Top 5 camera must haves.....

IstilllikeZARcoins

I'm guessing number one would be around 7 - 8 megapixels.

But what are the other 4 ?

Edit: Also is Photoshop a programme that I have to buy seperately ?

theboz11

Number 1 is skill, number 2 is great lighting technique and 3 is a camera. Anything over 3 megapixels is a waste if your intent is to post to the web. Macro capability and optical zoom are very important for coin photography. There are multiple links on taking picture and different cameras posted .

If you purchase a higher end camera, brand new and not off ebay, and as a general rule, a copy of a photo program will be included. If not, you can go to cnet.com and find a free download of some very good photo editors. Free Photo editors

All my photos are with a fujipix 2.3megapixel no zoom and a macro mode that is rather touchy on distance, most consider them quality shots. So it Doesn't take $550 to get the shots, unless you want to blow them up to the size of a poster and hang them on the wall and have them crisp and sharp.

IstilllikeZARcoins

Hmmmm - this is my camera:

My Camera

It's an Minolta Dimage G400 which from reading the review should be very sufficient but I just can't get sharp, crisp shots.

IstilllikeZARcoins

Eh eh eh - I think that I have found something that I'll call Super MAcro Mode on my camera. I just got a really good picture ( for my standards anyway ) of a coin on my camera.

I'll try again later this afternoon.

theboz11

Your skill level has improved along with your pictures,,,,see.

IstilllikeZARcoins

Still an but an improvement for me none the less:



Edit: Tripod stand on the way.

theboz11

Balance the camera on the bottom of a water glass or other handy item that places the lens within the focal length of the macro lens. Use a ruler and the manual to determine the correct distance.

You also need to adjust your white balance to match your light source, that may require your setting to be placed in MANUAL< check your book.

IstilllikeZARcoins

Like so ?

theboz11

With a little photo brightness and contrast adj.



I believe your skill level has improved to the point that you need not buy a new camera, So if the money is burning a hole in your pocket, send me the money I just saved you for a new camera and tripod

JZrarities

IsLZc - Here's a Must Read article on Coin Lighting

AuldFartte

3 megapixels is good, 4 to 6 is better.
Macro feature is a must.
Tripod or copy stand... another must have.
Try some of the free photo manipulation programs referenced above or buy Photoshop Elements 4.0 or 5.0 - less than $100 and the programs do everything you'll ever need.
Practice, practice, practice.

coinpictures

<< <i>With a little photo brightness and contrast adj.

>>



A little too far, in my opinion. Too many of the details are lost in shadow now, and the hue has changed radically.



Taking his original pic:




and then simply doing a Photoshop Auto-Color, then tweaking the contrast and grey levels:

Hussulo

My camera doesn't take an official macro lens, but the one I bought was from Poland I think. It's made from solid aliminium and slips onto the lens and works great. The seller sells lenses to fit many different cameras.

Here's a link to the seller:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Mikes-Camera-Acce...1QQftidZ2QQtZkm

spoon

Skill and lighting are indeed the most important factors, but a good camera will make life a helluva lot easier! My current camera is an ancient 2.0 megapixels. I can manage some decent shots every now and then, but too often am defeated. Skill and lighting are useless if the camera is of such a low resolution and with a poor macro capability that you have to get so close to the coin that it limits your options for lighting.

Photoshop can be nice. But I don't thinki it's wholly necessary. Sometimes its good to adjust the contrast and levels (Photoshop has an auto adjust feature for both), but I think that more often it's just overkill. Case in point above, of the two adjusted images of your ZAR florin, I like your original after doing white balance the best. Auto-contrast/levels, especially in a semi-low light pic like that (and many of mine!), will only bring out the distortions and make it appear almost pitted.

Also on the software front, Adobe has come out with a new, low-cost stripped down version of Photoshop called Lightroom. Haven't tried it yet, but looks like it might prove handy for the casual photographer, and more affordable!

rhound1977

I use minimal photo editing, mostly brighten or darken, and croping of course.

Your images do look better, taking them out of the holder to avoid the reflection would help also. The camera will tend not to focus correctly or capture
the color very well with the reflection from the mylar.

edit to add but already said; a good macro, close up capability, also reommend the angled glass technique, I use it all the time....

Being a MAC user I just use iphoto software, though I do have a 8M camera, which is over kill but great for looking at details such as a an over date:

Preussen

rhound1977 - Great close-up -Preussen

Aethelred

This thread should be DPOTD.

ajaan

SKILL!!!! Something I lack tremendously.

rhound1977

<< <i>rhound1977 - Great close-up -Preussen >>



It's nothing more than a crop from the Original photo, using the high resolution setting on the camera,
these images are poster size the full image is 1897x1910 and 1.5MB:

Preussen

<< <i>This thread should be DPOTD. >>

Slow day, huh -Preussen