Trying new lighting/photography methods. Comments? (Dialuppers beware!)

Still not at the level of those with professional equipment, but I think it's an improvement over my earlier morgan toner images. Overall I'm happy with the results. I still need to be careful with glare, both off the slab, and the brighter portions of the coin.
For those curious what I changed, I've added a second Ott light, am taking the shots straight on rather than an angle, and have switched to using the "Super Macro Mode with Manual Focus". I think the manual focus gives better results than the autofocus, but I could be mistaken...


For those curious what I changed, I've added a second Ott light, am taking the shots straight on rather than an angle, and have switched to using the "Super Macro Mode with Manual Focus". I think the manual focus gives better results than the autofocus, but I could be mistaken...



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Comments
Great pictures!
Other than the two OTT lights what are your other lighting conditions in the room?
Just curious I am practicing myself but dont have anything I feel like posting this late.
You wouldn't believe how long it took to get him to sit still for this.
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Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
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<< <i>Great pics.
Other than the two OTT lights what are your other lighting conditions in the room? >>
I try to take pictures at night, so that the ONLY light in the room are the 2 Ott lights. My cats look at me strangely, but oh well.
I can see where having an SLR and macro lens would help. As it is, I have to have the camera 5 inches from the coin, which presents a problem with even lighting, as the camera body casts a shadow over the coin. As someone else recommended, I may get a 3rd Ott bulb and a gooseneck lamp to try and minimize that effect.
Slab sits on a 4x6 white sheet of paper; the base of the copy stand itself is black. The 2 Ott lights are seated on wooden blocks to raise them up slightly so they are above the level of the camera. The two Otts form roughly a 90-degree angle.
<< <i>Very very nice. Remind us, what camera and lens are you using? >>
It's just a consumer-grade digital camera: Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom bought from Dell back in early 2005 (I think). They were running one of their special coupons and I picked it up for $250 or so. No add-on lens.
Since some were guessing grades:
1881: NGC MS64
1886: NGC MS63 (old fattie slab)
1878-S: NGC MS64 (lustre isn't really apparent in pictures)
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