Got my Nikon Coolpix 4500

NBSQLGeek · January 2, 2003 8:39AM

Woohoo Got my Nikon today and tested it out on a statehood $.25 . Man this is so awesome, but what do I use as a light source. Right now I m only needing one this a good light source. What bulb to use? The picture is all yellow now using a regular lamp bulb.

Any thoughts?

FC57Coins · January 2, 2003 8:48AM

Geek - I think that's the same camera that Russ uses and he's the man where it comes to pics - and kennedy proofs. Ask him.

Frank

airplanenut · January 2, 2003 8:50AM

I think he uses a Ricoh 4300, not a Nikon

NBSQLGeek · January 2, 2003 8:54AM

Yeah he uses a ricoh

JLW · January 2, 2003 8:56AM

<< <i>I think he uses a Ricoh 4300, not a Nikon

>>

That is correct. As far as lighting, GE Reveal bulbs come highly recommended. I am new to digital imaging as well and haven't even started to take any coin pics, but I am looking forward to it.
Joe

Russ · January 2, 2003 9:14AM

Alas, I am too poor for one of those fancy Nikons. I have only an old, used cheap Ricoh. I do use GE Reveal bulbs, though. Those I can afford.

Russ, NCNE

tjkillian · January 2, 2003 9:15AM

My wife bought me a Nikkon Coolpix 4500 as well (and a 1795 half dollar and a 1854 Large Cent, both PCGS graded

) and I'm still trying to figure it out. If anyone has the EXACT settings needed to take great pictures, I sure would appreciate it.

Tom

RKKay · January 2, 2003 9:18AM

I'm learning the 4500 as well, but Blade, who is extremely knowledgeable, gave me some great advice and also posted 3 digital camera threads which help a lot. On the 4500, I now use "macro" and get great close ups.

FC57Coins · January 2, 2003 9:26AM

<< <i>I think he uses a Ricoh 4300, not a Nikon >>

Well - he still takes the best pictures of all of us blatgummit! And as for being poor - well - if he wasn't hoarding every Kennedy proof ever minted then he'd have a decent camera, now wouldn't he!?!

EVillageProwler · January 2, 2003 9:27AM

I got my Nikon 4500 a few weeks ago. It took me a while to figure it out enough, but basically I had to set the image size to 640x480 and the quality to the lowest setting. This, I find, is optimal for taking in the entire coin using the macro feature. With the light source, I had to disable the flash.

For taking detailed pictures, say of a DD or RP feature, I'd use a bigger size and better quality.

Look on page 103, I think, for changing the settings...

EVP

LucyBop · January 2, 2003 9:27AM

Anoconda has the art of shooting a toned coin down!!!!!

MastaHanky · January 2, 2003 9:30AM

Woohoo! Join the rest of us ///NIKON NAZIs!!!

Bulldog · January 2, 2003 10:26AM

NB,

PM BLADE, he just posted a very helpful thread on picture taking.

Bulldog

MrKelso · January 2, 2003 10:27AM

I was thinking of buying one of those. Just as soon as i figure out how to use this one.

I just have to practice with Light and i am all set.
HP 715

MrKelso · January 2, 2003 10:54AM

<< <i>Woohoo Got my Nikon today and tested it out on a statehood $.25 . Man this is so awesome, but what do I use as a light source. Right now I m only needing one this a good light source. What bulb to use? The picture is all yellow now using a regular lamp bulb.

Any thoughts? >>

Where did you pick it up and how much did you have to give for it?

cosmicdebris · January 2, 2003 7:45PM

Get the GE Reveal bulbs or better yet a OTT Lite.

Taken with OTT Lite:

tjkillian · January 2, 2003 8:17PM

What's an "OTT" light?

Tom

cosmicdebris · January 2, 2003 8:27PM

Specially formulated to bring the benefits of natural daylight indoors, you'll see colors and details with startling accuracy.

IrishMike · January 2, 2003 8:31PM

I saw those lights for sale at Staples last weekend for under thirty bucks.

Cosmic, what kind of camera did you use for that picture?

cosmicdebris · January 2, 2003 8:35PM

Olympus C3000 Zoom with with the "B" Macro Lens attached.

shylock · January 3, 2003 2:14AM

Bill -- beautiful shot with Ott light. I could have bought 3 for what I paid for 2 if I searched around like you did.

cosmicdebris · January 3, 2003 2:35AM

Thanks Paul. I spent about 30 minutes searching for the right price.

Now I just gotta figure out what to do with scratched slabs that screw up the picture.

NBSQLGeek · January 3, 2003 2:38AM

I got the GE light which is a lot of light but I got the coins looking orage now from I guess to much light and have to work with the saturation white balanace and whatever.

shylock · January 3, 2003 2:50AM

Bill - Rick Snow uses toothpaste. Others have suggested some car care products for windshield scratches. I bought a product called Crystal Slab Kit off Ebay last year which is probably the same car care stuff in a different bottle.

shylock · January 3, 2003 2:59AM

Brad-

For coppers the GE Reveal bulbs give off a tint for me as well. But it's possible your white balance isn't set correctly which also results in warm, orangy images.

Try using a black or white background, then let the camera measure the white balance with the lighting setup (but without the coin). Then take your images in Manual mode, not Auto. If you can't figure out how to get to the white balance menu PM me.

twodollardon · January 3, 2003 10:07AM

I did a little experiment. The OTT is the way to go, wow! ! what a difference. Thanks cosmic that seemed to solve a lot of problems..

Don

cosmicdebris · January 3, 2003 1:40PM

You should thank Paul he is the one that pointed them out first.

Barry · January 6, 2003 5:39AM

Hello all,
I am new to the forum, though I've lurked on occasion in the past. I have been a regular on rec.collecting.coins for several years.

I was chatting with Tom Killian via email about the camera settings, and he talked me into signing up. So here I am, and here is my 2 cents (large motto or small motto?) as a Nikon 4500 owner. I can't take credit for originating all below, as I received some of it from other digital photographers:
1. Use Aperture Priority mode, and set the F stop to F5.6 or greater (meaning bigger F stop number for smaller aperture). This gives you a better depth of field, especially when it comes to slabs.
2. Used timed macro mode (push the button to the left of MENU 3 times). This eliminates any jitter from pushing the button at the time the photo is taken.
3. There is no need to use any special lights (eg, Reveal bulbs). All you need to do is tell the camera what kind of bulb you have by setting the white balance. If using an incandescent bulb, set it to incandescent (duh!) For even more accurate color, do a Preset White Balance, as all incandescent (and other) bulbs are not the same. See p 94 in the manual. Once set, save it in one of your 3 user settings, so you won't need to do it again, as long as you use the same illumination is used.
4. A tripod or copy stand is mandatory.

Here are a few pics that I've taken recently:
http://w2up.home.mindspring.com/1793chain.jpg
http://w2up.home.mindspring.com/1818-lc.jpg
http://w2up.home.mindspring.com/1943-d-cent1.jpg
(this last one was with a Reveal bulb. Note that it looks too blue)

Barry

berylcoin · January 6, 2003 7:21AM

Barry's Links:

1793 Chain
1818-LC
1943-D Cent

tjkillian · January 6, 2003 9:15AM

Welcome Barry! I'm glad you were able to join. You've given good advice and you can see some of the results on my type set here:

Tom's Type Set

Tom

Barry · January 6, 2003 9:20AM

Thanks Tom. The pics, and coins, look great. Now you need to polish the scratches out of the plastic, for example, the 1943-D cent :.)
Now a favor - can you tell me how to do the links iwthin the message, as you did for your type set or berylcoin did for mine?
Thanks,
Barry

Got my Nikon Coolpix 4500

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