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Photography question. New set up and pics.
Mesquite
Posts: 4,075 ✭✭✭
I'm using a coolpix 885 with the iso @400 (for increased depth of field and the exp at +0.3. I use a gray card to adjust white balance just prior to shooting the pictures. Now, my set-up is as follows. The coin in an airtite (cover off, so raw coin surface is the subject). The coin is sitting on a black cloth (on a table) and faces a large picture window. Illumination is ambient natural light (indirect) coming through the window. The camera is sitting on the table with the lens 2-3 inches from the face of the coin and displaced from TDC by about 10 degrees. The shot is taken in macro-mode using the timer (no flash). The following picture were just taken. The color is quite good, the luster does not show up at all - these are both very nice cartwheel coins. Any comments on the set-up? Any suggestions for capturing the luster? Does anyone use a polarizer or a UV filter in shooting coins? Thanks.
There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation. One is by the sword. The other is by debt.
–John Adams, 1826
–John Adams, 1826
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Not really great pictures, but you get the idea.
Jeremy
both very nice
–John Adams, 1826
Set up.
Now, I think the luster does show better on these shots than those shown in the first posting - but the colors are not right - too much salmon where there should be crimson. Not enough yellow. The yellow is pretty washed out or somewhat green. The blue is too baby blue. The reverse is "blast white" (silver) without a hint of blue - I sure do see a lot of blue in these new reverse pics This is one step forward and one step back. I like the originals posted up top much better at this stage of the game. I'll have to continue experimenting. Again, any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.
–John Adams, 1826
You will find that there is a tradeoff between portraying luster and portraying color. I would suggest that you continue to experiment to see what appeals to you.
As others have pointed out, a diffused light source (such as a window) will tend to show the color well, but not the luster. One (or more) point sources of lights (such as a bulb & fixture) will tend to show the luster better. Personally, I prefer Morgan dollars shot with a single light at 12 o'clock.
Shooting the coin raw gives you an advantage as reflected light from the slab is not a concern.
One piece of advice, particularly on the first shots (which I like a alot) -- correct the perspective distortion of the coin in post-processing (i.e. make the coin look circular, not oval in shape).
Hope this helps...Mike
<< <i>ISO doesn't increase depth of field, only sensitivity to light. >>
I was going to say the same thing, but a higher ISO does allow you to use a higher aperture while maintaining a reasonable shutter speed.
That being said, I use the lowest ISO allowable by the camera. Get cleaner pics.