Critique Lukky - Part 1

Your lights are at too low an angle to show much color. How many lights are you using? What is the original image size (pixel width and height) and how big is the coin in that image?

I will have answers for you, but I don't right at this second.

So you are shooting Canon? What model?

You should use your lens at 55mm to get the biggest image and longest working distance.

I assume you are already rigidly-mounting the camera on a tripod or copy stand, correct? If not, don't take another picture until you get the camera bolted-down rigidly to a stand or tripod (or somehow rigidly-attached) on the same surface as the coin you are trying to photograph.

Next step after getting everything rigid is to get the coin parallel to the sensor. Do this by putting a mirror where your coin goes, and adjusting the camera mount so that it's looking "down the barrel" of the lens.

Next is to frame the coin. Since your lens is not a macro lens, this is easy as there are fewer variables. Go to manual focus, Aperture Priority, 55mm focal length, and set the aperture wide open. Adjust the focus ring to just a little bit farther than closest focus position, then adjust the camera height so the coin is best focused. You still should have a little wiggle room + or - on the focus ring. If not, move the camera a bit farther away until you have some focus adjustment range. Place the coin so it appears level and centered in the viewfinder, LCD screen, or PC Monitor.

Next is to select release mode. Does your Canon have a "quiet" mode? If so, select it. And are you using remote release, or timed release, or better yet remote via PC tethering? You need to set up with one of these to avoid camera shake. If you don't have a wireless remote, or tethering software, just use timed release.

Next is to set best aperture for your lens. It is highly unlikely that your f/5.6 is optimum for the 18-55 kit lens. More likely is around f/8-f/11. This is not due to depth of field, but simply reducing lens aberrations to acceptable levels before diffraction degrades the image more. Focus for best clarity on the topmost surfaces of the coin's date. This is as far from the center of lens as you will get so will have the worst aberrations. Now take your first picture! Then adjust the aperture one stop smaller, and snap another. Then one stop smaller, and continue until you get to f/16 or even f/22. Download all these images to your PC and view the coin's date at 100% or even 200% magnification. Tab quickly from image to image and figure out which one has the best clarity on the top surface of the date. Don't look at anything else! Just look at the one feature. You may find that two apertures give pretty much the same result. If so, then pick the biggest aperture (smallest number) and run with that as your best setting for this lens.

Once you complete the above, you have finished the first and most important aspect of coin photography...focus. We can work on lighting later.

Let's see some more pictures of that '39-S Jeffie!

I was shooting at 55mm actually. I don't know how I overlooked that question so I'm sorry.

I'm going out today to buy some new lights so I'll be able to set up the tripod in a different area of the house. I will pick up a small mirror also as I feel like that's an excellent idea. I also need to buy a tethering device. I really don't know all the stuff that came with the camera and I have to ask my wife if there's a PC tether somewhere.

I will snap a few more shots tonight when I get the tether hooked up as well as a few desk top LED lights. Making an hour drive to Ikea :(

lukky...so, can we see some more pictures of that '39?

Just to revive this. I'm cropping some pictures right now.

*Edited to add below this line*

Alright. So I thought I remember all of the correct camera settings, but I didn't. Regardless, I spent the time to upload these so I'm going to post them. They look a lot better than the prior ones. I have the gooseneck LED's for lighting now and I can tell it's throwing my white balance off. All said and done, it's better, but still needs work.

I cropped them down to 800x800. I'm going to dinner, but I'll back the lens up and try again when I get back. Let me know if there's anything else you think I should try.

Me too! The easy fix for me was using the tungsten pre-set WB setting. The color temp in my camera for tungsten is very close to that of the Jansjo LED's. Gave me "almost" perfect color. The "correct" fix was making danged sure the reference image I took for setting my MWB actually came out WHITE and that meant playing with ISO/exposure times until I had it.