The Learning Curve: Rookie With Nikon Camera, Linux Control Software.

Before the copystand came inside the house, my first coin photo test.

I just took this picture to show what the AmScope LED Dual Gooseneck lamps illuminate the coin as you requested...
I use a different light source and the gooseneck as secondary lighting (to highlight, illuminate darker areas, etc.).
. . . . Photo below using just the LED Dual Gooseneck lamps..

Outstanding, thank you for all the photos of your setup! Do you make many adjustments using that sliding camera plate? I have quickly learned that I disturb my setup when trying to make manual lens adjustments for fine focus. I had been considering a simple lab jack to adjust coin position, but is there an advantage to moving the camera in tiny increments instead?

I picked up a 24" x 3/4" diameter threaded pipe, flange, cap at Home Depot this afternoon. I've got the base. It is admittedly pretty huge compared to your setup, but I want to place my laptop on the working surface as well, plus control all the cabling. Will probably put in the Amazon order for clamps and a camera AC adapter tomorrow. Maybe I will add a gooseneck lamp or two, I can see that they add flexibility instead of trying to move the main lamp or use a handheld light (which works okay until I need to click the mouse with my other hand).

A fresh test photo from a batch of ISO-shutter-light position experiments. Still don't have the whole coin face in focus.

From the picture you posted, it looks like the camera is not square to the coin.
Use a level to align the camera with the coin platform at all positions.
The camera might be leaning somewhat.

I know there is a procedure for this with the standalone camera. I haven't yet figured out that process in Entangle, although a Google search will probably solve that. It does show a histogram and various color balance profiles, and I can create my own as well. Thanks for reminding me that I need a W/B/18G card in my Amazon order. =)

What do you use for the background below the pedestal? The index card I have shows up as a bluish white shadow in all the pictures I crop.



A bit of tilt is practically assured. The coin pedestal was a three minute DIY with painters tape, black felt, a Pokemon card sleeve, and a drinking straw. Plus the camera was hanging from a portable work bench and propped against a towel. The image is probably very accurately capturing the imprecision of my test setup. =P

Maybe this is a dumb question, but where do you lay the level on the camera?



Very generous, but now I'm a little unclear. Do you like and recommend the supplemental lights, or not like them?



When I first built my tiny axial setup, many coins had a pink reflection on the surface. Later, I realized that it was the light bouncing off my face and into the top of the box, and I enclosed the top to the middle of the lens. =)

That's interesting. What is the compelling reason for sunlight? Do you use reflected sunlight for its superior spectrum compared to LED lighting or another reason? It's obviously more restrictive on lighting angle, time of day, etc., although it is less expensive than artificial lights.

I will happily accept your offer of a gooseneck light. Much appreciated! =)

Not Sun Light but strong Day Light.
In the room where I placed my copystand (in the corner), there are two windows at 90 degrees to each other. I also reflect some of the daylight from those windows using a large sheet of white cardboard, sometimes black.
I edit the RAW photos in Photoshop and convert them to JPG or PNG, mostly PNG, so that I can maneuver them to any background later on...