Photo appearance differences

jesbroken

How is the first photo with good hair definition achieved vs second photo w/o hair definition.
Jim
edited to add: also 1st covers up the many nicks and scratches.

ctf_error_coins

First photo blurry (out of focus), second photo sharp (in focus).

Blurrieness can also be adjusted with digital tools.

Che_Grapes

The top one is a better strike. This is likely because on the bottom one the dies were not properly aligned (vertically) or the planchette was too thin...
very common on the 21s and a few other dates ...

Morpheus1967

@Che_Grapes said:
The top one is a better strike. This is likely because on the bottom one the dies were not properly aligned (vertically) or the planchette was too thin...
very common on the 21s and a few other dates ...

They are the same coin.

Che_Grapes

Well then I stand corrected!
You could have opened with “this is the same coin” for us older and more senile folk

Che_Grapes

I still have all my coins on film!!

Batman23

I wonder if a photo editing tool like image sharpening was used on the first one.

jesbroken

@Che_Grapes said:
Well then I stand corrected!
You could have opened with “this is the same coin” for us older and more senile folk

I'm so senile I thought all would know.
Jim

braddick

Both coins identify this one as cleaned.

Mr_Spud

The first picture appears to be with diffused light. For example, here’s 2 pictures of the same accent hair Kennedy half dollar. The picture on the left is diffused light, the one on the right is not diffused light. Notice how the diffused light make the accent hair details light up?

BryceM

The first photo is poorly lit and out of focus.

The second photo is poorly lit.

I don't see either photo showing good hair definition, but that's just me.

jesbroken

@Mr_Spud The first picture appears to be with diffused light. For example, here’s 2 pictures of the same accent hair Kennedy half dollar. The picture on the left is diffused light, the one on the right is not diffused light. Notice how the diffused light make the accent hair details light up?

Thank you, that is the answer I was searching for.
Jim

ricko

Lighting, focus, angle.... all these things produce different effects, either individually or combined. Coin photography can be misleading, even when not intentional. Cheers, RickO

WAYNEAS

@Mr_Spud said:
The first picture appears to be with diffused light. For example, here’s 2 pictures of the same accent hair Kennedy half dollar. The picture on the left is diffused light, the one on the right is not diffused light. Notice how the diffused light make the accent hair details light up?

Thanks for the comparison pictures of the 1964 Accented Hair.
I will do some research on diffused picture taking.
I always admire your pictures.
Wayne

airplanenut

Looks like just lighting angle to me (that the top photo is out of focus is inconsequential except that maybe some light chatter gets blurred away). The surfaces on this coin are funky (not natural) and as a result I think it's more prone to reflecting light in different ways which allow photos to look as you've described. That said, generally a photo where part of the coin is well lit (as would be seen with strong lustre bands and dark areas on a lustrous coin) will look sharper, while a more evenly lit coin--with fewer areas in shadow--will have the coin looking a bit softer.