Can anyone advise if they use the axial set up for taking photos of coins?
I was going to use a milk carton diffuser and two standard desk lamps until I stumbled across the axial set up.
Can't quite figure out which way to go, although the axial set up does appear to give better results.
Any advice?
Axial set up can be found at www.sigma-2.com/camerajim/cjgcoins.htm‎
I tried it but the results were no better.
The axial method is good for bringing out colour in toned coins and for taking images of proofs with mirror fields. It doesn't give a good indication of lustre. It should be one tool in your photography toolbox.
Photography toolbox....hmm. I've only just realised that no one method of photography is going to work for every coin or banknote.
The goal now is to come up with a list of coin types and associated photographic methods which best capture the quality of the particular coin.
Looks like I've got a busy weekend ahead of me.
A weekend full of :exclamation: plus some:yahoo:,then a period of :ireful:, followed by a bunch of :read:, a couple of:dontknow: but in the end it is all:dance2:.
Sound like a similar result to what you could expect with a ring flash (but not mentioned in the article).
Ring Flash (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_flash)
Only problem is they can be rather expensive.
Jeff
if the little finepix don't do it than it don't get done :) I need my money for coins :winkextra:
Quote from: 'ausjack' pid='15143' dateline='1368777388'if the little finepix don't do it than it don't get done :) I need my money for coins :winkextra:
a j , when your production line starts up making the key holders from wood and pennies , you will never have to worry about money anymore you will be the CEO of the company ..
trout has a chainsaw , he can supply you with all the wood you need , just ask him , he has staff all ready to go ..
Quote from: 'ausjack' pid='15143' dateline='1368777388'if the little finepix don't do it than it don't get done :) I need my money for coins :winkextra:
My thoughts exactly.
I seem to recall a post in the Melbourne Photowalkers Community on G+ about a homemade ring light that used a heap of white LEDs. Let me see if I can navigate this Bull**** new update (which I hate) they just pushed out and find it.
Forget the ring of LEDs. Been there, done that and it doesn't work.
Jeff
between photos and storage I don't have any money left for coins..I can't justify spending heaps unless I was to try and sell..you lot are happy enough with my crappy pic's aren't you..let me put that another way..AREN'T YOU :blackeye: :D
Grrr... I give up... I absolutely HATE this new layout Google have foisted on us, and I logged out in disgust. :(
However, I did a little searching and came up with some interesting things. Firstly, this commercial unit on Amazon which sells for a ripoff price of about $150 in Oz:
http://www.amazon.com/NEEWER®-Macro-Ring-LED-Light/dp/B0031AQ302
Secondly, these rings designed to go in car headlights. Again, they're about three times the price locally, but I see they say free shipping to Oz...
http://dx.com/p/t10-21-led-white-light-car-angel-eye-70mm-diameter-25511
They come in various sizes, so its just a matter of digging up a suitable lens hood, picking two sizes to suit, gluing them in and plugging them into a 12V battery, or even a 9V if the reduced intensity isn't a problem. You could even cut up some milk bottles for a diffuser over the LEDs.
The way to mount them would be with the smaller ring closest to the lens. If your lens does autofocus, like mine, then you need to be sure not to cover the sensor. I would imagine the large ring on the outer lip of the hood, and the smaller one maybe 10mm below that would work well. So they'd be maybe 20mm different diameters, to suit your hood.
Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='15187' dateline='1368785471'Forget the ring of LEDs. Been there, done that and it doesn't work.
Why didn't it work, Jeff?
I just got a round led light setup and its working good for me, I no longer rely on the sun for lighting, it will give a reflection on shiny surfaces so it is tilted to one side, and it also has a slight blue hue to it, but I fixed that up by putting some baking paper stuff over it as a diffuser of light, I am now in the process of cataloguing my threepence collection :)
it easily click on and off with a flick of a switch when not in use and it plugs straight into a usb port.
it did take a month by budget mail tho, well for $3 I don't care
>> http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160562394186#ht_2683wt_1161
Quote from: 'Australian coin' pid='15204' dateline='1368787494'well for $3 I don't care
Jeez. For $3 I wouldn't care either.
Two things... for Macro photography, you really want the two stepped rings, because you're so close the lens is nearly touching the subject. And for your blue tinge, you can set your white balance to compensate. The camera should have a button for it, or if not,
fix it in post, as the movie guys say. ;) Which means adjusting colour balance in Photoshop or whatever editor you use.
Quote from: 'Fulvio' pid='15230' dateline='1368792244'Quote from: 'Australian coin' pid='15204' dateline='1368787494'well for $3 I don't care
Jeez. For $3 I wouldn't care either.
Two things... for Macro photography, you really want the two stepped rings, because you're so close the lens is nearly touching the subject. And for your blue tinge, you can set your white balance to compensate. The camera should have a button for it, or if not, fix it in post, as the movie guys say. ;) Which means adjusting colour balance in Photoshop or whatever editor you use.
Being close to a coin is exactly what you DONT want when imaging them. Perhaps bugs or whatever are different, but I've never seen a natural coin image taken when the camera lens is close to the coin. I welcome you to show me an image that proves me wrong but I bet you cant.
here is the result I am getting, some have a tad of blue, but this ones pretty good and doesn't show it, yeah I am pretty chuffed with the setup I have now, the camera is put to macro mode, then the lens is put pretty close to the 2x2, auto focus and ta da, I have it in large picture mode 1600x1200 cos you can always shrink a picture.
then you just remove the background in a photo editor, getting pretty good at it now, and best of all I am finding die cracks on coins that I never knew had die cracks YAY
(http://wm57.inbox.com/thumbs/3f_fbfd7_26eca3_oJ.jpg.thumb)
That's a good picture AC that shows a lot of coin detail. But it's just like a USB image, lots of detail no idea of lustre or surface condition.
hehe it just my collection, most of them have been cleaned and rescued, no show stoppers in there, yeah some coins are really hard to capture the surface colour, I have 1c coins that reflect different colours like blue and purple, but can never get a good pic, yep not overly important to me tho, just happy that I can take large pics of the little buggers now.
Nice shots AC, could I suggest removing them from the 2x2 to allow a little more clarity, I am sure you would be happy with the result.!!:yahoo:
Nice pic AC :good:
Far better than the crap I come up with :dash1:
Hey AC, would you like to photograph each and every coin in my collection from 1910 to current date. Only 2310 coins to be photographed. PM me when ready..........
I will be happy to do them- Not sure when you will get them back. :diablo:
Quote from: 'Goldseeker' pid='15277' dateline='1368841517'Hey AC, would you like to photograph each and every coin in my collection from 1910 to current date. Only 2310 coins to be photographed. PM me when ready..........
You are evil Goldie :laugh2:
Quote from: 'Robster' pid='15279' dateline='1368841665'I will be happy to do them- Not sure when you will get them back. :diablo:
yep no worries Goldie, just send em over and I will send the pics back :diablo: :laugh2:
haha I am up to 1915 and was like o a die crack then got distracted :P, cos I had to do a extra zoom in pic of just the die crack, I am taking pics of the best example of each date I have - front and back of coin + and error variety's and am probably going to make it into a book. but it is a serious grind, I sent myself a time limit and am already over it eek.
o I have to bug you, do you have a 1923 threepence for sale, any condition, and can you look thru your spare pile for a 1943m with a blob in the number 9, please xx
added pic
(http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/uploaded/goatieman23/20120417_IMG_8915.JPG)
Quote from: 'Australian coin' pid='15284' dateline='1368842218'haha I am up to 1915 and was like o a die crack then got distracted :P, cos I had to do a extra zoom in pic of just the die crack, I am taking pics of the best example of each date I have - front and back of coin + and error variety's and am probably going to make it into a book. but it is a serious grind, I sent myself a time limit and am already over it eek.
o I have to bug you, do you have a 1923 threepence for sale, any condition, and can you look thru your spare pile for a 1943m with a blob in the number 9, please xx
added pic
(http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/uploaded/goatieman23/20120417_IMG_8915.JPG)
PM sent
Not a "Show Stopper" but it is a 1923 coin :ok:
[attachment=1956][attachment=1957]
woo thankyou, hugs :)
o I should also add that the pic I keep linking is actually goatieman's, it the only pic I have ever seen of an actual coin
I'm sure that I might get the pickies but what about the return on my coins.......?
Quote from: 'Goldseeker' pid='15336' dateline='1368875004'I'm sure that I might get the pickies but what about the return on my coins.......?
There is an Annie Lenox song that starts off with;
Sweet dreams are made of these....................:laugh2:
Nice set up Aus Coin. I'm starting to head down that path.
Markn, you mentioned that the set up that Aus Coin has doesn't capture toning too well. Any comments on what set up would capture toning?
I've started to take images, but my sizes are about 20mb. I've tried switching the camera in macro to a lower setting, but have to sacrifice quality.
Quote from: 'coxspau' pid='18586' dateline='1371600485'Nice set up Aus Coin. I'm starting to head down that path.
Markn, you mentioned that the set up that Aus Coin has doesn't capture toning too well. Any comments on what set up would capture toning?
I've started to take images, but my sizes are about 20mb. I've tried switching the camera in macro to a lower setting, but have to sacrifice quality.
My experience is that a setup that is good for showing detail (like AC's images) are rubbish for showing lustre and toning. Her images look like the lighting is at some angle to the surface of the coin.
An axial setup is good for toning and not so good at detail and no good for lustre.
So there's a balance in there somewhere. Lighting should be close to perpendicular to the surface of the coin to bring out toning but not completely perpendicular so that lustre still shows.
As I've said many times that balance requires a LOT of light shining down on the coin and a camera shooting along the same line as the lighting. I've also said many times that the quantity and angle of the light is much more important than the camera. You can take perfectly acceptable images with a point and shoot camera with lots of light. You will struggle to take good images with poor lighting no matter how expensive your camera or lens is.
(http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o787/robster836/022_zps48a4373e.jpg)
Still struggling with coins with large blank fields.! Think I have found one struck through wire.!!
Quote from: 'Robster' pid='18589' dateline='1371612184'(http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/o787/robster836/022_zps48a4373e.jpg)
Still struggling with coins with large blank fields.! Think I have found one struck through wire.!!
Nice, I like strike-throughs. There's something not quite right with the white balance on your images Rob. I also think the light is a little "hot" or directional. Have you tried moving them further away or putting a diffuser in front of them?
You are right Mark, at my age I can't be expected to remember all of the procedures. LOL.
Quote from: 'Robster' pid='18605' dateline='1371623871'You are right Mark, at my age I can't be expected to remember all of the procedures. LOL.
I'm having a good day if I can remember my own name.
Quote from: 'coxspau' pid='18586' dateline='1371600485'I've started to take images, but my sizes are about 20mb. I've tried switching the camera in macro to a lower setting, but have to sacrifice quality.
You can knock the JPEG compression back to 75% and reduce file size by a factor of six with no visible degradation. Then you can reduce image size and resolution to get something more manageable for posting.
am I achieving that when I 'resize' my pics smaller by about 1/4 of their original megapixel size either in my local paint program or in photobucket?
Quote from: 'robbiegal' pid='18660' dateline='1371639119'am I achieving that when I 'resize' my pics smaller by about 1/4 of their original megapixel size either in my local paint program or in photobucket?
Probably not. The default quality setting is generally 100%, and it will be in your program's preferences. As for online postprocessing, I would never use that, for many reasons including lack of control.
oh ta
Here, just for fun, is an example that might illustrate how it works:
http://goo.gl/mtYVT
There you will find a shot I just took, in five versions, plus some screenshots.
The original JPEG, as it came out of the camera (5MP), is 2.2Mb. When edited (no changes, just select all, trim, and save), it blows out to 3.9Mb @ 100%. Reducing the quality in 25% steps produces 796k, 512k, 328k respectively. 20% is the minimum before the program (GraphicConverter) complains its too low.
File sizes will of course vary depending on what's in the picture. A solid colour will be a much smaller file than a complex, finely detailed shot with riotous colours.
It makes sense to choose the most appropriate quality settings for the task at hand. Sadly, very few people out there on de interwebz has any idea, which is why you see slow-loading pages with 20Mb images on them. As cameras become higher and higher resolution, this problem will only get worse. :(
Oh, and always keep your originals safe and play around only with copies. Though having said that, I store everything at 75%, unless an image is intended for a magazine or poster, but that's rare. After 250,000 images and counting, (storage) size really does start to matter. ;)
I've been watchin this one for a while now and just like to thank you all for the tips :thank_you:
Just revitalizing this topic. I have a copy of Numismatic Photography 2nd Ed by Mark Goodman and it has a useful summary of the options at the end. These are:
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10124/Page_1_1.jpg)
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10124/Page_2_1.jpg)
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10124/Page_3_1.jpg)
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10124/Page_4_1.jpg)
Just for the record I did consider copyright implications and believe the copying of the 4 pages falls in the Fair Dealing provisions due to the limited number of pages, that I've already purchased the book, that they are posted for the purposes of promoting discussion and education, is for a non-commercial purpose and to promote purchase of the book which you would have to do to obtain detailed explanations of the summary.
I actually have 2 copies of this book so if anyone is interested I'm prepared to send one out "on tour". That is, if someone wants to borrow it I'll send it to them and they can send it back in a few weeks or, alternatively if more than 1 wants to have a look at it then borrower 1 can send it to borrower 2 in two weeks and borrower 2 can send it to borrower 3 after two weeks ....., you get the idea and the last borrower can send it back to me.
Be aware that the book weighs close to 480 grams so postage won't be cheap.
The book is biased towards USA coins but the principles of photographing through slabs, proof coins, copper coins, color etc remain the same. You can also buy your own copy for $31.66 from the Book Depository with free postage. This is the Index
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10124/Index.jpg)
PM me if you would like to borrow it.
It's a good book. Incidentally before I got my copy I'd already arrived at a vertical lighting setup with typical camera settings being F10 and shutter speed anywhere between 1/250 to 1/500. I did improve the lights we used based on the recommendations in the book though. He has some interesting observations about bringing out colour using higher F stops like F20. I've tested it and not noticed a difference to be honest.
I'd disagree with a couple of things he says, but yeah, its a good overall guide. just be aware that it IS four years old now (well, probably more like 5 or 6).
Steve, thanks for posting the pages. These are a great insight and will probably result in a few purchases of the same book being delayed until improvement is sought. Some great tips in the attachments alone.