Featured Micro Lens for Cell Phone

I purchased a 18x micro lens to attach to my Samsung Galaxy S10 just to see how well the camera performs. I'm impressed. I've spent a couple of hours this afternoon playing with lighting and angles and think I have a good handle on it. However, I wanted to ask the opinion of my CT family before I decide to keep the lens.

Below are two images. The first one is the image I showed when I first purchased this coin. To me it lacks depth/color. My wife likes it best. The second image was taken using my cell phone and macro lens. It may not be perfect, but I like that it is not all washed out like the first. The coin is shiny like a new dime, but there is some slight coloration in the fields. My wife says it is just dirty while I say it is just toning.

I would most appreciate input from the CT members.

 

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Obviously you want the one that shows what it looks like in-hand. I have issues with "washed" looks too. Some also look "flat".

I plan on taking some new pics of bad photo coins before the end of the year.

I love my Google Pixel 3A, I have been impressed with the pics it has taken since I got it.

But I like #2.

 

I vote for #2 as well.

 

Me three for #2 , but there does seem to be more distortion at the edges vs the original pics. -d

 

Didn't notice that, purple fringing. That happened many times on my old phones, when I would place an eye loupe over it to get closer pics.

 

Two is better but the reverse has some focus issues.

 

Number 2 looks best to me as well.

 

I like #2 better as well, but am wondering if #1 could simply benefit from better/different lighting? I’d be curious to know how pics of the coin would compare if they were taken using phone and camera, but with the exact same lighting set up.

 

What model is the 18x macro lens for the Galaxy S10 / which platform did you get it? I have an S9 and would be interested in something similar.

 

I like photo 2. Plus it has the added bonus of you having been the one to take the photos (assuming photo 1 is from the auction house?). I know it doesn’t make sense but sometimes I like a coin better after photographing it when it turns out to be photogenic.

 

The lighting, contrast, and color is better in photo 2. The overall sharpness is better in photo 1. It is as if the depth of field is not covering the relief. This is a similar effect of using a wide open SLR aperture on a closeup of a coin in high relief. You might try taking the photo holding the phone a bit further away and crop the result.

 

#2 looks better imo.
The question I have is, has the coin toned since you bought it?
The toning looks great in #2!

 

#2, no question

 

Not too shabby with photog #2......I'm always amazed at what folks can do with simple camera phone. Almost makes me wish that I'd have abandoned some of my high end photog equipment years ago......

 

I will try tonight and post the results.

I purchased a Aomais macro and wide angle lens off of Amazon.

I tried small distance variations but find I cannot move very far in either direction without some distortion. One thing I thought off since posting this thread is that I have a case on my cell phone. I am wondering if taking it off will make any difference and will try tonight.

Both images are my own and both are better than the seller's image.

 

I took this photo with my iPhone X with the coin in my hand at the at the dealer’s table at the bourse in NYINC. I took out my fingers via photoshop and decided “why bother reshooting it?”

Having a major camera setup at this point in our technological existence is sometimes overrated.

 

I have a nice Olympus camera that I purchased a few years ago solely for the purpose of taking images of my coins. I have never used it for any other purpose. My thought was to eliminate the big rig set up on my desk which bothers my wife since she can't stand what might look like a mess (plus it collects dust according to her). The cell phone camera will tidy things up a bit and keep her happy (a happy wife is a happy life so they say).

 

Kripes, it's 'my space'. Do I give a devil about your sewing area?

Ok honey, I'll clean things up..........

 

Color fringing occurs when you add a single element close up lens to a camera. Color correction requires two elements made from different kinds of glass but such corrected macro adapters cost considerably more. I made the above image for one of my earlier photo pages. The right side shows the edge of the coin shot with a one element close up lens while the left, made with more than one element lacks the color fringe. In this case, I did not own a two element close up lens so I took the fringe free shot while holding an old SLR camera lens over the fixed lens on a point and shoot digital camera.

The main difference I see in the images is the lighting angle and exposure. If you used the light angle and less exposure of the second image with the equipment of the first, I suspect the photo would be better.

My Galaxy S8 has a feature called magnifier which allows focusing very close but I will stick to my camera for photos.

 

Well, I've spent the better part of two hours trying to reshoot using both my camera and my cell phone. I tried using the same lighting for both, but each interpreted the light differently. The light that was good for my cell, caused the image from the camera to be bluish. Below are the best it's gonna get tonight. I know the camera shot is too light, but tomorrow I have Sunday go-to-meetin' so it's time for bed soon.

cell phone image:


camera image: