Both Luster And Color In A Single Shot

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Thanks Ray. Ran the gauntlet again today and did see quite an improvement but I tried a raw coin this time. Slab was throwing monkey wrench in. Improvements came by elevating the two CFL's as high as possible and playing with angle but still couldn't get rid of the reflections from the lights on the edges. I did get it reduced but not eliminated. Couldn't use that halogen at all. Throws in rusty/orange colors no matter intensity, distance, height or angle so gave up on it. MWB wouldn't take it out either. So went up the road and picked up 3 of those Ikea Jansjo's. Still on sale at $9.99. Lot smaller than I thought. So I'm off to the races again. See what I can come up with.

That JVC certainly does pick up the mirrors very well but not the colors. Whereas the Canon picks up the colors but is losing the luster. I believe you're struggling with the same problem I am; showing the luster. Your Canon certainly has no problem picking up detail. Ray said the two most important elements in coin photography are focus (you certainly have the focus down) and lighting. Sounds so simple but I've come to find out lighting has a lot more to it than "meets the eye". With hightly reflective coins, it's been a killer for me. Maybe you can start taking a look at your lights/lights/set-up and play with variations. I don't think there are any quick fixes. Just bunches of trial and error and listening to the hints/tips/advice of those who have been there.

Technique

messed around with the canon a little tonight and this is the VAM-85, the best I can seem to get it. This is at a slight angle with 2 reveal bulbs


this one with a simple WB correction in Gimp

....which is what I mean by "technique." The only way to show reflectivity is to reflect something. The efforts which are causing Bryan discouragement are actually beginning to get the best out of the camera; you're just not going to see a mirror if you look straight at it. So, maybe you want the camera in the pic. Shot straight on, even black-and-white Proofs don't show reflectivity unless you get something into the shot:



I've posted that here before; the lighting cost $11 at Home Depot and nails Proofs 100% of the time.



Note, Sidekick - I took the coin image with the exact same equipment you're using. Many of my favorite images were done with a 350D.

The tradeoff of the even lighting of the fluorescent ring is color; the color temperature changes near the plugin end of the ring, forcing you either monochrome or to accept a wedge of really odd color in your shot. It's useless with Business Strikes less than DMPL.

I wonder if an LED ring light would achieve the same effect.

Heh. The computer was not involved in that pic; it's my backup box, and wasn't even booted at the time.

All I did for the light was buy a 9" fluorescent kitchen fixture, cut a hole in the center big enough for the lens, and graft an extension cord onto the wires. Then I screwed it into my copystand mounting plate with a big ol' sheet metal screw. Didn't bother bending it parallel; the circline bulb throws so much light that the angle didn't change anything.

i currently use an ott light. thing is realyl tricky to get the right angles with in relation to the coin and coin to the light source.

wondering if using one of those ikea LED work lamps with spot light sources would be better? that way I am assuming you can place the light source at the correct angle and position to get that cartwheel luster. if someone that uses the spot source can take a picture of that setup in relation to the coin. that would be great!