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 Replies: 19 / Views: 4,877 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4085 Posts |
While I really like having decent pictures of my coins, I find the process of actually taking the pictures to be tedious and frustrating. It's so hard to get the light and look just right and sometimes, they turn out not as good as what I already have.
I've done a ton of upgrades to my Lincoln collection and a few to my 7070, not to mention I've added a Roosie collection and a Jefferson collection on top of that. I'd like to have new pictures, I really would.
But it seems like every winter I say "I will take new pictures some snowy day". But here it is spring again and no new pictures. I am obviously avoiding it.
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Valued Member
United States
204 Posts |
Yeah, I dislike taking pictures of my coins also. I do have the majority of my collection categorized in Google Spreadsheets though.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
I dont mind taking photos, its actually quite fun to me. What I hate, however, is the process of uploading them to my computer, naming them, cropping them, resizing them, and then uploading them to CCF. Quite a lot of work.
Note: also my 999th post :)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9395 Posts |
I've always had problems taking pictures of with shiny coins. I don't have that much trouble taking macro shots at up to about 3x magnification (with stacking, of course) with my setup, as long as the objects are not shiny -- just use plenty of diffusion.
Based on reading threads in the Coin Photography section at CCF, it seems that lighting is my biggest problem. Two of those Jansjo lights arrived a week or more ago, but somehow I just can't seem to get motivated to experiment with them.
Back in the film days, I really disliked the whole workflow of coin photography, and other photography, too. You had to take the pictures and cross your fingers, hoping they'd come out OK. You never knew until the prints came back from the drugstore. Also, for real closeups (mint marks, for example), there was no simple way to do focus stacking with film.
Eventually, I started scanning coins. Much simpler, and the results were usually better than all but the best (luckiest) results I could get from film. Even after I got a DSLR in 2003-2004, and showed that it could easily outdo the scanner, I continued scanning coins up until about 2008, because it was so much easier.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4038 Posts |
Once you get things set up it's actually pretty easy, but getting to that point is a fair learning curve. Having the right equipment (especially lighting) makes all the difference, but there are also a couple of key paradigms that you need to accept to make the process work smoothly. We've had a few very motivated folks work through the learning curve on this forum, and now they are accomplished coin photographers. I'm sure they would say they hated it in the beginning but now it's a piece of cake.
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
I agree with Child. When I first started taking pics of coins and posting them here I used my Celestron USB microscope which is a real PAIN in the you know what  Now I mostly use a point-n-shoot camera which works ok I guess. I would like to post GREAT pics but,o'well. John1  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
I had a halfway decent set-up once, when imaging was a joy. I have not been able to recapture the set-up since I moved. So, I let others do my imaging for me until a can have a dedicated space for my copy stand set up.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Once you hit on the lighting setup that works, the difference between the most lustrous of silver and the dullest brown copper is a few percentage points by comparison. I don't even have to move the bases of my Jansjos for any coin. It's all about slight adjustments in the angle from vertical at which you light the coin.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4085 Posts |
I guess part of my problem is that I don't really have a good place to leave a setup in place once I do find a combination that works. Part of the frustration is I do sometimes get pictures I am satisfied with, but can't easily duplicate that. My wife doesn't much appreciate me leaving my setup on the kitchen table long-term.  Edited by KenKat
04/12/2015 8:57 pm
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Ooooh. That *is* a stumbling block.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
I can get a little frustrated when things don't go well - my camera is not dedicated, requiring frequent setups. But then I get something that encourages me to keep trying, and I'm back to work.  Three more pints and I can get the Jansjos, then it's a kidney for the beam splitter plate. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United Kingdom
17949 Posts |
I quite enjoy taking photos of coins and experimenting to get the best effect. Before joining CCF I'd hardly photographed any of my coins. Now I am building quite a portfolio of coin pictures. I've made my own 'diffuser' from an old lampshade, and I usually take photos on my bedroom windowsill on a sunny morning when the natural lighting is best.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
then it's a kidney for the beam splitter plate I'm hoping you have Proofs and toners to photograph. Somehow, axial lighting seems to have developed a reputation as a good all-around lighting system, and nothing could be further from the truth. Axial lighting is a serious compromise in lighting capability which has application only in the above two cases, at the cost of losing a large percentage of the available light, only one possible lighting angle, and no depiction of luster. And it'll cost you $100 for a piece good enough to offer you that compromise. We don't teach that here. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
SsuperDdave, I'm in no hurry for the beam splitter plate, but yes it is for toners and DMPLs.
Jansjos I could use any time now.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
I kinda figured you were in tune with that; sometimes I say things for the audience rather than the original poster (every thread here is read by 10x the number of people who post in it). My apologies for any perceived slight.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
I understand completely, and you probably cannot repeat it enough. Yet, there will be a new thread on that same topic any minute now. Often times, bloggers like to show how much they know or have. If it goes too far, egos get in the way of learning and sharing. Maybe I'll see what I can do with what I have.
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Replies: 19 / Views: 4,877 |
Posted 04/12/2015 11:57 am
