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 Replies: 5 / Views: 1,755 |
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Valued Member
United States
130 Posts |
Hey everyone,
I recently found this forum, although I've been taking photos for several years now. I've been doing a lot of reading over the last month through the forum archives here and there is a ton of great information!
I've been using a Nikon D80 for 9 years now with a Sigma 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Lens with pretty good success I feel. One issue for me has been the lack of a live view feature, as the D80 I think was the last major DSLR that Nikon made that didn't support that. Given the advantages that Canon has over Nikon for macro photos, I think it makes sense for me to make the jump over to Canon.
I'm not terribly price sensitive, given I sell quite a lot of coins online each month, so paying more money for a better quality camera and/or lens should lead to better sales and therefore pay for itself over the long run. Also, I do enjoy taking great coin photos!
I'll be taking images of all sizes of coins from fractional gold and up. I'll also need to take full slab shots, as well.
Thus, having said all that, I have a few questions:
1) Camera recommendations. Is it worth (I know that is a very subjective word) "splurging" on a T6i/s, compared to older models? Would the extra 6 MP and any other features help much?
2) Bellows vs dedicated macro lens. I've read a bit about this on this forum, but most of the focus has been on cost. The other concern I've seen is it seems you may need to switch bellows depending on the size of the coin imaged? My concern is that it may be clunky given I'm imaging dozens of coins at a time usually. While I can organize based on size (and have been anyway), switching between multiple bellows every time I want to image coins may be a pain (I've never used a bellows, so not sure if I'm over-complicating it). Other than fractional gold, which is a little small for my 105mm Sigma lens, I've been able to photo everything else fine with just that lens. However, as that is the only lens I've used, I don't have much reference point to how other lens work, particularly with what coins they can image.
3) My old Sigma macro lens. I'm not sure how this compares to some of the other options out there today, but my understanding is you can get an adapter to attach a Nikon lens to a Canon body (but not vice-versa). Is there any quality issues, or even quality of life issues that would present with doing this?
4) Assuming I should be replacing the Sigma, what kind of recommendations would you make for someone willing to put in a decent amount of money into a good lens? I admit lens is one area that is a bit confusing to me, especially between bellows vs dedicated macro lens. Would I be better off with multiple lens and/or bellows depending on the type of coin?
I really appreciate any help here! I've not been following coin photography much since I first started researching options back in 2006/2007, and I feel like things have gotten a lot more complicated than I remember!
Thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4036 Posts |
PAC...welcome to the forum! Lots of info to find here and folks are always willing to help out.
You have a few questions...let me try to help with some answers:
I'll be taking images of all sizes of coins from fractional gold and up. I'll also need to take full slab shots, as well.
Thus, having said all that, I have a few questions:
1) Camera recommendations. Is it worth (I know that is a very subjective word) "splurging" on a T6i/s, compared to older models? Would the extra 6 MP and any other features help much?
So far I have not seen a huge improvement in image quality from the newer Canon cameras. I still recommend the venerable Rebel XS 10MP camera, or if you really want to go for it the T2i. The extra MP of the T6 just means you'll be downsizing more for web publishing.
2) Bellows vs dedicated macro lens. I've read a bit about this on this forum, but most of the focus has been on cost. The other concern I've seen is it seems you may need to switch bellows depending on the size of the coin imaged? My concern is that it may be clunky given I'm imaging dozens of coins at a time usually. While I can organize based on size (and have been anyway), switching between multiple bellows every time I want to image coins may be a pain (I've never used a bellows, so not sure if I'm over-complicating it). Other than fractional gold, which is a little small for my 105mm Sigma lens, I've been able to photo everything else fine with just that lens. However, as that is the only lens I've used, I don't have much reference point to how other lens work, particularly with what coins they can image.
Since you already have the macro lens, you could just get a Nikon-EOS adapter and use it on the Canon. It won't operate in auto-focus but as long as the lens has manual capability for setting aperture it should work just fine.
3) My old Sigma macro lens. I'm not sure how this compares to some of the other options out there today, but my understanding is you can get an adapter to attach a Nikon lens to a Canon body (but not vice-versa). Is there any quality issues, or even quality of life issues that would present with doing this?
Hah, read this after I wrote response to #2. Should be no issues, other than only offering manual operation.
4) Assuming I should be replacing the Sigma, what kind of recommendations would you make for someone willing to put in a decent amount of money into a good lens? I admit lens is one area that is a bit confusing to me, especially between bellows vs dedicated macro lens. Would I be better off with multiple lens and/or bellows depending on the type of coin?
You'll be hard-pressed to make a bellows work all the way from full-slab shots down to AuDollars with a single lens. It may be possible but you'll need a fairly large (tall) setup, a long bellows, etc. You can probably make it work with 2 lenses, a long one for slabs and big coins, and a shorter one for smaller coins.
I really appreciate any help here! I've not been following coin photography much since I first started researching options back in 2006/2007, and I feel like things have gotten a lot more complicated than I remember!
I don't think things have changed much really. Live View is probably the biggest thing. A few recent cameras have both EFCS and no AA filter, but they are expensive and difficult to use compared with others available, so YMMV.
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Valued Member
 United States
130 Posts |
Thanks for the response!
I'm a little disappointed to hear there really isn't a difference after all these years (other than EFCS). I was hoping an upgrade from my old D80 to a more modern camera would give a better upgrade in image quality than essentially EFCS and Live View.
Regarding changes, I guess I don't remember any discussion at all about using bellows back then. I realize they aren't new, and maybe the coin photography crowd knew about it then, but there definitely wasn't any discussion about them. That said, this level of coin photography wasn't as popular then as it is now.
Thanks again!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9395 Posts |
Quote:
I was hoping an upgrade from my old D80 to a more modern camera would give a better upgrade in image quality than essentially EFCS and Live View.
EFSC and live view are huge advantages for closeup/macro photography. Back 10 years ago, using an early DSLR, you had to focus using the viewfinder, which was approximate at best. Viewfinders were small, since the emphasis was on autofocus lenses. I'm not sure they had any kind of tethering back then, but you could upload the images, check the focus/exposure, and reshoot as required, before moving on to the next coin. Before that, with a film SLR, you had slightly better focusing with a bigger, more elaborate viewfinder (as long as the split-image prism wasn't blacked out because of small effective aperture), but you didn't discover problems until days or weeks later. Also, focus stacking was really tough with film, although it could be done. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4036 Posts |
Here's a comparison I did a few years ago showing comparison of Live View vs normal and Canon (with EFSC) vs Nikon (without EFSC). The sharpness of the Canon/Live View image is hugely improved vs the Nikon/normal image, so this is the step up in quality you will see moving to a newer Canon camera:  Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Valued Member
United States
130 Posts |
Thanks! That's actually quite helpful! I didn't realize that would be such a significant difference.
I've gotten pretty good at manual focus through the viewfinder over the years, but even from a QOL standpoint I'd love to not have to strain to get the right focus through the viewfinder. However, going from D7000 "Normal" to T2i Live View (roughly equivalent of what my transition will be like) would actually be pretty significant!
Thanks again!
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Replies: 5 / Views: 1,755 |
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