Camera mount/setup for coin photography?
sebrown
Posts: 424 ✭✭
After seeing some superb (and some not so superb) coin images on these boards, I've decided to see what I can do since I'll have some free time on my hands in the near future. As some might know, I've been working in Iraq as a civilian for 10 of the last 12 months or so with only one more month left before I return home for a well deserved lengthy vacation.
I had previously gained some knowledge from M. Goodman's Numismatic Photography book (which I left at home 'cause I didn't want to ruin it over here), but never had the equipment to implement his methods so I haven't refined my technique yet. While here, I've picked up a Nikon D90 camera, 105mm VR Micro lens, and my son has installed Photoshop CS4 on the PC. Now I'm in search of a good copy stand or similar type of device to securely mount the camera for taking straight-on images.
I've seen a number of copy stands for sale on various sites, but I'm wanting some feedback on which devices are used by forum members or what would be the ideal setup. I'm looking for quality as opposed to cheap, unless they can be had at the same time. It must be sturdy and have the ability to securely mount a camera of that size/weight. I'm leaning towards the Kaiser RS-1 Copy Stand with a 40" counterbalanced column for $474, but was wondering if this is too much for what I need it for. Plus, that's really more than I wanted to spend just to mount the camera. (pic below)
I fully understand that the right equipment does not make a good photographer, but I can learn just about anything and welcome the challenge.
I had previously gained some knowledge from M. Goodman's Numismatic Photography book (which I left at home 'cause I didn't want to ruin it over here), but never had the equipment to implement his methods so I haven't refined my technique yet. While here, I've picked up a Nikon D90 camera, 105mm VR Micro lens, and my son has installed Photoshop CS4 on the PC. Now I'm in search of a good copy stand or similar type of device to securely mount the camera for taking straight-on images.
I've seen a number of copy stands for sale on various sites, but I'm wanting some feedback on which devices are used by forum members or what would be the ideal setup. I'm looking for quality as opposed to cheap, unless they can be had at the same time. It must be sturdy and have the ability to securely mount a camera of that size/weight. I'm leaning towards the Kaiser RS-1 Copy Stand with a 40" counterbalanced column for $474, but was wondering if this is too much for what I need it for. Plus, that's really more than I wanted to spend just to mount the camera. (pic below)
I fully understand that the right equipment does not make a good photographer, but I can learn just about anything and welcome the challenge.
"In the absence of the gold standard, there is no way to protect savings from confiscation through inflation [...] Gold stands in the way of this insidious process. It stands as a protector of property rights." - Alan Greenspan
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Comments
W.C. Fields
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
<< <i>Also, keep the VR turned OFF when on a copy stand. >>
Thanks for the pointer. It's little things like this that I'll need to figure out through trial and error.