Here is the best photo I could get of this Punic Tetradrachm while in a slab. I have no desire to rekindle the whole slab crusade. Just sayin its hard to get a good photo of a coin while it is encapsulated. I hate trying to black out the tabs. Here is a photo of the same coin fully commando: I think with better lighting I can do even better. I will try again on a sunny afternoon. Post a difficult photo situation you encountered. Lets not debate the other aspects of slabs. John
Sony a6000 with $30 extender ring set and $30 LED light ring. Mounted on a generic tripod. I posted pictures in a thread last year, maybe I can locate it. A lot of it is using the right lighting and camera settings. I use manual mode with F14, manual exposure time, and autofocus. It takes a long exposure at that F stop but gives more depth of field. You can dial the exposure time up and down and see in real time on the view finder how well lit the photo will be. It is not hard, just takes some experimenting.
The first photo has more dramatic side lighting. I may try that again using the unencapsulated coin to see how it looks. I usually like even lighting better but it does not suit every coin. The light ring I have allows you to do 360 or 180 degrees of light, which you can rotate around to see how it looks.
Thank Doug Smith, he has taught most of us how to do this! Besides being a really nice guy and an ancient coin expert, he is also an authority on coin photography.
No doubt. I was just looking at his pages on photography the other day very informative. Another question what are the markings under the horse on your coin?? I really do love that one I don't think I've seen the type before
My first feeling is that this coin will respond better to softer lighting like open shade or artificial lights bounced around the room rather than directional or ring. However the correct answer is to try 101 ways and throw out the worst hundred attempts. In addition to getting the best answer for this coin, you may find some answers that will enable you to get the best answer in fewer tries next time. Shiny silver is hard to shoot. You don't want blank white areas but you must have some sparkle or the surfaces will look dull and flat. I see the best answer for this coin somewhere between the two you show. Slabs never help since you have to consider glare and scratches along with the coin surfaces. I have one slabbed coin. I have shown it here before and can not explain why I have not removed it without breaking your rule: This photo is terrible but I have so little experience shooting slabs that it is not likely to improve.
Thanks Doug, I will try some natural lighting combinations and see what happens. My best photos seem to come from using only natural, diffuse light from a skylight that is a couple feet off to the side of my photo set up. I think you got a pretty great shot of that Constantine II if it is still inside a slab. There is no reflection from the holder and no hint of the tabs. @Ajax: That is a Punic (Phoenician) inscription. Their letters are totally different from Greek or Latin. Check out: https://ancientcarthage.wikispaces.com/Phoenician+Language+and+Plautus'+Poenulus
Huh ... photo threads => we need more dudes buying coins!! (buy your kids ancient coins for Christmas!!)
Nice coin!!!!!!! These photos were taken by placing the raw coin on my desk & using the fluorescent overhead lighting.
