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 Replies: 18 / Views: 4,629 |
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Valued Member
United States
242 Posts |
Ok. I've been trying to perfect my photo solution for coins given the fact that I am using a 100$ camera with decent but not super awesome macro mode. My father and I took about 3 weeks off and on to create a basic studio and device to shoot through that creates what he thinks is an optimal shooting environment for coins for my camera. (He is a professional non-paid photographer with thousands of dollars of equipment lol and takes pictures of like bee's heads and stuff lol. He's even offered to see if he can out macro mode me on some of my error coins where I can't see the detail I need.) The studio is here, fairly simple setup:  The parfait (lol) lookin box, is what we use to reduce reflection and difuse the light. Close ups here:    The concepts that we used that (according to him) will give the best shots of reflective coins are: The lighting produces intense cross light that with the white velumn middle section of the parfait will bath the coin in a variety of directions. The lower black strip on the parfait keeps from getting too much light directly from the side causing it to be washed out. The upper black as well as the inside 'blocking' piece (with the hole for the lense) is used to reduce the reflection that the camera normally gives in a macro shot with something highly reflective. All of these combined make for what I think are beautiful shots of non reflective coins and I am extremely satisfied with them. (Anything of mine you've seen on the red and blue hash background has been from this setup. The red and blue is a millimeter measured grid I put together with a holding platform for the coin to rest on so I can get size as well.) The problem is I have not received the "ooohs and ahhhs" on the reflective coins as I have on the non reflective so I am wondering if there is anything else we can do to enhance this setup or should I just figure I wont have a ton of reflective coins I shouldnt really worry about it. The best shot of a reflective coin that someone claimed was 'too dark' is this nickle:   This nickle came out (to me) like nearly every decent shot of a proof on ebay. The only thing I can think of that might make it 'not that great' is some of the definition of the detail not standing out the way the lettering does but I am not sure there is anything I can do about that. Comments, opinions and suggestions, good and bad please. Feel free to use photo geek talk hehe, I'll take it to my dad and have him translate. I am learning a ton about photography and coins at the same time!  . Thanks! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Just chiming to watch this one!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
My first thought is that the lighting needs to be at a much higher angle relative to the coin.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2661 Posts |
This may not be of much help but I am going to throw it out there anyway. I have found that the best lighting for proofs and other reflective items is natural sun light. But the very best is on an overcast day, no rain of course, but you get the natural light which brings out the best of color and detail.
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Valued Member
 United States
242 Posts |
  Hows that? I reversed the two lamps and their supports so the are out more away from the shooting background. If the shooting back ground were flat on the table the lamps would be up about as close as I think I can get them to the high angle in your picture. Much 'higher' angle and I would not be able to reach through with the camera. The sunlight idea is interesting I may try that sometime. . *EDIT* About all I can think of for an even higher angle is to get a pair of bendy neck desk lamps with a narrower cup around the bulb so the angle would be more direct. These floods I happened to have on hand trying to save money if possible but another 30$s to finesse the end result might be in order. Edited by Schwanke
09/18/2012 10:35 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
Ikea Jansjo lamps are very popular around here, and they're cheap.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4038 Posts |
I agree with the Cap'n, you need to get the angle up higher. What I'm seeing is the features are outlined with light halos, which is an unnatural look. You might be able to modify your diffuser to instead of having a band of diffusion low vs the coin, to make the band much higher, or perhaps make it the entire top of the fixture. This will make the light come from higher up and light the surfaces of the coin rather than hitting it at a low angle.
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Valued Member
United States
242 Posts |
The problem is the reason the top isn't all diffuser vellum is we needed it black to mask the reflection of the camera. If the camera is not encased in black then you get this huge ugly picture of the camera in the reflection. This shot of the original ike we were trying to work with is here:  What I could do is talk to my dad about moving the vellum all the way up to against that cross piece of black paper that blocks the camera to see if we can get as much light in as possible. I am linking this thread to my dad so he can read it directly and see your guy's comments in case I am relaying something incorrectly. I feel like we are so close to something reasonable. I would give anything for my camera to be all black lol but I am not at the point where I am ready to risk modifying the camera itself like with tape or paint or something (which my dad had already suggested). I'm worried about paint getting on the lens or a fleck getting in the lens mechanism and I'm out a 100 dollar camera.  . |
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Valued Member
United States
242 Posts |
This is the jansjo lamp I see on Amazon.com that seems to do what might be required. Can anyone see anything wrong with picking up two maybe even three of these for lighting around the coin box right up against the edge facing towards the coin. Not so much to melt the plastic of course but from what I hear LEDs dont really get hot. http://www.amazon.com/Ikea-Black-Ja...words=jansjo*** EDIT *** I just took this test shot moving the lamps as darn near as I could to the shooting box. I actually had to squeeze my left arm in sideways to get the camera, put the camera on two second timer and then press for the shot and pull my right arm out and position the second lamp. I am starting to see what these images are supposed to look like better. More detail across the face, less 'thickness' around the outside of the detail areas. And I am seeing how much of an impact the angle is having. If no one says the jansjo lamp is a bad idea I am probably going to get two and see if having the angle right up against the box does enough of a change. This last shot is slightly blurry because I had to almost balance the camera with my left hand for the shot I was taking because of the closeness of the two lamps. But it taught me some of what I have been missing so its still an 'improvement'. Thanks everyone for their help! ** EDIT EDIT ** Forgot to post the image lol.  Edited by Schwanke
09/19/2012 09:15 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1298 Posts |
The Jansjo's would be cheaper at an Ikea store. $9.99 + tax. If you are close to one?
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Valued Member
United States
242 Posts |
Closest is 40 minutes away without traffic. If we had another reason to go it might be worth it but I cant drive it for medical reasons. I'd need my dad to do it and his time is worth a lot more then the 20 or 30 I would save so I might as well just bite the bullet and let my dad spend his time on more important things. (Like helping me build a storage case for my complete set of State Quarter Rolls ). |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
Sounds like you have an awesome Dad!
Your lst pic is gettng better, but lights are still too low. Can you block the lower part of the transparent paper? Maybe try blocking the bottom 50% and see how it works?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I currently own four Jansjos, so I wouldn't stop you from getting them.  They are pretty easy to white-balance too. My one complaint about them is that the switches on a couple are getting kinda fussy with repeated use, but for the price, I can hardly complain. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
the Jansjo's are pretty popular on this forum, I myself have 3 of them and I don't do allot of photography
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Valued Member
United States
242 Posts |
Thanks on all the jansjo comments. I'll definitely pick up a pair to start with then. Yeah. My dad rocks. . And rmpsrpms for blocking the bottom 50% your thinking blocking more of the lower will make the overall picture look better? Would that be like an exposure thing? I know my dad talked about adjusting the exposure and I only now just remembered so I wonder if maybe reducing the 'lateral light' but increasing the exposure might help. Assuming most of the light comes directly from the bulb I do have another 6 to 10 inches of space left to drag the angle closer to the camera because the flood lamps have all that metal around them. The jansjo's seem to be more confined and direct so I would imagine I could get them right up almost if not actually against the parfait box. Especially if the LED makes them not hot and the goose neck lets me put them alamost anywhere. If I can work out physicaly fitting the camera I might be able to put them right against the parfait box on either side or darn close. One problem I was having was the camera was physically blockign me from putting the lights any closer and my hands were creating shadows. If I can somehow get the source of the light to be 'below' my hands I might be able to get something like an 80% angle. Combine that with a higher block on the outside edge at the bottom (that 50% suggestion) it might improve. I'll try and play with the 50% while I am waiting for the jansjo's. See how it goes. Thanks! |
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New Member
United States
16 Posts |
That setup must take a while to get each coin standing and line everything up. Why not just create a larger type white box with three holes and an open front to adjust things inside. Cut two holes on either side and shot your lamps through them and then rig your camera up to hang over the box and shot down through the third hole. The lights must be aiming at the back of the box which would be a white wall. I will also use a third light shooting in from behind the camera. This way the coin can be laying flat rather then standing it up. You can go that route or just set the camera up shooting down again but not on a tripod but more a support system (I used a couple of two by fours and made an Upside down you heavy on one leg of the you the camera on the other, mount the camera to the tripod up-opened and strap it to the upside down you flat or horizontal. Dark background and then a signel lamp I have complete control over to hold where I wanted to get the best picture. The bulb is one of those 24 dollar white light bulbs that really throws no heat. My trick is always shot at night with only the one bulb and I use a canon with the utility for live view on my computer. Would be lost without that program. It really is great for reflective silver or satin coins. Taking some pictures for a friend and depending on the reflections of the coin determines how I use the light. On the first nickel and kennedy they were satin, the rest were regular and the last nickel had some non reflection which I need to play around with to get a better picture, this was the first. Some pics are a little to much reflective but can be corrected. I have not diffused the light source as of yet. Here are the examples with just one light: [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/833/1942aobverse.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/441/1942reverse.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/560/2005satinnickelpobverse.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/221/2005psatinnickelreverse.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/31/2005psatinkennedyobvers.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/543/2005kennedysatinreverse.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/142halfobverse.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/13/img7078om.jpg/]  [/URL] [URL="http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/825/1973deisenhauerobverse.jpg/]  [/URL] |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 4,629 |
Posted 09/18/2012 6:25 pm
