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 Replies: 13 / Views: 2,378 |
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
Does anyone use the Canon 50 f/1.2L ... ? It would seem the shallow depth of field and 1.5' MFD would be ideal for dissolving a background and getting in close (closer with tubes if the 50 will take them ?).
I don't have one at the moment, have the Canon 50 f/1.4, which is surprisingly good, but a good EX+ used copy is not out of the question.
Something I thought about while ordering a set of Kenko tubes ... also looked at the 100 f/2.8L macro ... any thoughts there ... ?
Jefferson ...
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New Member
 United States
10 Posts |
... Note: Let me correct a technical error in my previous post ... What I'm referring to is the narrow focal plane that presents itself @ f/1.2.
Jefferson ...
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Valued Member
United States
67 Posts |
"dissolving the background" is not usually something folks are looking for in coin pictures. Usually they want everything as sharp as possible, whether it's a raised device or the fields. Or am I missing your point?
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
" ... Usually they want everything as sharp as possible, whether it's a raised device or the fields. Or am I missing your point?"
More of a "separating the subject", the coin, from the background. The coin would be sharp. The f/1.2 aperture would do that nicely given the thickness of the coin. If the coin is mounted, and it's mount complements the coin ... shoot it at f/4 or f/8.
I shoot low as possible ISO ... so I tend to shoot slower shutter speeds and at wider apertures ...
Right now, I want to apply what I know to what I don't know ... so I might be somewhat biased toward what I'm comfortable with ... and the way I want to present what I shoot ... Sort of a Work in Progress.
Jefferson ...
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Valued Member
United States
67 Posts |
Well I'd be curious to see what you can come up with.
In my case, I'm shooting on a tripod, so I can set the shutter speed as slow as I'd like. So shooting at 100 ISO is not a problem. I pick the aperture based on where I seem to get the best results, about f5.6, and the shutter speed I use to get the correct exposure. My background is a black paper, and gets mostly cropped out of the final image, so whether it was blurred or not is a non-issue.
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
I just brought out my tripod and dusted it off. ... 95% of my shooting has been hand held and at relatively slow shutter speeds, 1/200 to 1/60, with a Canon 300 f/4L IS . I shoot exclusively in manual exposure mode and AI Servo. I generally only shoot the center focal point with the assist points turned off. I use the histogram to make adjustments to the exposure. I like to try and get it right in camera as best I can.
Jefferson ...
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Valued Member
United States
67 Posts |
I will guess cars on a racetrack?
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
"I will guess cars on a racetrack?"
... "True" also the Pits, Paddock and Venues walk arounds. At Road Atlanta. Completely different style but the fundamentals still apply to all photography.
Jefferson ...
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New Member
United States
43 Posts |
I think I know exactly what you are talking about Jefferson. I am a sports photographer. Shooting with a really wide open Aperture in coin photography is not what you want. I know exactly what you mean about separating the coin from the background. With the magnifications we are dealing with when shooting subjects so small. Shooting at f1.2 will show very little in focus on the surface of the coin, depending on of course where you have set the focal point. If you set your focus on a device or the cheek of Liberty on a Morgan dollar, the fields will more than likely be covered in bokeh, not what you want. I shoot at f5.6 to f8 and I use a 1 1/2" rubber stopper as a pedestal to raise my coin above the background material. This allows the light to fall off and go black as well as any patterns in the material itself to disappear into the bokeh, because it is outside the focal plane. I use a black low reflective material in my images. Here is an example.  And here is what the setup looks like.  I use 4 different sized rubber stopper's depending on the size of the coin or if it is a slab I am shooting.  Edited by jtlee321
12/01/2015 05:56 am
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
Thanks jtlee ... I don't see that many photos here, maybe I'm in the wrong thread ... ?. I shot an 1877 Peace dollar today to see how my Canon 100 f/2 would do. I ordered a set of tubes yesterday ... should be here tomorrow. I'll compare shots. Jefferson ... |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
Not an expert on photography (for coins all I use is my iPhone 6S!), but I'd just like to mention that the dollars minted in 1877 were Trade dollars, not Peace dollars (which were minted 1921-1935 and 1964). Just a friendly reminder! |
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
It is a Trade dollar ... I was looking at a Peace dollar and that's what I wrote ... I don't multitask well. Jefferson ... |
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New Member
United States
10 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1037 Posts |
I use the same type of silicone plugs when shooting coins. It makes a huge difference compared to setting the coin on the background.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 2,378 |
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Posted 11/30/2015 1:31 pm
