What do I need to take pictures of full slabs or capital holders?

coinsarefun

I think I have figured out some of the settings of the camera. I have a remote shooting and
see the pic before I shoot on my desktop. This seems to have help quite a bit compared to several years ago
having just downright nasty pics....lol
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My set up is as below. Canon Camera, Canon 100mm lens and a copy stand.
I had some custom holders made at a very reasonable price and wanted to share with
everyone. But, when I slide the camera all the way up to the top of the stand I can only get part of it(seen below)
and the holder is only 5.5" X 5.5".
Do I need a taller stand? Do I need a different lens? Is it in my lens/camera setting? Or perhaps combination?
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Thanks so very much in advance for your help. Looking forward to posting some slabs and holders
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Picture taken with camera at top of the stand and 300mm lens
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messydesk

Looks like you have a 100 mm lens. Switch to a 50 mm for larger holders. You'll also have to use more indirect lighting if you don't want glare off the holder. If it's a Capital holder, you can always take it apart and not shoot through the clear plastic.

coinsarefun

@messydesk said:
Looks like you have a 100 mm lens. Switch to a 50 mm for larger holders. You'll also have to use more indirect lighting if you don't want glare off the holder. If it's a Capital holder, you can always take it apart and not shoot through the clear plastic.

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Hi!
Your right it’s 100mm, have no idea as to why I said 300mm.
So best is 50mm lens. Sounds like a reasonable upgrade. Thanks.
Do you think 100mm is good enough? I have noticed that I can’t get a crisp
image, or zoom in for details.
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A few meow questions. Which canon 50mm lens as there a few different ones.
Buying used is more than adequate for me

robec

I had to do the same. I bot a 50mm wide angle lens. Now I am able to take photos of items larger than 20"x20"

One good thing is these lenses are much, much cheaper than the 100mm macro lens.......around $100

messydesk

With the camera you have, 100 mm is fine. Use manual focusing if you're having trouble with sharpness. For a 50 mm lens, the inexpensive 50 mm f/1.8 lens should be fine, as you'd only use it for large subjects, and not often. There's no real need to get a 50 mm macro lens unless you really want one. If you have an 18-55 mm kit lens (or something like it) with this camera, that would probably also work OK for a large subject.

Jimnight

Wow ... some very nice equipment.

ctf_error_coins

I use a 100mm macro for full slab shots.

I use a 50mm macro for a group of coins.

blu62vette

I use a 60mm macro for GSA and large slabs.

56morgan

Canon 18-55 mm works well for me from slabs all the way to Lighthouse Grande 11x8 binder pages.

astrorat

I use a 60 mm Nikon micro for 'normal' slabs and a 40 mm Nikon micro for the 'supersize' slabs.

Gluggo

All my equipment is Cannon. So far even with your 100 mm lens you should have plenty of room to get the whole slab.
When I purchased my Cannon equipment my 200 mm (I think that’s the size) made it impossible for me to use it on my camera stand. It was not until I bought a few other Cannon lens they all seemed to work fine. I ended up pushing aside that 200 mm lens . The other lens that works fine is also around a 200 mm macro lens. Must not allowed close up pictures. But even my other high mm lens allows me to take slabs except for that one lens. It was the original that came in the bundle when I bought my set up. You might need to buy a different lens. Later I will post the two I have for comparison for you.
But your camera stand looks like you have more than enough height.

I only use the different lens for larger slabs as my normal set up has its own lens for up close coins. Came with the camera stand set up when I bought it from Ray. Here is a picture of that set up.

robec

100mm lens for slab shot is certainly doable. It won't work for the Capital holder though, unless she gets a higher column for the copy stand.

coinsarefun

@robec said:
100mm lens for slab shot is certainly doable. It won't work for the Capital holder though, unless she gets a higher column for the copy stand.

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Thanks Bob, I was thinking that. I’m going to get what you suggest.
Is there an exact lens I should get? I know you said wide angle 5mm. Anything else?

robec

@coinsarefun said:

@robec said:
100mm lens for slab shot is certainly doable. It won't work for the Capital holder though, unless she gets a higher column for the copy stand.

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Thanks Bob, I was thinking that. I’m going to get what you suggest.
Is there an exact lens I should get? I know you said wide angle 5mm. Anything else?

I just bought a cheapie since I will only be using it for an occasional poster, catalog or an oversized capital holder, both of which will be very seldom. I picked mine up through Amazon in 2018 for $99

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 is II SLR Lens - Mark II (White Box)

coinsarefun

Cool ! Thanks Bob

Gluggo

So these are mine. The one on the right will not do coins. But the one on the left lets me do bigger slabs. Not sure why the original lens does not work I just assumed it for far away zooms.

coinsarefun

Thanks everyone. I placed my order and should receive it next week.
I’ll post my special made holders i had made for a very reasonable price.

mark_dak

@ErrorsOnCoins said:
I use a 100mm macro for full slab shots.

I use a 50mm macro for a group of coins.

I usually walk past error coins and don't generally have much interest in them but this one looks great.

coinsarefun

I am very happy to show everyone my new Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 is II SLR Lens - Mark II (White Box)
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Out of the box and no special set up or lighting.........it shows but looks great!.
I wanted to share with everyone these special holders I had made to house Ron Landis of Gallery Mint Museum.
The Hot struck silver rounds are two- one ounce silver rounds stacked together to create these pieces.
The reliefs are unbelievably high. The Steampunk Anglerfish is an older half cent placed in the middle of 2-1 ounce .999 silver rounds. You can see them as the under type.
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The next set are die trials. The two on the bottom are 2 ounce rounds each.
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Its impossible to find holders thick enough to accept these rounds so I used 5/8" thick black insert in between
clear plastic. I designed the holders to be overall 5.5" X 5.5" Then the owner recommended doing them 6.5"X6.5"
I traced each round and made them slightly bigger so I can get them in and out. Even though slightly larger they
do not move around that much.
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I created the layout and typed in the wording at the bottom, saved it in a pdf file and that was it.
The price is unbelievably fair. I asked him if it was okay to let everyone know who did it and he said yes.
So, if you want something special to fit whatever you want just come up with the design and he will quote you
a price. He said he will do cross country shipping too.
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Now as most recommendations go.....sometimes there are problems. I am only recommending him
and not dealing with him to make any others. He takes care of the plastic, and since its cut by laser can be any
size or shape as long as you design it.
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He almost never answers the phone but does return emails. That's what I recommend
Henri Eastman
Direct Applications, Inc.

1144 W. 135th St (east of Vermont, corner of Budlong- exit 110 at Rosecrans)
Gardena, CA 90247

Tel Office: 310-532-3445
Cell: 310-748-9692

Email: henri@directappinc.com
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robec

Super job! I love this collection, very cool.

messydesk

Nicely done! Very cool set.