This is seriously, the BEST Coin Photography I've yet to see on eBay.

braddick

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1387671922

I sure wish I knew how he does this. Beautiful! (And Proofs are the toughest to photograph with any kind of pearl irridesence.)

dbldie55

I think that coin, as pictured, should qualify as deep cameo. I would like to know how they get those images too.

Cam40

That is a gorgeous looking photo of a coin,although you know is doesnt look this way in 3D.
Its like a Playboy centerfold.The lighting and color is just so perfect.If not we can airbrush it.
I,d rather see what the mirrors look like instead of the black-as-coal images we see.
Lets see any flowlines that might be there.That would require shooting from a drastic angle so half the coin would be out of focus.That would not be a very flattering sight though,I,m sure.

Buy the coin,Not the photo.

braddick

If the Kennedy truly is a PR70DCAM there very well may not be any flow lines. I've seen these "Black & Whites" in person and they can and do look just like that photo. That is what is amazing to me is the ability this Seller has in capturing the TRUE image of this coin.

matteproof

Nice image. Are you sure it's a photo and not a scan? The ICG insert image looks more "scan like" than photo like.

matteproof

relayer

That picture is a 70.

HoundDog

YOU ARE RIGHT MR.B! That is Beautiful!!!!!!

I just used the "ask the seller a question" item on his auction, to find out the hows and whys of how he did that. If, and when he responds, I will be happy to copy and paste his reply here, leaving out, his email address header.

Also, I gave him a link to this thread. I sure hope he replies to either the board, or my email.

Time will tell.

Cam40

Your right.Its not really a photograph,per se,but rather a scan,technically.
I,m always useing different words to say `scan`...pic,,,shot,,,,image,,,,``photo``,,,.
They all mean the same thing to me.

Sorry Pat.I was just thinking,,,so much of the coin is `in shadow` how do you know what it really looks like in person.You cant see most of the coin.Just the frosty devices.

jp

lordmarcovan

That's a helluva a picture. Makes even a boring modern clad Kennedy look amazing. (And an ICG PR70 DCAM label is something that usually would make me flee in terror). But if that picture has not been retouched, the coin probably deserves the grade. Amazing photography, amazing coin.

But Cam40's "Playboy centerfold" comment strikes a chord with me, though- it almost looks TOO good to be true.

Edited to add the after my "boring Kennedy" comment, before the lynch mob remembers where they left that piece of rope... hehehehe

dorkkarl

well, i think the photo surely has been retouched, hasn't it?

K S

Twowood

Hound Dog...I wish you'd asked how he does the red "Buy Me" logo that follows the cursor. Any ideas? Twowood

robertpr

That pic has a 99.99999% probability of having been retouched, or "photoshopped" as I like to say

Nonetheless, it may be accurate, I'd have to see the coin in person. Scanning proof coins does really funny things to them. I believe heritage uses several scans, which make different parts of the coin look correct, then they stitch the scans together so that the coin looks as it should.

MadMarty

<< <i>Makes even a boring modern clad Kennedy look amazing. >>



You know Lord M, you will rot in hell for that comment...

nwcs

Really nice picture, though the color is off just a little. Yellow bias.

1907Quarter

so are you or Russ going after it?!

leothelyon

I'm having a problem with the fields when I run it through my photo software. There's no reflectivity. Some photo software out there allows you to change the backgrounds to pictures but I'm not certain if this is the case although this is the first I've had troubles with my adjustments.

Leo

leothelyon

Here is a result when I brighten his coin and if you do the same to my coin you can easily see the surfaces so I don't know what to make of it.

Leo

nwcs

The easiest way to get the black background is to have a black drape that the coin is reflecting off of. That is, you position the light so that the reflection hits a black curtain which becomes the image on the coin. Then you snap the image. That is a legitimate way of photographing. Of course, it's also possible to crop out the surface and replace with black. The black in the coin's field is consistent through most of the image. So my guess is that there was a curtain used or the field was enhanced a bit. Just my opinion.

tjkillian

That truely is one of the best pictures I've seen. I would also like to know exactly how he did it.

Tom

RJB

Possibly the use of a filter on the camera? BOB

DHeath

That coin, if it is as pictured, is a drop dead beauty, and kudos to ICG. I usually don't care much for their opinion of modern proofs, but coins like that one could make me change my mind.

SLQ02

Not a scan.

"I always try my best to put photos in my ads large enough for all bidders to get a good look at the coin. I just got a new digital camera that shows every detail on my coins. Please take the time to let the photos load. For those bidders on a dial-up connection, it may take a minute or two for the photos to load but it's worth it! Just take a look at the BLACK mirrors and WHITE surfaces on this beauty!!"

HoundDog

A couple of things. Judging from reading the reply, above me, I am guessing that SLQ, on this board is the seller.

NWCS, is the winner ! He was right about the black back drop. 1 free smilly face

TWOWOOD, I will ask the seller that in my next email, that will be sent shortly.

Here is the sellers reply to the email I sent him early this morning.

This a copy and paste, so it is his exact reply :

Thanks a lot, that means a lot to me. I use a Minolta Dimage 7 (5.2
megapixels). I put the coin inside a black box tilted up slightly to catch
the black of the inside of the box wall. That's how to get the black and
white photos. The photos are done in color, this coin did turn out the best
of them all though. I just got the camera and love it!

HoundDog

Here is his second email to me, right after the first one. I haven't ask about the Red Buy Me yet, or a couple other questions I have.

Again this is a copy and paste, so it is his exact reply:

I have just added additional photos of the coin for you guys. I took some
at differing angles and with different lenses so you can see the mirrors and
flow lines. Thanks for e-mailing me and for your interest in this coin.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1387671922

shirohniichan

Ah man, I thought there'd be a good photo of some Seated Liberty coin-- not an ugly Kennedy.

HoundDog

SHIRO, you will get your chance, please read his lattest email, answering a few questions.

TWO WOODS, your answer is listed, complete with URL.

Again, here is a copy and paste, of his email, so this is the sellers exact words :

I took the photos under normal room lighting (regular bulbs). I am not a
member of that group at all and just found out about it through you. The
buy now deal can be found at the following web link:

http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex15/index.html

The trick to getting the good photos is in the camera and lens. I use the
Minolta Dimage 7 with an added Macro lens. I put the coin inside a black
box, tilted upward slightly and then I monkey around with it until it looks
the best before I snap the shutter on it. I am able to take the photos from
mere inches away from the coin rather than having to zoom in and lose
quality. This is by far the best looking photo I have taken so far with my
new camera. I have some awesome family photos, but coins are real hard to
do.

The second group of photos were done without the assistance of a tripod so
they may have a slight blur to them.

I will be adding more coins this evening, check back later on to see what
the photos of the Morgan Dollars look like. With my new set-up, you can see
all the marks on a coin and bidders may zoom in if they have software to do
that with. I would put even bigger photos in my ads, but web space is
limited.

I sent the seller, an OPEN INVITE, to join us here. I sure hope they do

supercoin

Oooh... very nice photo. And I don't understand the rush to condemn it as altered (well, actually I do understand it, rush to criticize seems to be indemic to this hobby). But I've taken lots of proof photos like that without alteration. Well, not quite that nice.

It also looks ever so slightly out of focus, but beyond that all he needs is to adjust his camera's color balance and he'll have it nailed. It has a bit of orange/rosy tint that was probably caused by incandescent lighting.

supercoin

Oops, wrote that while hound was posting... I guessed right about this: I took the photos under normal room lighting (regular bulbs)

I will criticize his cursor-following "buy me" plea in the auction though, I hate those.

DCAMFranklin

Braddick AND DHeath both praising an ICG PR-70 DCAM Kennedy??? Wow! I bet your fingers were hurting and your stomach felt ill as you typed your post, eh? Man, Russ won't be your friend anymore.

Honestly, I'm glad to see you are smart enough to judge the coin and not the holder. The man does do some nice work with the camera.

Cam40

Ok.Now I applaud the seller for showing more shots of the coin.Particularly those ,would-be unflattering,
drastic angle,half the coin out of focus,shots.
Great job seller,and a great coin too.

braddick

<< <i>Braddick AND DHeath both praising an ICG PR-70 DCAM Kennedy??? Wow! I bet your fingers were hurting and your stomach felt ill as you typed your post, eh? Man, Russ won't be your friend anymore. Honestly, I'm glad to see you are smart enough to judge the coin and not the holder. The man does do some nice work with the camera. >>



DCAM- Wrong. I was praising the photography, not ICG. ICG still sucks.

I wasn't judging the coin or the holder, just impressed with the high quality of photography. So, I guess that makes me not so smart (per your standards) afterall.

MoMoney

I have a Zeiss OpmI 9, surgical microscope, it has a built in light, it makes a picture just like that, with the black fields, I am using a 16x lens, now I am trying to apply the picture to the computer. Maybe I can, will try and let you guys know.

DCAMFranklin

I guess it was only DHeath smart enough to ignore the holder and admire the quality of the coin! Another opportunity passes braddick by.

leothelyon

SLQ02,
Welcome to the boards. Very nice pics and thanks for the interesting idea on the shoe box trick.
Now I'm curious and wondering how many are wrestling with their shoe boxes right now. LOL
Hey, if it works for someone, maybe they will share their results.

Leo