Of lighting and photographic frustration... Newp '38-D Buff

richardshipp

You'd think after 6 years of trying I could figure out how to take a picture of a coin... this inexpensive one arrived yesterday. Tried all sorts of lighting and ended up with all sorts of looks... It makes me wonder how anyone could figure out what a coin really looks like in hand based off just a picture...

I'm open to suggestions on how to take better pics on a more consistent basis. Yes, I already have Mark's book.





Here's some others I retook this morning...

WhiteTornado

Out of your three pics off the Buff, which one comes closest to approximating how it looks in hand?

coinbuf

Some coins are just difficult , I think the third one looks the best and am guessing it looks the most like the coin in hand??? Your second group of pics looks real good.

LindeDad

Did you set the white balance sometimes I know I make changes and forget to go back to the basics and start from there again?

richardshipp

Yes and yes to the above posts. To me the third one of the Buffalo looks most like the coin in hand. On the white balance, the first pic I forgot to reset it, the second I tried setting it manually for the LED lighting. The third pic was taken using OTT lights that I have more experience with in taking pics.

drwstr123

This is not photoshop.
Two pics of the same coin manipulating camera setting:

coinman23885

Your images do not show a lot of luster, and appear very dark.

mgoodm3

Shiny buffalos (and any other really shiny coins are always tough. Get the lighting at the highest angle possible. The pics look like they have some white balance issues. The first probably shouldn't be pink and the later pics have a bit of a greenish tinge to them.