Comments on New Registry Set pictures

cosmicdebris

I am in the process of redoing all my registry set images and would like your input before I add them to the sets. Here is one example please let me know what you think?




edited for spelling errors.

cosmicdebris

Here is one more:

keithdagen

Bill,

How do they compare to you? To me, the Bimetallic pic makes it hard to tell that's a platinum core. I'm sure that the contrast is a little easier to distinguish in person. I know that proofs are rough to capture whether using a scanner of a camera.

Keith

cosmicdebris

I tried several different angles and moving my light around and these were the best I could get. The bimetallic coin does show a nice black and white cameo contrast though. Another thing I am finding tough is the lens reflecting of of the mirrored surface on the coins.

keithdagen

Don't know what to tell you on these. Maybe an experienced proof person will see the thread and comment. Of course, you can always send the bimetallic to me and I can play around with it for a while. I'll be sure to send you the picture when I'm done.

Keith

BigMac

I only wish that I could even get close to getting my photos to look that good. Any certain software or camera setup to do this? I have tried with a camera, they look bad, then just use the scanner. Not happy with that either.

keithdagen

Bill,

Here's my latest Proof scan that I did. Has too much ghosting of images in the fields from the devices, but not too bad overall.

1971-S Ike PR-69DC

Keith

solid

I think they look great! Nice presentation and quite a bit of detail for a < 50k image.

Ken

clevegreg

Nice pictures, Thanks! Regarding imaging DCAM coins, the angle at which you scan or take a picture is critical. For example, if you scan the coin there are 2 ways to make it show the contrast. One would be to put the coin all the way forward on the scanner bed so the front of the slab is tilted upward. You can also accomplish this using half of a proof set cache. Sometimes just scanning the coin through the proof set lens will make the results much much better

Below is a comparison of the same coin I just scanned really quick. The first is laying flat on the scanner, the second is on a proof set lens tilted about 5 degrees or so.
Greg


Comparison

cosmicdebris

Thanks for the input guys. I am using an Olympus C3000 with a macro lens. I have one light that is sitting about 2 and a half feet above and 1 and a half feet in front of the coin. The light is angled back towards the coin. Under the slab I have 5 sheets of white paper. As for software I am using Adobe Photoshop 6.0. Other than resizing and adding the bevels around the coins the only other adjustment I did in Photoshop was to use the auto adjust levels feature. Then I used the save for web feature and set the JPEG quality at 50%. One other part of my setup is I hacked up a tripod and mounted what was left to my computer desk to hold the camera.

cosmicdebris

Here are 2 more:

CarlWohlforth

Those images look great. At least 10 x better than what I come up with. If only there were some way to eliminate reflections they might be perfect. When you figure it out please let us know

cointime

Bill,
They sure do look sweet! How much you charge to come to Arizona and do my coins? Looks like I need to buy the A photo shop 6.0

Kenny

billywls

Bill-

Those are knock out images. In trying to image my type coins I found the modern proofs to be the toughest, particularly the mirrors. Great job.

python1

Bill,
Those are some knockout photo's, great job! I am still in the market for a nice camera. Good luck on your coins.
Dennis

tggr

Bill,
Great Job . Thoes pics the best I've seen.

Ray

madmike

Cosmic,

Try this... Get a piece of black non-relfective cardboard the same size as your camera and cut a hole in it just big enough for the lens. Most cameras are shiny and reflective and will show up as reflections in your shiny proofs.

This is an old photo lab trick. We also used to put black cardboard in front of the stand holding the camera as well. Of course I was working in a room where the walls, ceiling and floor were painted flat black, but for home purposes that's a tad extreme.

When doing this kind of photography, reflected light is your enemy. The only light you want in the mix is from the lights you turn on.

Pics look great though!

madmike

cosmicdebris

Mike the black cardboard sounds like a great idea but it is the lens that is getting reflecied not the camera. I have a macro lens that is about3 inches in diameter attached to the camera's lens through a adapter tube that is about 1.5 inches in diameter and about 1.25 inches long. The camera lens inside all of this is what is getting reflectd. How would this be compensated for? One more thing the camera is only about 6 inches away from the coin if that makes a difference.

Thanks everyone else for the comments.

supercoin

I use the black cardboard trick (actually black construction paper, with a cutout just large enough that my close-up lens can screw over it to hold it on), about a 6" square with an "edge" hanging down around about 180 degrees of it. This got rid of reflections from lighter parts of my camera, as well as backlit stuff above the camera.

For the lens reflection, if you can do it with your setup, try moving the camera further away and zooming in instead. My camera is mounted about 12" away.

For the cameo proof coins, I use one light mounted at about a 45 degree angle one one side of the coin, and a matte aluminum reflector (ok, it's just household aluminum foil, dull side out) on the other side.

The reflector can be adjusted until the cameo looks about like it does in real life.

Don't forget to reset your white balance after figuring out the correct reflector angle, unless you've got a perfect white light.

Takes some messing around, but once it's set you can run a bunch of proofs through. Here's what it looks like when it works:

Platinum Bullion $100 Statue of Liberty 1999-W PCGS PR69

cosmicdebris

Those are some great tips and the Platinum eagle looks great too. Thanks Tad.

madmike

hmmmm....

I've got no tips for reflections coming straight from the lens. You can't exactly mask it.

madmike