Best I Can Get On A $400 Budget? Help

Awesome thread guys! Quick question, will the Rebel XS work with Windows 7 64bit? ETA: I don't have the CD Rom for my camera.

I've seen some of the best pictures taken with an I phone no lie it has macro. I don't have one SI bought a $250.00 camera and it sucks. I will tell you this if you are going to be posting many coins for sale find tje money to get the best pictures. With millions of coins for sale if your pictures are crap you lose 75% of the customers

What kind of camera? What are you using for a lens? What about lighting? What about patients and practise?

I have a $250 camera as well and I produce amazing pictures with it. Its not magic though...you need every thing else to go with it no matter what you use for a camera.




I agree, however don't be to quick to blame the equipment

Thanks. Well I have a great example of how well a good picture can increase a sale. The scan to the left is what I use to have on ebay and I could hardly give them away at $8.00...The picture to the right just sold for $34.00. The 2 pennies are pretty much identical in color and grade. This is just one of many example I have.


YES a great picture will sell faster and at a greater premium than a poor one. I have noticed a larger viewing of my listings and a lot more watchers.

Unfortunately, I have not had the time to update my BIN listings with new photos but I'm pretty confident that my sales there will increase as well.

I think a few other folks built "<$400" setups...let's see some pics taken with them! Also, has anyone configured their setups with the microscope objective for variety/detail shots? Would love to see those as well.

FYI, here are some Nikon M5 objectives for sale on ebay...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/38085802033...RK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-M5-0-...em2c7bf252f1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-MICRO...em2ec8287528

Nice pics CB!

Any others willing to share?

How about high mag images, did anyone try their hand at higher magnifications?

Great thread and awesome posts! I have been inspired to try this myself. I hadn't owned a camera outside of a cell
phone in 8 years so this is a whole new world for me. Have a lot of coins and want to start capturing them, the cell
doesn't cut it. I ordered most of the equipment and now will begin the waiting game for everything to be shipped from
around the world. I suppose this will give me time to come up with plans for a DIY copy stand.

I'm pumped to be entering the pro SLR world at such a reasonable price. I'm excited this will introduce me to the
hobby but scared that it'll introduce me to the hobby.

Canon XS camera from KEH.com graded "EX": $161.31
EOS-M42 Adapter: $1.38
M42 focusing helicoid, 17-31mm: $29.01
M42 extensions, 2 sets 7/14/28mm: $9.80
M42-M39 adapter: $0.90
M42-RMS Adapter: $9.75
Nikon 75mm EL-Nikkor Lens: $bidding
Nikon M5 objective: $30.75
Tripod: $planning to build ghetto copy stand
IKEA Jansjo LED lights, two: $about twenty

Total $242.90 so far, ~$50 soon will be spent on lense/light. I bought everything except the camera off ebay.

Thanks again this thread is awesome.

I think that was the auction I was looking at too, I was close to bidding in the last 5 seconds but decided not to (shipping to Canada sucks)

I bought a Nikon D3300 lens a couple days ago and have been looking for a good cheap macro lens (was thinking of the Nikkor 40mm but you need to be within a few inches, and for spending ~$300 on a lens, I'd like it to do more then just photograph coins)

This was it? http://www.ebay.com/itm/12130709357....m1438.l2649