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 Replies: 27 / Views: 3,579 |
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Pillar of the Community
  United States
4038 Posts |
First is two lightly-diffused Jansjos around 10/2. Second is one Smile Jansjo at around 11 with a reflector around 3. Third is double Smile Jansjos, at 10:30 and 1:30. I have tried to duplicate #2 with stacked workflow but can't seem to get it the same. Methods like that are not repeatable as they require very specific placement of the light and reflector to get it all "right". So while #2 may give a good representation of the coin, it is not workable. Most repeatable is the double Smile, as it is easy to "calibrate". Even at that it benefits from a small adjustment here and there for each coin, but not too far from the nominal point. It looks like I'm fairly well stuck with double Smiles... (o)
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
We're at the point, I think, that you've succeeded in proving beyond a doubt that there will never be one single way to appropriately photograph a coin. Technique varies by goal. Your very first image is the one I want, if you want me to grade your coin. If you just want me to look at the coin and drool, your second original image is the one I want to look at.
And, for another variable, that's only my preference. YMMV. As hard as you try - and you've tried harder than any before or since who choose to shoot coins; other photographers only meet their own preconceived notions, however excellent their results - there will never be One Single Method.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3076 Posts |
Dave I think I would agree with this simple thought..There is no "one" simple "process"...But that is photography...Silver coins versus,, copper...there is no one magical setup that does it all...As you know...And there is NO ONE Lens that does it ALL unless you spend thousands of dollars, even then the lens is applied as it designed..EVEN then.each lens has its own questions of CA or other lack of ENTIRE purity as to its over all performance...if it were true, we would have only one type of "DO IT ALL LENS" that does it all...but yet we still have 17mm or so to 600MM lenses designed for specific applications...Believe me My 600mm does not do coins at all.. Dave...While one could consider...We have reached the MAX.. of knowledge and adjustments and tweeking of all of the old lenses and the new, While getting the most out of your "CHEAP" Equipment... AS well as good stuff...Lighting for the "COIN IN HAND" has always been a great portion of the formula..Equation...ALL THINGS CONSIDERED..as the sharpness could be equal... In truth..the overall picture is whats looked at... I will stop here for this point...Because.. many online use the photo to represent a poor coins true description... and we here try to reach for the best... Representation.. but have to admit the lighting has a great deal of the final out come... Personally...I think this site is "TRUE BLUE"...  you lay everything out for all to see...and why.. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
OK, need critique on this one in comparison with previous...
Image to come...
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.comEdited by rmpsrpms
10/16/2012 4:35 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
Compared to the ones in the original post, I like it less than #1 or #2 and about the same as #3. I'd say it looks too flat.
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
Great shot Ray! Of the original three I liked the third one best, although admittedly it underrepresented the lustre. To me, this new shot shows the toning better than any of the original three, plus it has a bit more lustre showing than the third. I'm curious to know what you think of it, given that you felt the second image best represented this coin out of the original three.
Was this fourth shot also made with the 105PN, as the second and third were? It "feels" more similar to the second and third shots than to the first.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
This latest shot was with the 75ARD1, and only a single image at f5.6. That won't make a lot of difference to luster/color but it is probably not quite as sharp as the previous ones done at f4 and stacked. This is with an entirely new lighting style, which I tried to optimize for both color and luster (I know, I know, can't be done) and I think it came out pretty good. It shows more luster than #3, and yet shows good color. Still obviously not the luster level of #1 but also not the hotspotting level. I've become convinced that it is not possible to show good luster while also having no hotspots. Those qualities are as mutually exclusive as color and luster. I have tried about a dozen lighting styles with this coin (most were not fit for publication...) and can't find any style that has strong luster and no hotspots. Anyone have any suggestions on how to do it, and any examples from any source?
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I don't think it's possible. I think luster is the collective effect of many microscopic hot-spots.
I am not even sure that completely eliminating hot-spots would achieve the goal of creating an attractive, representative image of the coin. They're shiny, metallic objects, and such things have specular highlights. By analogy, portrait photographer usually does not try to eliminate catch lights from a subject's eyes.
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Valued Member
Canada
331 Posts |
I think Captain's pretty much dead-on here. I wouldn't go so far as to call capturing lustre and toning/colour mutually exclusive, but each are maximized under different lighting conditions. I feel this newest shot it closer to the lustre/toning "compromise optimum" than the first three.
On a somewhat less topical note, #4 is plenty sharp considering it's a single shot. I guess a 75mm lens at f/5.6 gives a good chunk more DOF than the 105PN at f/4.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4038 Posts |
OK, another update. I wanted to see what a little tilt forward and backward did. For this comparison I went with a diffused lighting setup with fixed ring diffuser at about 90mm above the coin. Two Jansjos each about 30mm from the diffuser at about 10 and 2. First shot is flat, no tilt. Second shot is with coin tilted toward the lights. Third shot is with coin tilted away from the lights. Tilt is modest, about 2 degrees. No Tilt  Tilt Toward Lights  Tilt Away from Lights  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I guess I like the third one the best. The others don't show the luster of the coin as well.
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Replies: 27 / Views: 3,579 |
First Page
Posted 10/09/2012 12:35 am
