Post your camera Set-up "Before and After"

1Bustcollector

Ok, many years go, I gravitated to "Axial Lighting" which worked pretty good but ghosting was an issue,









So, I changed my set-up once again. This may not be the best, but it is portable! I take it to the shows with ease now. I may change the lighting because I want to capture more lustre.

STONE

My set up is similar to yours, although my lights are more fixed in place and less flexible than yours.
I don't think it has affected the quality of my pics too much, but then again I'm not working so much
with colorful coins as I am crusty - white's, grey's, and brown's!

What is the stand under the coin (second pic) which is plugged in?
---> Is it a light beneath the coin? <---

I may have the same copystand as in your first pic (can't tell if its the same as your second; I don't think so).

Tercentenary

What are you using for bulbs?

1Bustcollector

Stone,

I am using a cheapie light box from Ebay. It shines light upward and beneath the coin. The reason I use this is because when I do photo editing I don't have to cut the dentils out around the coin (most of the time that is). We usually have a Black or Grey or White background the coin sits on. The picture below of the glass and metal lightbox is what I custom made and used for years, but now I am using the cheapie box it works fine. A 17 watt bulb is used inside. Both set-ups are the same stand, I just cut it down (Wood platform) for Airline packing. Note: Stone, your coins are BEAUTIFUL!





Tercentenary, I use a Westinghouse Spectralight 75 Watt Flood. Almost always I only use one bulb for my shots! I want to start trying a halogen.

jayPem

Wow, can you post a pic of the coin on the stand ?
Rather proof looking, no ?

1Bustcollector

Yes, this is a Proof! Owned by Eric P. Newman-Col. E.H.R. Green, which is listed in our Book "Early Quarter Dollars Of The United States Mint."

jayPem

G O R G E O U S !

braddick

I actually like the photo of that proof half on the photo stand vs the end result!

coinkid855

I used to use my Dad's advanced point and shoot on my kitchen counter using only the overhead fluorecent lights for lighting. Here are some typical results of that setup:






Now I use a Nikon D5000, a Sigma 150mm macro lens, a Beseler copy stand, and two halogen lamps. Here are the same coin with my new setup. Amazing difference, huh?







-Paul

jayPem

<< <i>I actually like the photo of that proof half on the photo stand vs the end result! >>



I was thinking that too ! It's the cameo contrast from that angle of course that's so exciting....which ties into the photography aspect of this thread,
how to get good shots of things that might only be visible from an angle ? Obviously if this coin has such amazing frosty contrast, you'd want to try and capture it some how...
Not that I have any experience to speak of photographing coins, but I am very interested !

MikeInFL

How about a slightly different view:

Early effort -- D100 with two "low" lights:


More recent effort - D300 with two "high" lights:

coinkid855

<< <i>How about a slightly different view:

Early effort:


Recent effort:
>>





Amazing!! The coin changed denominations, series, AND YEAR with your better photos!




-Paul

1Bustcollector

You guys are inline as my original thought about the Cameo look being nicer.
I was so busy those two days photographing that I actually thought I would come back to capture a few super items having cameo contrast. What actually happened is I ran out of time and forgot to get the shot!
I think kicked myself more than 10 times now-ARRRRGGGGHHHH

Oh well, I'm think I'm over it....................kinda..............not really.

It's amazing what TIME and PATIENCE "WITH" the right lighting does.

Thanks for the lessons and nice pictures Coinkid855.

leothelyon

My setup consists of 2 boards nailed together at a 90 degree angle. The upright board fits snugly into a crook of my camera and than there's the lighting.












And remember, these coins will look 10X better in person.

messydesk

Yore: Nikon FM body, 135mm/3.5 telephoto with +2 close-up lens, 80B filter, tripod, incandescent desk lamp, Kodacolor 100 film
Before: Canon Powershot A80, +2 close-up lens, tripod, incandescent desk lamp
Now: Nikon D80, 105mm/4 AI-S Micro Nikkor or 200mm/4 AF Micro Nikkor, 2 CFL-D desk lamps, Kaiser RS-1 copy stand.

1Bustcollector

Nice pictures of coins, but where are the ones of your actual camera set up? Does anyone use overhead box lighting? Send pics of your set up please.

leothelyon

<< <i>Nice pictures of coins, but where are the ones of your actual camera set up? Does anyone use overhead box lighting? Send pics of your set up please. >>



Like............I really want everyone to know what has taken me years to learn.

1Bustcollector

Leothelyon........now you know why I began this post-to teach what I have learned.

To everyone: if you look at my second And third picture, you will notice on that small lightbox there is a grey square piece of cardboard with a circle cut out. This cut-out is about a 1/4" in diameter larger than the actual coin. It is there for two reasons. First, it blocks most of the light from underneath glaring upward into the camera lens and the second reason is to get rid of that hot spot bright area (outer rim) around the edge of the coin from the overhead light. Since the cardboard is only held by tape on just one side you can tilt it upward until it just blocks the light from shining right at that very edge of the coin. And since the cardboard is round like the coin, it blocks the light in a circular pattern-matching the rim. Works for me.

mgoodm3

blank posted.

Very old: nikon 5400, a couple desk lamps, Kaiser RS-2 copystand
Somewhat old: Nikon D70, Sigma 105mm macro (150mm later), Kaiser RS-2 and a couple lights.
Recent: Nikon D200 (now use a D300s), Nikon 85mm PC micro (and other assorted macro lenses), Bencher Copymate II copystand, Kaiser RB300 lights

1Bustcollector

Those are some wicked Jeffersons Leothelyon.

Thanks for the Post Mark. I'd sure like to visit with you some day and talk.

Here are a couple of pics I did some time ago for the late Dave Davis. Somehow, I think the high grade beautiful coin are easier to photograph, for the most part. I just need to change the style of light.

lkeigwin

I don't think I have pictures of my before and after set ups. But let's say that five years ago I was proud of the first set of images, the product of a compact camera, macro setting, and desktop tripod.

I graduated to a better camera, copy stand, and post processing software. And Mark Goodman's book, naturally.
Lance.

DieClash

Trying to figure out why my images look like metal disks and others in this thread look like protraits?

Canon XLsi Rebel w/ 150mm Sigma lens. Kaiser Repro kid copy stand with two lights at fixed high angle.

mingot

<< <i>Trying to figure out why my images look like metal disks and others in this thread look like protraits? >>



I find proofs very difficult to photograph.

leothelyon

Made In The USA!

The top board allows adjustment of the camera.

Support screws were later added to the design of the camera stand to allow the mounting of a second type of camera.

Costs of materials: $2

leothelyon

<< <i>

<< <i>Trying to figure out why my images look like metal disks and others in this thread look like protraits? >>



I find proofs very difficult to photograph. >>



Took me a loooong time to figure out the proofs. But the day finally came when I tried yet another setup and bingo, I'm very satisfied with the results.

leothelyon

<< <i>Those are some wicked Jeffersons Leothelyon.

Thanks for the Post Mark. I'd sure like to visit with you some day and talk.

Here are a couple of pics I did some time ago for the late Dave Davis. Somehow, I think the high grade beautiful coin are easier to photograph, for the most part. I just need to change the style of light.

>>



Very nice!

A couple of the coins I posted are worth $10,000 each. I didn't pay that much but I know Jefferson nickels and that's what it will take to pry those coins from hands.