Just Playing with a different lighting set-up Opinions Please

UtahCoin

Canon 40D
Canon Macro 100mm 1:2.8
26" Coin to back of camera (down from about 40")
6 Ott Lights, 3 are 6" from coin, 3 are 30" (Previously 3 at 40")

Copy Stand, Mirror Lock-Up, Remote Release

I still don't have the crisp focus I want

I'm thinking of going with a 150mm Macro...

relicsncoins

Looks pretty good to me.

messydesk

You might actually have crisp focus, but of a blurry coin. 6 Ott Lights is a lot of lights. You're getting a very diffuse picture with this many lights. This is fine if all you want to show is the color, but it is coming at the expense of the details of the coin, which look rather flat, and are made worse by the fact that late 50s Lincolns don't have any sharp details to begin with. Also wondering about what looks like a discontinuity in the outline from the brow to the forehead.

UtahCoin

<< <i>wondering about what looks like a discontinuity in the outline from the brow to the forehead. >>



Oops, I was photoshoping a hair off the coin there and must have slipped..

MikeInFL

Looks nice. I like the color.

Could have a little more contrast (lack of contrast likely because of too many lights), and a little less sharpening (the photo has unsharp mask artifacts), but otherwise a very nice photo.

Flatwoods

I wish you had picked a different coin to experiment with.

lsica

Thppppt on OTTs. If you want a really white source, use some daylight bulbs. If you like the coolness (actual heat temp, not color temp) of the OTTS, use daylight CFLS. Just be aware that CFLs are going to give you more diffuse and less direct light that incandescents, but if you're going for that ellusive color vs luster balance, you'll like that.

lkeigwin

I don't think the focus is that bad, FWIW. I use a 180mm macro now and yes, you can get more detail and larger images. But focus is always a challenge.

I don't like Ott lights either. I threw them in the trash. You will get better results with incandescent or halogen.

Here's a colorful Lincoln I picked up recently on BST.
Lance.