I Need Some Information On Buying A Camera.

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,761
reports67 Valued Member United States 136 Posts	Posted 12/14/2011 12:21 am I want to take pictures of coins. I have added some pictures of how I want my coin pictures to look. I know little about the newer cameras. What is the basic specs in a camera that will allow me to do this. Thanks. Report this Post to the Staff

CitizenPatriot Valued Member United States 158 Posts	Posted 12/16/2011 12:55 am Well, your question is a bit vague, but since no one else has replied I'll give it a shot (pardon the pun). I have learned much here by reading posts from others with more experience in the realm of coin photography. You might the "search" function which should yield hours of reading material for reference. Photographing coins can be a challenging adventure. If you just want some photos of your coins to document your collection, many "point and shoot" digital cameras will give acceptable results for a nominal investment. To get superior results requires some better equipment and, consequently, more $$$. I already own a very nice Canon digital SLR with several lenses to choose from, but I've also invested in a "copy stand" and extra LED lights to allow me to photograph my coins on a flat surface (think parallel to the focal plane or sensor of the camera) under optimal lighting conditions. The copy stand allows me to mount the camera over the coin and get close enough to fill the frame, while the LED lamps allow me to adjust the lighting to achieve the desired results. Of course, every digital photo has to be "processed" in your computer somehow - there are many different software programs available with varying degrees of "learning curve". I use Adobe Photoshop, but there are many to choose from. As an experience digital photographer, I have met many challenges, yet nothing has been a bigger challenge than photographing coins. A soft, diffused light source will yield an image with great details but generally will not show the coin's true luster. The LED lighting will generally reveal the luster, but doesn't always show the luster of the coin. The trick is to find a happy medium that provides the desired results.....no easy task. I know all this does not answer your question directly, but without more information about your budget and skill level I'd be hard pressed to make any further recommendations. Stick around awhile and read some other posts - you just might glean the info you're searching for. Good luck ! Edited by CitizenPatriot 12/16/2011 01:00 am Report this Post to the Staff
reports67 Valued Member United States 136 Posts	Posted 12/16/2011 12:52 pm thanks you have been helpful Report this Post to the Staff
rmpsrpms Pillar of the Community United States 4038 Posts	Posted 12/16/2011 8:11 pm The pictures you posted are two different types: - Overall pic of Lincoln Cent - Extreme detail shot of the Mintmark These shots require different equipment. The overall pic requires a "macro" setup that can achieve nearly 1:1 magnification. Getting good shots of a Mintmark requires around 3:1 magnification minimum, and more like 5:1 for best clarity. There are a number of different setup options to achieve each of these results, with widely varying price tags. And each person on this group may have a different preference or "favorite" setup. So I suppose the first question is "how much do you want to spend?" If you are looking to do this for $100, it might be tough. $2000 will allow you to do much better than the pictures shown. Between $100 and $2000 there are a wide range of options and capabilities. Let us know what your budget is and we can make some suggestions. Keep in mind that it will take a bit of work before you will get shots like you have shown even with the best equipment, and in my experience proportionally more work as the equipment gets cheaper... Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com Report this Post to the Staff
reports67 Valued Member United States 136 Posts	Posted 12/17/2011 12:11 am Thanks. There is a lot more to this than I antisepated. Think I will take it slow and read postings on here for a while. Report this Post to the Staff
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