Coin Photos

Pnies20

When it comes to taking photos I’m a huge noob. If I had the right equipment I could probably figure it out. What types of equipment do you guys use to take such great pics that won’t break the bank?

messydesk

Depends on how big your bank is. I have taken decent pictures with cheap point-and-shoot cameras, but for the past several years, I've been using a Nikon D610 and a 200mm macro lens -- not cheap. One member here sells ready-made coin photo rigs built around a less expensive DSLR body. If you post a budget, we'll come up with something that will work.

Gluggo

Well if you want to take GREAT Picture without waisting money 💰 on garbage fancy equipment you will probably never use. Do what I did trust in Ray to set you up. I bought his #X set up as I already spent money on the Cannon Camera. He actually has a link on the BST section where you can Buy, Sell Trade.

I will try and post a few links and pictures. This is a picture of his system #X that I purchased. I use this every time I take pictures. He even helped me set up my equipment to swap len’s by directing me to the correct accessories to buy to make minor changes. Since I waisted hundreds of dollars on the various lens available for the Cannon line. I am one of those with more money than common sense at times.

https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1029312/compact-copy-stand-system-for-coins-595

http://www.macrocoins.com/

My set up still have the Christmas light set up.

Rays stock photo of system X

Stork

Depends on what you mean by breaking the bank. Also, this is a topic with many, many answers.

These days a lot of the cell phones have some pretty serviceable cameras. You might not win any prizes, but you sure can take a super decent shot. A stack of books can steady the camera, a remote shutter release (cheapie bluetooth trigger, or even a trigger from the ear buds...shoot you can probably ask Siri to do it). Plus lights.

That said, I have an old Canon camera body mounted on an old microscope stand, with a fixed lens, bellows, and I tether it to my laptop so I can fine tune the focus.

Bought the set up here: macrocoins.com/home.html. (Mine is #6) Seller is a forum member, @rmpsrpms . He specifically set me us so I could take photos that would zoom in to show respectable variety details and on up to about 60mm medals. My bigger medals I use the cell phone. Some would consider his set up inexpensive, some would call it pricey. Tell him what you want to do with your set up and he will figure it out.

And lights. Lights, 3-4 daylights. Which lights you might ask? Well, 5 people will give you 8 opinions. I'm using a daylight gooseneck light that is no longer made so I won't even bother with the name. Incandescent bulbs are popular. IKEA Jansjo (?spelling) as well.

I use a combination of my basic cropping tool that is included with my laptop plus and online access program (which I use for other things too) to do basic corrections (too dark/too light) and to place on a background. That is called PicMonkey and I do pay the annual fee (a few $$/month) as I find it useful for many things. You don't have to be a Photoshop guru, but many people here are. Photoscape (IIRC) is also very popular.

Mark Goodman (also a forum member) wrote a really nice book. https://amazon.com/Numismatic-Photography-2nd-Mark-Goodman/dp/193399004X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=mark+goodman+coin+photography&qid=1578924762&sr=8-1

Seriously though, if you have a decent phone (like 1-2 years old), start with that, and experiment with lights and software so you can get an idea what you are after. If this really becomes a thing then start looking at equipment.

There are some highly skilled people here. If you want to achieve their level then you will need to devote a time. But you may be after 'good enough' which is a bit harder than point-and-shoot, but not too hard to get to.

TurtleCat

I second the book by Mark Goodman. I have a copy of that. I don’t get quite the same results he does but I haven’t had much time to really put into it. Like most things it takes practice, practice, practice.

Jimnight

@Gluggo

Wow ... that's a nice set up.

Pnies20

Awesome. Thanks guys.

I’ll have to see what my budget is

BryceM

I bought Mark's book, picked up a used DSLR ($300), got a not-so-expensive Chinese copy stand ($100), a few halogen lights ($50) and spent the most money on a nice macro lens. The technique and the know-how is infinitely more important than the equipment. If I can do it, anyone can do it. The second photo is from the reverse of a Memorial cent:

oldUScoins

I held this coin in my hand and took the picture with my iPhone 11. Simple and quick: