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 Replies: 23 / Views: 4,235 |
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
I've been lurking in the photo forum here for a few weeks looking at the great shots people are taking. I'm an amateur photographer, so I figured I'd pick up a macro and start learning. Most of my learning has been in how to properly light coins. My current setup is a Canon EOS 7D with an EF-s 60mm/f2.8 macro on a tripod. I don't have an Ikea around here for light sources so instead I bought a couple of cheap LED flashlights and a "helping hands" soldering station to hold them. After reading about focus stacking here, I downloaded CombineZ and produced this 3-image stack:  I'm still not using a remote release, and my shutter speeds are almost in the "danger zone", so I need to solve that. I guess I'm looking for comments on the photo, to try to correct anything I'm doing poorly. I hear people say to use a black background, but for now I'm doing the exact opposite and using a piece of printer paper  The three shots were focus bracketed at 1/100 s and f/5.6 at ISO 800. I could really use brighter lights! The subject is my first 1990 BB that I found roll hunting last night. I think it's a pretty forgiving subject compared to proofs or mint state coins. Tell me what you think. |
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
There is very darn little to critique here.
Is there a reason for needing to stack? I would think that camera/lens combo should provide ample depth of field to avoid stacking. Set aperture to f/8, and don't be afraid to go slower than 1/60 - the 7D has Silent Mode, where the first shutter stays open, eliminating most vibration and allowing very long exposures.
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Valued Member
 Canada
331 Posts |
Hi SuperDave - to be honest, the stacking had only a minor impact on the finished product compared to the single image taken for middle focus. Still, I liked the finished product slightly better than any of the individual shots. I am operating the camera with what vibration countering settings I can, but I'm still not convinced I'm getting shots as still as with a remote release.
I've been trying to get shots of 2011 nickels that are in circulated MS condition. I haven't been able to get any in which the fields don't appear almost uniformly black. They're so scratch-free that there aren't any imperfections to reflect light back to the lens, much like a proof coin. I'm reminded of a post from this forum in which someone said that high AU to low MS coins are actually rather hideous to look at under magnification. So true! I'll post again if I can get some that look half decent.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
I'm reminded of a post from this forum in which someone said that high AU to low MS coins are actually rather hideous to look at under magnification. That was me.  Quote:
I've been trying to get shots of 2011 nickels that are in circulated MS condition. I haven't been able to get any in which the fields don't appear almost uniformly black. I don't necessarily consider that bad, from an aesthetic standpoint. You might go to a much lower light angle to see if that helps; my Proof technique involves a circular fluorescent with the camera in the center, as close to a literally-vertical lighting angle as possible. That results in a nice black-and-white effect:  Makes me think that, conversely, a lower angle might tilt things towards luster in your case. Glare will become a problem, though. |
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
I must say, that is a fantastic looking proof shot. I wasn't necessarily saying that black field / lit details was an undersirable combination; I just can't seem to get anything but that. Also, the nickels I was trying weren't PR67 and look pretty awful under black-and-white lighting conditions, particularly the obverse!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
Pretty nice image LaureateBust! Some of my best images have used focus stacking, even though DOF was technically adequate. This is partially due to the processing algorithm used by CZP. It seems to do a fantastic job in getting optimum sharpening, levels, etc. And of course at f5.6 you will do slightly better with critical focusing with a 3-stack compared with the central image, though the difference will be subtle.
My only suggestion on improving the image is to bring your lights up a bit higher. They are about right to show crossed luster bars, but a bit higher will emphasize the features a bit more and de-emphasize the surface conditions. There is never a perfect single position for lights but you may find a higher angle beneficial.
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
Thanks for the suggestion about lighting from a steeper angle. The light angle for the above stacked image was about 65 degrees or so, but I've managed to get them to about 80 degrees. I'll post some shots in this thread at the new angle when I get a chance.
My lighting setup is pretty cumbersome right now with my LED flashlights. If only there was an IKEA within 1000 km!
I think I should really change my light sources. These flashlights provide a very cold white light. Feels like about 7000 K, and I can't easily find other sources that are quite so blue to get the ambient light level up. I'd really like to be shooting at a lower ISO to minimize noise.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
No reason why you can't lower ISO and exposure both; on a tripod I'd be perfectly comfortable with that camera/lens down to 1/4s or slower. Especially if you're willing to stack, so you could open the aperture yet more without DOF worries. A 2sec timed shutter is just as good as a remote, and you should be able to tether the 7D with the included Zoom Browser and run it all from the keyboard/mouse.
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
I'll do some experimenting with stacking really low shutter speeds and self-timed exposures and post when I have some results. I've been using live view to critically focus from the LCD, rather than tether - this system works pretty well for me so far. As for my lights, I think the batteries have been slowly losing their charge, leading to dimmer lighting over time. My plan is to wire the two 4.5 V lights in series and power them with a 9 V power supply.
I'm a telephoto shooter normally, so I have an innate phobia of slow shutter speeds :)
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I use Live View to focus from the LCD myself, except in my case, the LCD is a 24", 1900x1200 Dell U2410 rather than the camera's 3" LCD. I'm curious why you'd not use this capability when it's available to you.
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
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I'm curious why you'd not use this capability when it's available to you. Out of ignorance, I suppose. What do you feel would be the advantages over how I'm shooting now? |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
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What do you feel would be the advantages over how I'm shooting now? Aside the obvious optical advantage of being able to determine focus sharpness on a far larger screen, you can make all parameter changes using your mouse, and see the resulting image in Live View. No more guessing about light, and results instantaneously displayed on your screen. I use two monitors myself, so the Live View and the shot following are on separate screens. With this setup, I can make radical changes and reshoot in less than 5 seconds, physically touching the camera only at the very start and end of the session. And, like shooting with a remote, a delay is not needed. I will never go back. Even with the bellows arrangement I'm using - no electronic connection to the lens, so I have to artificially open the aperture a lot wider than I'll actually use to get enough light to focus in Live View - it still beats the stuffin' out of having to fiddle with the camera itself for every new shot. |
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
This is some food for thought. Maybe it's a case of not knowing what you're missing until you've tried it. Since I'm new to the game I'm still concentrating on more fundamental problems, like lighting solutions, and I did get my 2 flashlights wired for AC today. So much better! I had lost about 3 f stops to battery drain and I hadn't even noticed.
One more question - aside from the general suggestion of dark backgrounds some people suggest, what specifically do you use for background material? I've tried a few things, but nothing I'm really satisfied with. I guess I'm trying to find something that would be a dark shade of any colour and be free of detail under magnification.
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
Here's a pic from tonight, a 2 image stack, 1/13s f/5.6 ISO 200. Couldn't quite keep all the highlights from blowing out.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
I'm not fond of 3:00 / 9:00 lighting, makes for an unnatural presentation of luster. What angle are the lights at for this shot? Looks like around 45-deg to me. I'd like to see this shot with the lights at 75-deg, 10:30 and 1:30...Ray
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
Hmm, not sure of the exact positions of lights for this shot since I was playing around with them a bit, but it was something like 10:00 and 2:00, and an angle of maybe 60 to 70 degrees.
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Replies: 23 / Views: 4,235 |
Posted 05/26/2012 2:53 pm
