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 Replies: 37 / Views: 3,993 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1541 Posts |
I only have a simple Canon S100 camera from long time ago. Do I have to invest in a DSLR in order to take decent pictures of coins? Is there a way I can make my basic camera do a somewhat of a decent job? It does have macro function. I just returned to the hobby after a long hiatus and don't feel like spending on a whole set up yet.
Thank you
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3935 Posts |
The problem is usually getting the proper lighting on the coin, but there are lots of tricks to doing this. How far away from a small coin (US dime?) is the front of the lens? If you have a bit of room, then you can create a diffuser or perhaps implement a ringlight system that will give you good illumination.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1541 Posts |
What is a ring light system?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3935 Posts |
I like to use LED ringlights such as the Angel Eyes. I have also removed LED rings from LED headlamps. The headlamp rings are quite small so fit nicely with smaller lenses or short working distance. Again, how far are you away from a US Dime to the front of the lens? Does your lens have filter threads on the front? What is the diameter of the filter? The answers to those 3 questions will determine if a ringlight could work well for you. FYI, here are a couple of auctions for Angel Eyes ringlights as examples: https://www.ebay.com/itm/184004175673https://www.ebay.com/itm/132730193571and here is an example of an LED headlamp with a built-in ringlight: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...9581813.html |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1541 Posts |
The lens is about 12" away from the coin.
I don't know whether there's filter threads in the front. It says 5x IS and 5.2-26mm 1:2.0-5.9
Edited by shatsi
11/16/2021 8:50 pm
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
hmm - the answer is not black and white. that camera can take decent pictures. First, do not use the software zoom, You need to set your lighting correctly - bright from the side. use AV mode and try to push it up to about 11. Set it for 2 second delay. Get a tripod.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3935 Posts |
So you are 12" from the coin when a Dime fills (or nearly fills) the frame? That seems quite far.
I looked up the S100 and it doesn't look like it has filter threads. The close focus spec is also 30mm, which is only 1.2". Can you verify that you can fill the sensor with a Dime at 12" away?
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
with all due respect, this is too much background noise. This is a fairly standard point and shoot Cannon. There is only so much you can do with it, but it should take decent pictures. Only one peice of extra equiptment is needed - A TRIPOD - a decent tripod. Even if you use a DSL - you will need a tripod. Then just get a desk lamp and shoot the coins from about 1.5 feet away if possible without software zoom, at an AV setting of about 11. TRY THAT. Then experiment. Film is cheap with those cameras and they have a discount on development at Fotomat.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3935 Posts |
Film?
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
whats wrong with film? He has an old camera.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3935 Posts |
The camera is not that old.
It's weird that two posts ago you mention "software zoom", but then next post you mention film.
Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.comEdited by rmpsrpms
11/16/2021 11:51 pm
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
I was joking about the film
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3935 Posts |
@shatsi, I checked a few websites, and finally found one that gives the macro mode field of view as 46x34mm ( https://www.imaging-resource.com/PR...S100A4.HTM). So it looks like your camera is OK for shooting down to Half Dollar size coins, but it won't zoom in to Quarters or smaller coins. If you are mainly a Morgan dollar collector, or Franklin halves, then it's probably OK. However, the problem is that to shoot those coins, you need to be super close, less than 2" away, so there won't be much opportunity for getting light on the coins. This is why I mentioned using a ringlight, since you can mount a tiny one directly to the front of the lens. But it still won't let you shoot small coins effectively. Contact me for photographic equipment or visit my home page at: http://macrocoins.com |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
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Valued Member
149 Posts |
 This image was taken by a cheap Sony point and shoot Sony DSC-W7 on May 24th, 2007
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3935 Posts |
I got the sense that the OP was looking to produce better pics than that.
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Replies: 37 / Views: 3,993 |
Posted 11/15/2021 7:18 pm
