Ultra Budget Coin Photography Setup

I have no plans for a fixed setup. These are around $2 tops to build, so I will build one for each specific case I come across. In time I will fill my basement with cardstock photo fixtures instead of more coins...

 

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That's about right, but maybe the lights are just too close to the lens, making the light too axial. Have you tried blocking off the inner LED(s)?

 

I just got this stand today at the big box for $17. It holds a cell phone perfectly flat to the surface you are shooting at about 8 or 9 inches. If you need to adjust higher just put it on a book. The biggest challenges I find to coin photos is lighting and focus. According to Scott Kelby's The Digital Photography Book you want to turn off the phone's flash and get the light source the farthest you can from your subject but get the diffuser such as tissue or whatever and the camera lens as close as you can.

Here are two photos one with and one without tissue for the diffuser. Just one light source at 2 o'clock. I think another light at 10 o'clock would improve the image some as well. These are right through the slab.

 

Amazing! I bet you were a Heathkit guy. The two light set up is the classic one. I just suspect that it is too difficult to make the adjustments needed (intensity, angle, distance) with the LED light source. I would consider a different source. Christmas tree lights?

 

I did some more experimenting tonight. I think with some more work and a lot of trial and error I can get a better combination of spot and diffuse lighting.