Shooting Bright Silver Coins For Detail

As Austrokiwi said, axial lighting is the recommended method for imaging proof, proof-like and other coins with highly reflective surfaces.

I think you're making my work sound like more trouble than it actually is. Honestly, I prefer my own process to the prospect of a beam splitter (even of optical grade) and the possible refraction and loss of contrast that entails. There will be some with any interposed material that's tilted away from the lens axis. I actually prefer developing my own techniques, whenever there's an optical advantage. So in some ways my process has fewer technical issues--and the results speak for themselves--hence my post. The benefits of axial lighting are simply the angle of light reflecting off the coin into the lens. My method also solves that--minus the optical issues of a beam splitter. The technical details of processing and adjusting images are quite easy for me.

Nice results, Austrokiwi--I like toned silver like that. I posted this picture to show my process does a great job of keeping the tonal range of bright silver within limits. I'm already set up for batch processing the output, and when the tethering software is available, this will be a cinch!


HDR isn't necessary if lighting/exposure keeps the tonal range within the dynamic range of the sensor. And there are quick ways to batch process images in Adobe Camera Raw that can contain the highlights further.

Focus stacking is a method of making very high detailed True macro photographs. It involves taking a series of photographs, all with a incrementally different point of focus. Then the photographs are combined into one picture by software.

MOst coin photography would not be regarded as true macro photography as the images are usually 1-2 ( half sized) 1-1 ( 1mm on the image is represented as 1mm on the camera sensor) Macro photography enthusiasts seem to regard true macro photography as starting at magnifications of 1-2 ( Twice life sized) for someone like me Coin photography is macro photography even if at half life size

In my limited experience, when you are photographing a whole coin, the most you need 90 % of the time is life sized. That means most of the " normal" macro lenses available have a depth of field of at least 5mm which is more than adequate to capture all the details on the coin. When I use a 4 times microscope objective the depth of field is actually about 1-2 microns in depth. That means only a tiny part of the picture is in focus. so I use my equipment( see link below) to take a series of photographs, Each separate photograph focusing on a slightly different area of the subject. Its often the only way to get High resolution pictures of mintmarks and the like.
Focus stacking to be done well requires some expensive equipment: the cheapest and most used is here:

http://www.cognisys-inc.com/catalog...ducts_id=122

It may not look cheap but some systems cost up to 10 times that ammount

For most of us a good enlarger lens or off the shelf macro lens will produce the same quality image as focus stacking when photographing the whole coin....its only when you get to photgraphing extremely small parts of coins that focus stacking makes sence to me