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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,654 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
880 Posts |
Just wondering if it's okay to sharpen coin photo's or leave it be? I'm thinking that my problem is not the sharpening as much as it is focus...
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Yes, I sharpen without self-consciousness. I know what the coin looks like; if the shot isn't that, I do what it takes to make the shot look like the coin. Sometimes the best lighting and the best focus don't happen simultaneously. I'm not gonna waste a shot when postprocessing will make it all good.
As long as the goal is making it look like the coin, everything is in play.
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Previously Banned Member
United States
71 Posts |
I wouldn't say I often sharpen however I find that shooting through the slabs softens otherwise crisp details. so yes sometimes. Pretty much exactly what Dave said... In post editing I'll hold the coin up against the monitor and tweak accordingly, contrast, hue, brightness, saturation on difficult coins. Mostly circulated copper needs a bump here and there, nothing dramatic never more than 5 either way in Gimp - otherwise I'll reshoot it.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
880 Posts |
Eye - I think you just shed some light on what's going on here! These last coins I have been practicing on were all in 2x2's! I took some of a regular coin and it was fine. Let me show you what I was talking about though. I feel like sharpening was justified.   |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Absolutely. The 2x2 softened the focus, and all you did was correct for that. Buy a stapler.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1659 Posts |
I find that I get much better quality pics if I take the coin out of the 2X2. Then you don't have to fight with glare off the plastic or all those distracting specs of dust and lint that always seem to get trapped in the 2x2 along with the coin.
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Previously Banned Member
United States
71 Posts |
Quote:
all those distracting specs of dust and lint that always seem to get trapped in the 2x2 along with the coin. Lucky7 Maybe your camera is focusing on the 2x2 and it needs to focus on the coin? Have you tried manual? Hard to believe that mini-micrometers of the plastic would make a difference? Coincidently - Have been shooting my collection for cataloging and I had several 22D coins in flips rubber band to the slabbed 22 weak D - so I shot them too! I resized these for faster upload. And yes. Since I was shooting a batch of browns I pull my white balance over with a tinge of red. It makes the brown more rich. I have 300 watts of light along with +.75 exposure! 1 - 150w halogen flood and 2 - 75w Reveals I am about 80 degrees to the coin with lighting at 10 - 12 - 2 the flood in the center.       |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
EEW - you're needlessly complicating things. With such an even background, make it right and the coin will follow. Lose the flood, trust the reveals and shoot at 1/125.
Not that your results are worth arguing; they're not. I offer this as a suggestion to make color balance easier.
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Previously Banned Member
United States
71 Posts |
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EEW - you're needlessly complicating things. With such an even background, make it right and the coin will follow. Lose the flood, trust the reveals and shoot at 1/125. I can't.. that's another reason for a new a lens. The Nikor 35-70mm I am using is extended about 1-1/2 inches. I am fairly certain that due to the distance of the last piece of glass to the sensor, is the reason that I have to light it up this much. my exposures at +1 and even with all that light and f8 are at 1/15th - 1/25th!! I mean if you really want me to, I'll post a pic of your suggested settings maybe later this evening. I am in the middle of huge shoot (if I stop at 1959) For those interested. I am using what is called an Extension Tube Macro Ring - unknown chinese manufacturer - via ebay at about $10 delivered. on the above listed lens adapted to a Canon 40d. so yes - it is complicated. You are right though, I shouldn't have really added that lighting information to my post since it isn't going to apply to anyone other than those who have added extensions to lens like I have. The bigger point is that I experimented with all lens I have (5) on a camera I bought specifically for coins only. Trust me when I say I have tried every combo possible and the current set up I am using is producing the best results. |
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Previously Banned Member
United States
71 Posts |
Sorry for taking this thread OT - The shootnig of a coin in a flip was an interesting coincidence for me.
To answer the OP's question. Yes it is quite OK to sharpen to make your image look more the like the coin in real life.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
880 Posts |
Lol... I don't mind it going OT. I learned some good stuff, which hopefully not only benefits myself, but others as well.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
I can't.. that's another reason for a new a lens. The Nikor 35-70mm I am using is extended about 1-1/2 inches. I am fairly certain that due to the distance of the last piece of glass to the sensor, is the reason that I have to light it up this much. my exposures at +1 and even with all that light and f8 are at 1/15th - 1/25th! Wowser. Gotta get the light a *lot* closer to the coin. It costs me a little bit of coverage with lustrous silver, but my (2-50w) MR16's literally touch the lens hood, and are closer to the coin than the front glass. At f/11 and ISO400, I'm shooting 1/160 to 1/250 (or faster) depending on luster. |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,654 |
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Posted 12/15/2010 10:33 pm
