Digital Camera for taking Gold Coin Pics Question

mrearlygold

What's the easiest to use digital camera for taking gold coin pics for the web and is it necessarly to spend upwards of $1,000.00 for a good camera or can it the mission be accomplished and can acceptable or even better than average pictures from a less expensive camera?

Name the one you like and add a picture please!

Tom

RYK

I have learned two things recently:

1. From Russ: A sub-$100 camera can take an excellent coin image. It has more to do with lighting, technique, and time spent than how much money you spend on the camera.

2. From STman: A high quality scanner with good techqnique and a little practice might be able to get you close enough with a lot less sweat.

100proof1957

Seems Russ used a Ricoh 4300 for a long time

i bought one on the bay cheap and just have not used it as yet.

paid like 43 bucks for it

mrearlygold

2. From STman: A high quality scanner with good techqnique and a little practice might be able to get you close enough with a lot less sweat. >>





That's what we're wondering. A colleague was using an old Canon that isn't made anymore and it takes great scans. We can't find a substitute. Any ideas??

SilverHaze

I'M HAPPY WITH MY KODAK 7630 ... right around $300.00










here's a Gold coin I recently listed (I used a "full spectrum" desk lamp)

JrGMan2004

<< <i>2. From STman: A high quality scanner with good techqnique and a little practice might be able to get you close enough with a lot less sweat. >>





That's what we're wondering. A colleague was using an old Canon that isn't made anymore and it takes great scans. We can't find a substitute. Any ideas?? >>

I had this problem with currency... was scanning currency 9 months ago, and the scanner got bumped, and screwed up... tried 2 or 3 other scanners, and none of them could show currency in it's natural color... something with the new types of lighting........


I still think you should invest in a mid-line Nikon Coolpix... something around $400-$500 will work very well, easy to use, and will take nice, big pictures... BTW, Russ upgraded to a low-end Nikon Coolpix recently

AquilaRose

I imaged this pic with an HP Scanjet 5590, then used photoshop to crop, resize, and add the black.




This one I imaged with an Epson Expression 1600 Scanner (600dpi). Again photoshop to crop...etc.

I think for me a scanner and photoshop work just fine and save me from spending a lot of money on a camera. It seems much faster to scan than to photo.

mrearlygold

AquilaRose, that St G looks pretty darn good for a scanner. Can you show it enlarged?

stman

I use the Epson Perfection Photo scanner. I use this not because the expense of a camera, but the learning curve, time, frustration, space etc.
Some of my "friends" get on me to get a camera. It took me long enough to learn a scanner, how to post images here, and don't want to learn it again. I know indeed I could end up taking good pictures with a camera. But I ruled it out long ago and I'm sticking to it.

I'm the type with any gadget I can't just learn a bit at a time, I have to figure it out completely. I see folks on here for years enjoying it and that's fine. For me, I'm self employed and my hobby is collecting a few coins here and there. Photography just isn't my hobby.

Besides, when I want good images, I send a few pieces to a board member, and it's taken care of!! If I was selling coins on a regular basis.... yes, I would try and take the best pictures possible with a camera.