Scanning vs. Photos comparison

xbob

I finally got to tinker with my Nikon 775 (used off ebay) and thought I'd share my first result.
Coin photos are harder than I thought. The lighting is pretty difficult to get just right and it will take me a lot of practice I'm sure.
However, I thought my scanner did OK until tonight. Big difference! The photos actually look like the coin in person. (I know it's no gem, but I like it!)

Here's the comparison:
Exhibit A - Scanner


Exhibit B - Photo


What do you think?

KurtHorn

Took a good photo there. You'll find scannners still have their place. If you need to pick up the detail on some coins... But for 97%, including your shots, a photo is the only way to go. It's the only way to catch the real "look" of the coin.

lonelyp

Question?
How much tinkering do you have to do with photo's? Before and or after uploading.

With a sanner I find you have to brighten the image alot. And some times the images arent good. kinda out of focus. And I dont know how to fix them.

I'm sure taking the picture in the first placs can be difficult. But once you have that down do you have to mess with it to post it?
pz

xbob

lonleyp,

I use Photoshop for adjusting. All I did in this case with the photo was:
- Manually adjusted the levels. I select the coin, then in Levels, bracket the graphed area with the left and right markers. Then slide the center marker a little so the light level looks accurate.
- I cropped the pic to just over coin size.
- Ran sharpen filter one time
- Resized the photo to much smaller
- Changed canvas size so I could paste the reverse in next to it.
- Saved for web at 50% so it would be under 50K for the forum.

I guess adjusting levels and running sharpen are the only real tinkering I had to do.

The camera can sample white balance from a white piece of paper or anything white, that way, no color adjustments are really necessary.

RickMilauskas

Photos seem to catch the lustre better than a scanner.

Both have their merit though depending on what you want to focus on.
Sometimes a photo gives too much detail to look at while a scanner can mute the shine and shadows.

mgoodm3

Nice pics. keep it up.

MikeInFL

Much nicer.

Two words: White balance.

It is the key to accurate color.

Two more words -- better lighting.

Use multiple lights and diffusers to get more evenly lit coin.

Last piece of advise:DPReview Forums

Have fun...Mike