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 Replies: 20 / Views: 3,463 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5953 Posts |
I have been playing with lighting and backgrounds but I still can't achieve the results I am looking for. The Coin pictured here has full mint luster but I am completely unable to capture it.. Camera is an older model Sony DSC-F828 8mp Do I need to upgrade or Change my set up? Lighting is provided by 1 30watt overhead GE Daylight fluorescent bulb and two Movable goose neck lights with 13watt GE Daylight fluorescent bulbs. Focal distance lens to coin is about 4 inches. the camera will not auto focus at any shorter distance and the LCD is to small for me to do manual focus. Camera is mounted on a Small wide based tripod. Background is a bleached white 8.5X11 high quality inkjet sheet. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. http://www.mycoins.us/USA/2Cent/186...64obvADO.jpg OK I Tilted the coin and used a Halogen light maybe some improvement what do you think? http://www.mycoins.us/forum/DSC05431.jpgEdited by nohope587
12/22/2008 9:24 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Couple guesses: - Maybe too much light. I've gotten the best representations of luster from a single bulb. That would, of course, require a much longer exposure. Try a 50w PAR16/20 Halogen in one of those goosenecks. The smaller bulb will allow you to bring it closer to the centerline of the lens. - Maybe too close for a single bulb to work - you want it to shine directly on the coin, rather than be reflected off walls/ceiling. - Maybe CFL's don't work well that way. I've never worked with CFL bulbs (although I've done with round "kitchen-style" fluorescents and they're useless for luster), so I can't give an opinion. There's a macro lens attachment for your camera. Sample link: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-VCL-M335...p/B00013MRRKIt'll allow you to back the camera away from the coin and still get the same size image, allowing you to bring the light source closer to vertical above the coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
830 Posts |
I've found that in order to capture luster (and color) you need to shoot the coin at a slight angle making the light reflect directly into the lense, then "correct" the coin's shape in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. If the angle between the light source and the camera lense is about 5 degrees or so, it seems to work best.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5953 Posts |
Thank you both. I have the Macro on order. Also found a Light ring that would fit the camera so will try that. I will also try a 5 degree tilt on the coin and see if that helps.
Santa was going to get me a DSLR but that's on hold for a fair few months....
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5953 Posts |
OK I have had a little time to play while the drillers drill. I am now happy with the colour match and even the luster is showing. It seems less is better when light is concerned on my camera. Any other tips? http://www.mycoins.us/forum/DSC05434a.jpgIt has been suggested that a 96dpi image works better on a monitor than the 72dpi image my camera takes so for what its worth I changed this. Edited by nohope587
12/22/2008 9:30 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
830 Posts |
That looks a lot better!  |
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Valued Member
United States
138 Posts |
try a 75 watt full spectrum bulb.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Quote:
Maybe too much light. I've gotten the best representations of luster from a single bulb. That would, of course, require a much longer exposure.  I've found that a single light source provides the best representation of details. Of course, other photographers may easily have better methods than my own.  I like how you lit your coin. Another benefit of a single light source is you eliminate a white-balance problem of several lights with conflicting color temps. This also can happen in a single-source setting where there is background lighting from outdoors. Either case will produce secondary highlights of a different color, which is pretty hard to fix by software. If I might offer some observations, I took a look at your last photo and noticed the shadows and highlights were clipped, resulting in a possible loss of detail. This suggests a high contrast setting on your camera--or your lighting is too harsh. You could try diffusing your light source through tissue paper or translucent plastic. Below, I've tried a few things with your photo in post-processing (Photoshop), reducing highlights and pulling detail out of the shadows, and finally sharpening the image. If you have any questions about what I did, I'm happy to give my .02.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5953 Posts |
I am kind of limited on what I can try at the moment. I am on a drill ship. Long exposures are not really an option as the vessel vibrates due to the engines holding the vessel on location. I have several Flashlights I can try for a light source and will experiment with those. I only have Nero photo editor here with me and its fairly limited.
The above picture was taken using just daylight through a window hence the light source appearing to come from one side. Tonight I will see what I can get in the dark using a flash light as a light source. Asking the electrician for a 75watt daylight bulb will just get me a blank look of incomprehension. I have a ring loght for the lens but I don't have the correct adapter ring to make it fit. The one thing I do have on my side is lots of time so I will play with the ideas given so far and hopefully the suggestions will keep coming. I will use the same subject coin until I get it right..... Be prepared to be bored.....
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Wow...I was unaware of your shooting conditions. You're doing very well considering your limitations. |
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Valued Member
United States
138 Posts |
try "Gimp" image manipulator. its a free linux image program, its pretty good there is also a version for windows too.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1359 Posts |
Definately NEED macro and if at all posible delay your shutter a few seconds like if your goin to take a self portait of the family. set it on a stand or tripod of some sort and use the shutter so you dont even get the slight movement from you pressing the button!. Lightin is real key and if you get the right light maybe the glare is too much try to filter it with a sheet of paper!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5953 Posts |
OK today was a busy day. I went to the machine shop and made an adapter ring for my lens ring light. I also got some wax paper from the cook to defuse the light. I waited until the sun went down Set up the tripod in the darkest corner of the bridge. Worked out how to set the ISO to 400, worked out how to set the shutter timer. I was happy with the results I was getting before but Now I am blown away. The colour match is almost perfect even the iridescent blue toning is showing. The Details are nice enough that if I bought the coin from the picture I would not be disappointed with the item in hand. Thank you all for the help Any other suggestions keeping in mind my shooting limitations?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5953 Posts |
Kurts your photoshop rendition does wonders for the detail but the colouring/Toning is lost I have finally got that correct I just need to sharpen up the details a little more
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Richard,
Thanks...and I agree--I did not have the coin in hand to compare color accuracy.
I see the difference to your recent photo.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Yikes! Attack of the Killer Duece! Nice image Kurt ... super nice coin 2
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Replies: 20 / Views: 3,463 |
Posted 12/11/2008 11:33 am
