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 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,826 |
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Valued Member
 United States
118 Posts |
If you don't mind telling me what type of camera did you get and are you photographing particular coin types? Thanks
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
I have a Canon PowerShot A800. Its just a point and shoot camera that takes macro images. I was trying to use a usb microscope but could never get the focus great. So I opted for an auto-focus camera.
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
I made the same mistake with the usb microscope. Its ok but but doesn't get the job done.I looked at some of your photo's tell me are you using a copy stand and how far are you from the coin? Thanks
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
What type of bulbs are you using? Any issues with the copy stand you picked? Thanks
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
I am using 40watt incandescent bulbs. No issues, I just need to use it more to find what works and what doesn't. Here are my latest pictures. I still need to work on lighting.   |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Differing cameras have differing distances at which they're capable of focus. Keep in mind, the zoom artificially changes the distance that the camera "thinks" the lens is from the subject, so it's subject to the same minimum-distance limitations.
Handholding a point-and-shoot over a coin and expecting focus is an iffy proposition. Even slight movement is quite capable of defeating the camera's autofocus function, and that will again vary by camera.
So, it's back to the cardinal rules of coin photography: Securely-mounted camera. Parallel coin and lens plane. Timed or remote shutter. Strong preference for manual shooting adjustments.
As long as the camera has a manual white balance setting, the type of bulb is only relevant in the pattern of light which it throws. It's far easier to use smaller bulbs which can be closer to the camera for direct lighting to show luster, and then diffused later with some easily-rigged diffusion system.
None of this is "automatic," and the smaller/cheaper the camera, the more effort required by the photographer to achieve acceptable results. With that said, this forum is full of success stories created by people who barely knew what button activated the shutter to begin with, using inexpensive cameras.
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
That's not bad at all! Only to much reflective light that interferes with detail.And I looked up your camera on the canon website as well and that is a reasonably priced camera.What are your basic settings for white balance,ISO,aperture and shutter speed? Or is most of that done for you?
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
think it's white balance on or off, not sure about the other settings
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
And the master of photograph is here! Then based on what you have said how would someone of little experience decide what camera to buy taking into consideration price,experience and ease of use but trying to maintain quality.
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Valued Member
United States
118 Posts |
Thanks fuzzy317 I keep trying to figure this out.
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
jaycutler, I basically did same as you. I looked online for reasonably priced camera that my local store had, then went and took sample image of some pocket change.
Growing up, my father did the whole camera with changeable lenses, tripod, remote shutter, everything for an amateur photographer. I like my pictures to come out well, but its not that important to me.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
651 Posts |
So many choices out there. I use a Fuji S1000 and here's an example of what this has done: This camera has a macro and a super macro function. For info on this camera and others http://www.fujifilm.com/support/dig...pix_s1000fd/  This item is a silver round that was bought by someone else thinking it was an ASE. |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
Then based on what you have said how would someone of little experience decide what camera to buy taking into consideration price,experience and ease of use but trying to maintain quality.
That answer is simple: 1) The ability to manually control settings: aperture, exposure and ISO. 2) A reasonably-short minimum focusing distance. 3) Manual white balance. With those in-hand, and a little elbow grease, you will be able to make the camera shoot nice images of coins regardless of how much you paid for it. There may be some compromises over more expensive cameras, but the goal is reachable. "Ease of use" may or may not be an acceptable compromise, depending on how you define the term. All the words I used in the three conditions above should be things any photographer understands. |
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Posted 09/05/2011 10:43 am
