Coolpix 5400 First pics

Rob85635

Here are the first two pictures I have taken with my new camera. I still have a lot to learn so any advice is appreciated.

Found this coin in change at a circle K not long ago.




Rob the Newbie

DorkGirl

Very nice for your first try!!!

Rob85635

So far the biggest problem for me is appropriate lighting, I will keep working on it.

Rob the Newbie

Sequitur

Post bigger pictures -- a lot bigger.

Rob85635

Ok, I will. I will take more pictures and post them larger. These were 68 k 200dpi x 150dpi. Original image what HUGE ~2900 x something in size.

Rob the Newbie

Sequitur

This is around 560 pixels and approximately 450k:

airplanenut

Sequitur, use more compression--most of my pictures posted here are 600 pixels wide and about 85-110k each... I use about 50% compression with no ill-effects shown.

Jeremy

Sequitur

I use about 50% compression with no ill-effects shown.

Hmm . . . . even on a 20-inch LCD running at 1600x1200? I use Paintshop Pro 8 and its jpeg exporter, and even 25% compression is noticeable to me. So instead I use the minimum compression available on Paintshop Pro. Perhaps its Paintshop Pro -- I'll bet you use more sophisticated imaging software and know how to properly compress your jpegs to get the most bang for your . . . kilobytes.

IrishMike

You can get a copy of photoshop elements off ebay for less than 30 bucks. This will not only enable you to reduce or enlarge your photos to whatever size you want but to edit them to capture more realistic color. This was originally shot full bore on a 5 meg Olympus and reduced.

pmh1nic

"So far the biggest problem for me is appropriate lighting, I will keep working on it."

Welcome to the party!

Rob85635

Looking at Sequiturs picture I see what I was having problems with. Lots of little white "stuff" that looks like dust. My camera does great close ups, but man... some of my coins are looking like trash when I zoom in.

Rob the Newbie

Rob85635

While I am thinking of it... What is the best backround color to use? I was using a plain white piece of copy paper but I notice darker colors by others. Should I find a black backround?

Rob the Newbie

IrishMike

I think it varies by coin, I found this blue foam rubber chair that not only holds the coin well, but seems to absorb excess light and enables me to capture better color with pcgs slabs. The colors seem to be more life like and richer.

earlwbollinger

I like to use a black or green piece of felt like cloth myself.
The black works well to dampen the extra light or glare you might get around the coin.
I think black also tends to highlight the coin better.

I tried white but it reflects too much light making it hard to show shiny coins well.
Green seems to work best on the old dark colored pennies like the large cents.

Some dull or flat colored gray poster board arranged around the photo area helps to allow you to adjust the light levels too.
You can move the poster board in and out, etc. changing the light reflections and levels.