Here a couple more images with the new camera - Toned Morgan and MS69 SAE

Cajunpoorguy

I know the Morgan is nothing special but it's a tough shot with the darker hues using those harsh LED lights.

NGC Old Fattie MS63

This is a standard run of the mill MS69 Silver Eagle from the set i'm building. Again, I feel the LEDs are too harsh, especially on the reverse.

cheezhed

What type of lighting? Position?

crazyhounddog

Great looking pics👍

TurtleCat

Looking good. Nice control of the specular highlights. I do think the SAE has a bit too much light on it. It’s a bit hot on the highlights. Diffusing those LEDs is a pain indeed.

Cajunpoorguy

Cheezhed, those are 3 led desk lamps from walmart. Apparently, walmart doesn't sell bulb desk lamps anymore around here. They're nice bright lamps, but very harsh. I have one 2 feet up to the top left, one 2 feet up to the bottom right, and one 4 feet up directly above just shy of the edge of the coin. My old set up had 4 crisp white pigtail lights. Debating on diffusers or more lights. Might be a combination. Can't have too much light, but your light source can be too prickly and harsh.

Cajunpoorguy

Turtlecat, (love the moniker). I was a turtle freak as a kid and still have an affinity for turtles. I haven't tried to diffuse them just yet. They are quasi diffused with a plastic covering already. I'm thinking that a more even screen of the lamps would put more light in a general covering, rather than reduce the light output. In general, more light = crisper shots, but too much light from one source = hotspots. You can, however, set the lights up higher to produce a softer gradient reducing the hotspots, but risk lower quality in the detail. I want to avoid that. I really wish I hadn't tossed my old set up. It was "fingers to lips"..... belisimo.

Jimnight

Nice pics!

ricko

Amazing pictures....you will not hear criticism from me...If I can get a picture with my phone, I am happy... Cheers, RickO

TurtleCat

@Cajunpoorguy said:
Turtlecat, (love the moniker). I was a turtle freak as a kid and still have an affinity for turtles. I haven't tried to diffuse them just yet. They are quasi diffused with a plastic covering already. I'm thinking that a more even screen of the lamps would put more light in a general covering, rather than reduce the light output. In general, more light = crisper shots, but too much light from one source = hotspots. You can, however, set the lights up higher to produce a softer gradient reducing the hotspots, but risk lower quality in the detail. I want to avoid that. I really wish I hadn't tossed my old set up. It was "fingers to lips"..... belisimo.

Thanks! It’s a nickname my wife and I gave to our son. Helps that my wife always loved turtles, too. What you might consider (I’m thinking the same thing but just haven’t gotten around to it) is a flash style diffuser. I’m using OTT LEDs which have a bit of a diffuser already like yours but adding a translucent layer might work well. Like another said, I’ve thought of a white card reflector as well but that’s hard to control without enough working distance.

Just thought of this, but I wonder if a few cheap 0.3/0.7 ND filters taped on would provide enough diffusion? It would require a custom white balance but you’d need that anyway. Hmm, something I may play with sometime.