Post your coin photography set-up

Collect89, the most interesting man on Cointalk.

Nice setup, but I would think that after a few coins your pictures would get blurrier and blurrier. I do like the bullet collection and the shotty up above..

 

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I like that setup because it's something I could put together on my budget with great results.

 

I have two camera setups, one for "normal" coins and one for Proof and PL coins.

Normal Setup:


Axial Lighting Setup for Proof and PL Coins:

 

You're Using a Cannon Eos 5D Mark III right? That's another one of my top 5 dream cameras.

 

I don't have a set up. eventually I will get around to making one. and for now all I have is some bulky equipment I use for other endeavors. but Im not a dealer and I don't buy a lot of coins so I usually just plop a coin down on the desk and snap a pic. but my equipment is so large its like trying to butter bread with a machete LOL. thats why my photos aren't that great.

here is my equipment.

canon Mark IV and some misc. lenses

 

another amazing camera set-up! I love those lenses.

 

I just made this temporary crazy set up with some old studio lighting.


need to buy some smaller lamps.but it will do for now.

 

Those are some nice lights.

 

I use modified microscope stands for my numismatic photography setups. They give me fine enough focus capability to do focus stacking at 5x or even higher magnification. For full coin shots I mount a Rodenstock 75mm f4 Apo Rodagon D M=1 duplicating lens (75ARD1), or occasionally a Nikon 105mm f2.8 Printing-Nikkor (105PN). For variety details I mount a Nikon 4x Plan 0.1, a Nikon 3xMM, or Nikon 5xMM microscope objective. I converted from Nikon to Canon about 15 months ago after finding that my Nikon had some inherent shutter shake that blurred my images, especially at 3x and above. I now use a Canon T2i on my desk setup, and a Canon XS on my portable setup. For lighting I use either Jansjo LED's with highly-customized diffusers, or an EKE ringlight. Here are pictures of one of my portable setups with the 75ARD1 and one with the 4x Plan objective:





Here's a pic of a toned 1957-D Cent using the 75ARD1:


And a 1950 Proof Nickel with the same lens:


And here is a pic using the Nikon 5xMM objective:



And finally a pic of a 1955-S/S/S RPM#1 using a Nikon 4x PlanApo 0.2 objective:

 

WOW! That is an amazing set-up!!!!!
how much would one of those cost?

 

Well, all I have is an old Sony, a desk lamp and a steady hand... this camera:



Gives me this picture:



The problem is finding the 3.5" floppies, lol.

 

I had one of those in my collection of cameras. I'm not quite sure where it went though.

the worst part is, i cant find my Leica either.

 

Thanks, I've been building these for a couple years now and they work great. Cost breakdown is like this:
Modified B&L Stand: $200
Pentax Bellows: $100
75ARD1: $190
Nikon 4x Plan 0.1: $50
Cone-shaped RMS Adapter: $25
M42-Camera Adapter: $10
Total for setup only: $575
Canon XS body: $225
Total with camera: $800

 

How does it do with slabbed coins?

 

Raw vs slabbed makes little difference once you figure out your lighting. Here is a 34P Buff taken with this setup:



and here's an 09VDB. Note the slab scratches...slabs often need polishing in order to not show the scratches in the photo:

 

That's pretty expensive but it's a lot less than i thought it would've been. Although i dont know what some of that stuff is. Lol. I'd know if i saw one though.

 

Here is my setup.
http://imgur.com/a/498bo

 

And I do have to say that gbroke really helped me out. Before, I was using only a single light source as illumination. He instructed me about the "10 and 2" method, and since then I have found that the details of my photographs have improved greatly, although they are far from perfect.

 

Nope, my camera is a Nikon D-90 and I use a Nikkor 60mm macro lens (Nikkor calls it micro).
My lighting comes from two Ott-Lite desk lamps with "white" light tube elements. They are close to sunlight.
Once I set my white balance for them I'm ready to shoot (as long as I remember to turn off the ceiling lights ).

 

Oh, i didn't know the D-90 had the screen on the top. And i didn't think of ott lights. I have one of those. I wonder what would happen if i use an ott and a gooseneck at the same time.