Post your coin photography set-up

Here's my setup:



The Copystand is a Beseler CS14 designed for use with medium format film cameras. The Camera is a Nikon D800, and I typically use a 105mm f/2.8 Micro-Nikkor lens. Depending on the lighting I wish, I will either use the Nikon R1 Wireless Close-Up Speedlight System, or I will use the copystand lights with various diffusers, ranging from translucent panels to "shower cap" style covers for the lights. I can also adjust the angle and distance from light to subject and add an accessory lens for smaller coins. The largest print I've made using this setup was 24" in diameter.

I've also been playing around with this toy:



The microscope is an AmScope SM-2TZ with an added LED ringlight. Mounted atop the scope is a Nikon V1 camera, relay lens, and adapter. The optics are fine for online display, but I haven't tried to make any prints of significant size using this thing.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Well. I have a camera in the same series, and i'm buying some new lenses soon. I think i have a similar software. It's the stand that would cost a lot since i dont know anywhere to get one for free.

 

Wow. That is one amazing set-up!!!!! Nikon D800 especially. That's my number 2 spot dream camera (only after the referance i made to the $34,000 200MP Hasselblad H4D 200MS). I'm a big fan of high megapixel cameras.

 

Oh, now i see it. That is a nice looking set-up!

 

mine is a rather simple setup with good results. 2 goose-neck lamps, a cheap tripod, my wife's kitchen table, and a $200 point and shoot. It's no DSLR but it works on a budget. I have to admit though, the setup isn't the best for slabbed coins.



proof example:


Business strike example:

 

What would you guys consider the most important features to look for in a camera for this kind of setup? # of Megapixels? Macro photo setting? Something else?

 

yours looks near identical to my original method but with white paper and the right kind of lights. You guys have all definately proven the effectiveness of the right kind of lighting.

 

So, is there a certain strength or temperature of the bulb i should buy? Or would any work?

 

Unless you're shooting for business purposes (or have another use for one), a macro is not necessary for a casual hobbyist. For a very small amount of money you can buy little screw-on "close-up" adapters (for the life of me I cannot remember the proper name, but they are similar to and attach as a filter would). I know a few guys who use them and achieve great results, but it did take practice.

As for the other questions, there is nothing wrong with taking hints/advice from others, but do try to figure this out on your own. Early on any halfway decent coin photo can look fantastic, but in time you will likely develop personal preferences that may not be met by what others do.

 

Okay. I'll try some things out for myself. And i guess i dont really need a macro since my lens is an ultra low aperature one anyways. Maybe i'll pick up one of the filter things you're talking about. I think my photography teacher was talking about those one day.

 

Ye olde "soft white" incandescent house bulb will work just fine as long as you can correct for color temperature. So can photofloods, which offer a bit cooler and more consistent light. In each case, though, you shouldn't use a more powerful bulb than the fixture is rated for, and you have to be careful about heat. Once I nearly dropped a lens after getting burned by a "hot light."

Avoid inexpensive fluorescent or LED bulbs, compact or otherwise. Unlike an incandescent bulb or natural light, such bulbs have a "spikey" distribution of light frequencies leading to off colors. I use a set of "full spectrum" compact fluorescent lamps with a claimed CRI rating of 95 and color temperature of 5500K. A few LED bulbs now claim a CRI of 90, but I've yet to try one.

 

Oh, thank you. That really helps since i never knew what the numbers were and just went by squigly or round.

 

I keep it very simple a Cannon SD400 and a tripod...

 

My I phone with macro lens & photo I just took. Note: I did use PhotoScape to crop it

 

I always was amazed at how well the iphones could take photos while Samsung phone cameras are still terrible.

 

Very simple set up. 45W par30 bulbs. Cheap goose necks. Inexpensive copy stand. Sony Cybershot 7.2mp camera. Color paper background, color varies, but 90% of the time I use white. Sets on top of mini refrigerator to keep my water cold. Dog bed to right so my companion can look out the window and bark at the neighbors. Window faces the west, so I can use afternoon sun when I want natural lighting. Have used Photoshop, Gimp, PaintShop Pro X3, and PhotoScape. Currently use PaintShop to download, do initial cropping then use PhotoScape for final contrast, white balance adjustments, cropping, and final backgrounds. PhotoScape is the best and it's free!

 

That's a nice looking set-up too!

 

Great thread, and great set ups.
Biged

 

I have been trying to take absolute coin pictures for more than two years. I have a brother that is 75 years old and has been a professional photographer since his early 20s. About six weeks ago I sent him a copy stand with lighting, Last week he called and said he still has not been able to get an absolute coin picture. He has 1000s of dollars in cameras, flash, tents, filters and stands. He has took gallery style pictures of crystal. He thought the same thing a lot of people thinks, that taking a coin picture is easy.

Taking a good coin picture is fairly easy, but taking a picture that looks like having the coin in hand is not.
I will challenge anyone (except for gbroke). Does the picture you take look like the coin in hand? Of course this would be an honor system type answer. There are more than a few members that post great coin pictures on this forum. I have not ever seen any of the coins in hand so I don’t know how close to the coin they are getting. I can only believe they are what the coin really is. But can you take that coin and lay it on the picture and they both look the same?
I have bought many coins from pictures from ebay and have never got a coin that was just like the picture, but close enough not to make a different in my opinion of buying the coin.

So to answer the op, most setups shown in this thread are what is needed. But you will need to play for yourself with different things. Because every setup, lamps, stand, camera, and operator will produce different type pictures.

I have been going to jewelry photo sites to get more education. If you google this it will give more information about camera settings. When they take pictures of diamonds they end up with the same problem we do with the mirror from the coin in a small confined area.
Thanks Biged

 

That's true. Every coin i've bought has looked way better in hand than in any photos. Diamonds too for that matter (i have a collection of collections and diamonds are one also).