Cameras

[trout]

Ok time for me to upgrade my point and shoot camera.
Would this be a suitable camera for photographing coins ?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Nikon-D-Series-D3200-24mp-HUGE-DEAL-COMPLETE-KIT-/161371230601?pt=AU_Digital_Cameras&hash=item2592799189

[serial]

looks the goods to me. wish I had that much dough to spend on a camera.
"Sigma 70-300mm 4-5.6 Macro lens "
cant wait to see your pics if you get it

[trout]

looks the goods to me. wish I had that much dough to spend on a camera.
"Sigma 70-300mm 4-5.6 Macro lens "
cant wait to see your pics if you get it

I am almost ready to pull the trigger on this, Just waiting to see if Mark or Jeff thinks it is a reasonable deal :ok:
I had a squizz on the Nikon site about this unit and it looks quite a capable camera so I bit the bullet and bought it .
I has to be better than my Fujifilm 14mp point and shoot unit anyway.
Now to order some memory cards for it.

[JeffH]

Looks a good deal to me. I had an early Pentax DSLR (only 4MP) but excellent picture quality -better than an 8MP point and shoot.
I was going to just buy the body but a package with aftermarket lens was very little extra cost. I went for the Pentax as I could use all my K mount lenses from my old Pentax film camera.
In my opinion interchangeable lenses are a must if you want to be serious and quality of the lens is probably more important than the number of pixels. RAW option is good if you want absolutely best end results but I usually don't bother because the file sizes are so big.
Another important thing for close up work is distortion -the better the lens the less the distortion (or loss of focus at the edge of the picture) you are likely to suffer. Wouldn't hurt to read some reviews if you have time.

And setup for coins is another whole issue but Mark has covered that before.

And a 2x teleadaptor! I had one (and even a 3x). Pretty much useless unless camera on tripod, light good and remote shutter release used. Even then, depth of field is very restricted. My first thought is that it would not be relevant for coin photography but I would experiment with one for closeup -you never know.

[serial]

congrats!
cant wait to see results

[trout]

I got the entire lot for less than the cost of the  Sigma 70-300mm 4-5.6 Macro lens.
Ah well I can only give it a crack when it gets here and see what I can achieve with it.:angel:

And setup for coins is another whole issue but Mark has covered that before.

Can you post a link to that please Jeff

[JeffH]

Just a note -the sensor is smaller than standard 35mm film frame so focal length will be about 1½ times what lens is rated (18-55mm lens will actually be 27-83mm).
Some reviews'
•Photography Blog
•Camera Labs
•Digital Photography Review

[Fordprefect]

Sorry I'm late to this post, But :-
It is not going to work for you.

Combining the reversing ring with the standard 18-55 Nikor
might get you a result, but it will require patience.

The Sigma is not a Prime Macro and of no use in coin photography.

With the D3200 Nikon body as a "Newby" camera pointer
a REAL Prime Macro Lens is required.
Either :-
A: Tamron 90mm 1:1 Macro Prime Lens (Markn) $350
B: Tokina 100mm 1:1 Macro Prime Lens (Robster)$425
C: Nikor 105mm 1:1 Micro Prime Lens (Expensive)?$
D: Sigma 105mm 1:1 Macro Prime Lens (Also Expensive)

As for add on adapters, leave them on the shelf useless.
Extension tubes are far superior.

[markn]

Sorry I'm late to this post, But :-
It is not going to work for you.

Combining the reversing ring with the standard 18-55 Nikor
might get you a result, but it will require patience.

The Sigma is not a Prime Macro and of no use in coin photography.

With the D3200 Nikon body as a "Newby" camera pointer
a REAL Prime Macro Lens is required.
Either :-
A: Tamron 90mm 1:1 Macro Prime Lens (Markn) $350
B: Tokina 100mm 1:1 Macro Prime Lens (Robster)$425
C: Nikor 105mm 1:1 Micro Prime Lens (Expensive)?$
D: Sigma 105mm 1:1 Macro Prime Lens (Also Expensive)

As for add on adapters, leave them on the shelf useless.
Extension tubes are far superior.

+1.  Lens is more important than the camera.  You've got a nice bit of kit there but you'll need a dedicated macro lens for coins.

[trout]

Which one ?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SALE-BRAND-NEW-TAMRON-SP-AF-90mm-f-2-8-F2-8-DI-MACRO-1-1-for-NIKON-DSLR-LENS-/320855567275?pt=AU_Lenses&hash=item4ab47b6bab

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Tokina-100mm-1-2-8-D-AT-X-PRO-MACRO-for-NIKON-micro-/131242444331?pt=AU_Lenses&hash=item1e8ea8c62b

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-Sigma-28mm-f-1-8-EX-DG-ASP-Aspherical-Macro-Lens-For-Nikon-1-Year-Warranty-/160880809109?pt=AU_Lenses&hash=item25753e5495
Is this what I will need ?

Item specifics
Condition:   Brand New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging (where packaging is ... Read moreabout the condition
Brand:    Tamron
Focal Length:    Fixed/Prime   Model:    272E for Nikon
Focus Type:    Manual, Auto   MPN:    af57n-700
Maximum Aperture:    f/2.8   Camera Type:    Digital SLR
Type:    Telephoto   Compatible Brand:    For Nikon
UPC:    725211727132      
Detailed item info
Product Information
The Tamron 272E 90-mm is an excellent macro lens for Nikon mount systems. The Tamron 272E is suitable for both SLR and DSLR formats and brings outstanding photo quality to either platform. The Tamron SP 272E has a longer lens to subject ability, which is a real value when photographing subjects that are difficult to get close to. The Tamron 272E 90-mm is perfect for naturalist or wildlife photographers who need to get closer shots of nervous animals, and the polycarbonate construction of the Tamron 272E makes it light enough to ensure it is always on hand for any opportunity. The Tamron 272E 90-mm has high-quality resolution and chromatic correction capabilities compared to other similarly priced lenses, and this high resolution gives the Tamron SP 272E the ability to give superior handling of out of focus areas around the subject. The Tamron 272E has excellent anti-reflection technology that reduces the unwanted glare and ghosting that can be common to even very high-end digital cameras.


Product Identifiers
Lens Brand   Tamron
Model   272E for Nikon
MPN    af57n-700
UPC   4960371004440, 725211727132, 725211727156


Key Features
Lens Type   Telephoto
Compatible Camera Type   Digital SLR
Compatible Camera Brand   Nikon
Focus Type   Auto, Manual
Max Aperture   f/2.8


Technical Features
Lens Construction   10 Elements in 9 Groups
Focal Length   Fixed/Prime
Min Aperture   f/32
View Angle   27 Degrees
Filter Size   55 mm
Minimum Focusing Distance   29 cm
Number of Diaphragm Blades   9 Blades
Macro Magnification   x1


Dimensions
Diameter   7.15 cm
Length   9.7 cm
Weight   405 g


Miscellaneous
Zoom Adjustment   Fixed/Prime
Additional Features   Macro Lens

[markn]

We have the Tamron 272E.

[trout]

We have the Tamron 272E.

PM sent
Ok
I have the Nikon 3200 matched with a Tamron 272E 90-mm lens .
What else will I need as I have still got some change out of my $1500 camera budget.
I imagine I will need some sort of copy stand and some other  lighting options rather  than just my  OTT light.
The Camera I bought comes with a tripod but I guess that it would be pretty useless to use for coin pic's.

[serial]

I am no expert but I would think the best use of your allowance would be on a 2nd ott light. I noticed with your pics that the light is one sided and I am led to believe that multiple light sources is key to good pics

[markn]

We have the Tamron 272E.

PM sent

Ok
I have the Nikon 3200 matched with a Tamron 272E 90-mm lens .
What else will I need as I have still got some change out of my $1500 camera budget.
I imagine I will need some sort of copy stand and some other  lighting options rather  than just my  OTT light.
The Camera I bought comes with a tripod but I guess that it would be pretty useless to use for coin pic's.

Camera stand and lights.  That'd be the best thing to buy next.

[JeffH]

:yeah_what_she_said: I second that.
One day I will get around to putting provision on my large, very sturdy USB microscope stand so I can hang my camera and a couple of lights on it too.