i can't capture it. i'd love it if you could!! it has some pretty colors!!

 

Which iphone are you using? I have changed all my ancients in my sig link here to the iphone 4s. Before that it was seller photos I used.

I found the perfect area in my home since getting the phone Oct. of last year. Just a black table, set near a closed kitchen slat blind, cloudy day, steady hand and snap away. Its been perfect each time.

 

i bought my iphone in June 2009 ... I think it might be the 3gs?

 

Clean house....:thumb:

 

Well I was gonna take a pic of my newest purchase but I can't find the @#$% thing....

.

 

:scratch:

 

Interesting. Sounds like he needs another assistant or two.

 

Thanks for the detailed post, Winged. I've seen many of your comparisons in various threads and agree, it's an excellent "sanity check" against the TruViews.

I would have to guess you're getting such good color results because your iPhone is well-calibrated to daylight (5000 degrees Kelvin). Plus, if your skylights are frosted, this would certainly help in diffusing the light.

I also find the topic of accuracy of photos very interesting. With the advent of the internet, we coin collectors are, to a greater and greater degree, not looking at coins so much as at pictures of coins. And typically, these pictures are exceedingly large and the coin lighted in an idealized, almost glamorized manner. (OMG, we've entered the age of coin porn!)

 

I'm guessing by "very hot," he means 5000 K (daylight) lighting as opposed to the 3200-3600 K temps of tungsten, which is why your diffused daylight shots and his studio shots are matching up so well.