Please help criticize these images from my new camera

CarlWohlforth

I have experimented a little and tried out suggestions I got from various threads. I think some are better than others. I know I can improve these images. Any suggestions will be welcome.

1882-S Morgan Obverse
1954 Jeff PR 68 Obv - Brilliant
1954 Jeff reverse
1965 Jeff SMS 67 Cam
1965 Jeff reverse
1966 Jeff SMS 67 Cam Obverse
1966 Jeff reverse
1961 Lincoln PR 66 Red
1961 Lincoln reverse with large toned blotch in center
1915 $2 1/2 Indian AU 55 Obv
1915 Indian reverse

littlewicher

They're great pictures. How many light sources are you using?

Lakesammman

They look good...a few suggestions.

1. Looks like your using a single light source with uneven illumination (side-to-side or top-to-bottom). Try multiple light sources. I've been impressed with the Ott light sold by Amos Press - consider getting a couple (introduced to me be Shylock). It also cuts down on the glare on the high points.

2. Set your resolution higher....a 30-60K file results in loss of detail. I take 500k or so and then reduce the resolution later, to 120K for instance, to download images to the registry. For some reason a 120k image from a 500K source has better resolution of fine detail than does a 120k file.

3. Get a program that allows you to crop the coins round - for some reason it makes the coins look much better even though nothing else has changed.

Keep playing with new ideas and let us know .... many tricks are yet to be discovered.

Lakesammman

PS - go to my registry set under IHC varieties, Lakesamm collection, and compare the 1881 to the 1868 - the main difference is the lighting, everything else pretty much the same (1881 single light source (halogen), the 1868 2 Ott lights).

Dog97

I don't know about your camera settings & lighting but you need to do something about the shadowed areas in the bottom ½ of your Morgan. The marks on her face look black & nasty but I'm sure they're not.

CarlWohlforth

Thanks! Any other ideas are also welcome.

I used two lights on those. I don't have a good work area set up yet. I can't place the lights exactly anywhere I want. I see that slight changes in position of the light can make huge changes in the shot.

I will try a third lamp and higher resolution.

I guess I'll need to learn how to use PhotoShop....

CarlWohlforth

Alright I think these are better. Maybe good enough to replace my scans for eBay? I held two lamps in the air while a third was fixed, I wish I had a picture of myself

I took them with a higher resolution. This didn't seem to improve the very brilliant '54 Jeff though, I still have to work on that one.

Morgan Obverse

1965 Jeff Obv

1961 Lincoln reverse

Actually I still have to work on my technique a lot more. The Morgan seems a little off color and the marks still too dark. The Lincoln seems off too, but you can see the toning blotch much better now. The Jeff has gold toning and this image seems much better. Like I said it was no better at all for the brilliant Jeff.

DHeath

Carl,

I really appreciate you posting the Jeff pics, as it gives me a point of reference for the ones I just got back. I like the pics, but must tell you, the last pic with improved lighting is much improved.

barney

Hi Carl,

The pictures are sharp but a little dark. When I see you again I'll let you try out the camera on my Morgan (provided it comes back from TX
OK).

Barn