OK,OK, Ricoh & Nikon Are Covered....So How About Some Tips For The Sony MVCFD-75 or Similar?

marcmoish

Not fair....too much tips and help for the Ricoh4500 and Nikon Digitals, yay, (sucks I probbably shoulda bought one of those myself!!!!!!!!!) I've got a Sony Mavica FD75, and can use any tips as I can't get it right. Help

Marc

Placid

Whats the problem? I have one the only problem I have is trying to do toned coins but I don't have any "special" lighting.

Here is a picture I took of a medievil coin it's smaller than a cent.

Placid

I think lighting is the most important thing. Don't use the flash. Practice.
If you just want to use a regular indoor bulb for lighting you will want to use photo software like photoshop or something so you can adjust the light balance.

MastaHanky

Step 1. Sell your Sony on eBay
Step 2. Buy a Nikon Coolpix.

I am the ///NIKON NAZI!!!

airplanenut

<< <i>I am the ///NIKON NAZI!!! >>

NO NIKON FOR YOU!!!

marcmoish

Placid, OK rephrase, its really a super camera and easy as hell, that aside I can't consistently take same pictures....it may be the light or the settings not sure. You have anything special in lighting/settings for Gold and any for Silver? (your Medievel piece is really nice.....)

Masta, LOL, but I gotta admit the label Nikon Nazi irks me


Marc

Placid

I just have a table lamp with a 60w bulb for now. The "trick" seems to be to shoot so that the light is hitting the coin and bouncing into the lens as much as possible without getting the glare.

Then I use photoshop and select auto levels then fine tune the brightness-contrast.
I am sure I could do better if I bought the better photo lights or difussed the lighting.

Here is my $10 gold.

Fairlaneman

Sony FD-73 is used here. I have more problems taking pictures of White Coins than Toned. No special lighting is used and no tripod. Just get the light where it looks something like the coin and shoot. Usually set the EV to +1 and have the brightness setting about in the middle. Biggest problem is keeping shadows out of the picture at the bottom. Seem to get a brown shade alot of the time. Have not figured this out yet.



Ken

marcmoish

Placid that photo is real! Maybe my problem is I'm using one of those round florcnt. bulbs says daylight FCL22W, Probably should get a normal table lamp....I guess I have read Photoshop is the way to go too.

Ken, I've tried as I've got Merc too, my photos are like sawdust next to yours ...probably need to kep experimenting..............patience is a virtue, yea right!

Placid

Natural "Outdoor" light is supposed to be the best but since I have had my camera it's been to cold to experiment.

Fairlaneman

Darn I forgot something. I now use a white back ground when taking pictures. It seems to work best for me. Photo shop is cool but I hardly ever use it for enhancement. When it is used its for making the picture darker or lighter.

Trial and error works well. I have a couple of Dimes that I'll bet have been shot atleast 100 times and they still do not look like they really do in person.

Ken

marcmoish

Placid is that the OTT light I've read here?

Ken I'll try the white background, maybe it not that bad, you've done 100 times, I shouldn't complain I'm up to only 87 times on some of my super Mercs


Marc

Placid

I meant sunlight The ott light I don't know anything about except what others have posted.
Russ uses GE reveal bulbs. I think some of the better photographers here use more than one light at once so you don't get the shaded areas.

oldcameoproofsguy

This coin was shot with a Sony Mavica FD-75 at +1 EV using GE reveal lighting. The image is a very good likeness to the coin and no photoshop alterations were done to the photo, i.e., no alterations of brightness/contrast or tone.

marcmoish

nice ..used a flash?

oldcameoproofsguy

No flash was used, just plenty of lighting. I have found that Sony mavicas also have excellent macro capabilities. Next time I'll shoot this coin outside of the 2X2 flip; I got a little glare off of the plastic.

marcmoish

OldCameo ..thnks,

anyone know who sells the GE Reveal light?
TTT, any addntl SONY MAVICA tips this morning??


Marc

Fairlaneman

Here is the same dime shot this morning within seconds of each photo. The only thing that was changed was the EV setting. The first is at +1 which makes the dima to light. Second one is at +.05 which is just about correct. Thrid is at the neutral setting which is a little dark. Also I shoot them in the Fine setting that you can adjust.



Ken

marcmoish

Definently a difference here Ken, daylight as in no flash using outdoor light?? maybe I misunderstood, whats the difference in settings between the one you posted earlier the white Merc?

Barry

<< <i>
anyone know who sells the GE Reveal light?

Marc >>



It's sold lots of places - supermarkets, large pharmacies, WalMart. Not Home Depot, at least the one near me. They said they don't carry any GE any more.