The difference a macro lens can make

MVC

I have a T3i with a Canon 18-135 lens. (It came with the camera). I had been using it to take pictures of coins and while it seemed to do better than my point and shoot, I was never satisfied. I tried all kinds of tricks, read the Mark Goodman book, different lighting, different everything. Finally broke down and bought a true macro lens. Wow, what a difference.

Here is a picture with standard lens



Click on the link and then the coin

Here is a picture with the Macro


Click on the link and then the actual coin for a larger image

I know that others have said they can get along fine with a point and shoot, or a standard lens, I just could never get the quality I wanted until I got a true macro. Even with the marco though coin photography is not easy. Takes lots of practice, different angles of lighting, etc. Even the last picture I posted, while much better than I got in the past, could use some improvement. It is a work in progress.

blu62vette

The benefit of the lens is greatly underestimated by many. Nice job, keep up the practice.

keyman64

Macro Photo is much sharper. But which one has the right color for the coin?(Has nothing to do with the macro lens)

Sharper images are ALWAYS GREAT!

MVC

<< <i>Macro Photo is much sharper. But which one has the right color for the coin?(Has nothing to do with the macro lens)

Sharper images are ALWAYS GREAT! >>



Once I get sharper images, I can adjust color. I think it will be much easier to adjust color that sharpness. As for these two, the first is too dark and the 2nd is pretty close. But to your point, sharpness of image can make up for a lot



Here is one where I was way too light

MVC

<< <i>The benefit of the lens is greatly underestimated by many. Nice job, keep up the practice. >>



Thanks blu62vette. Quick question for you, I talked with you at the Denver ANA ever so briefly, just curious, what kind of lighting do you use?

messydesk

Glad you like your new toy! Pics are much improved. I'm a little curious as to why the pics with the kit lens are as blurry as they are. I'd have thought decent web-size pics would really not be an issue and would not have guessed you were using a DSLR for the first picture.

MikeInFL

<< <i>The benefit of the lens is greatly underestimated by many. >>



That's a good point. I'd argue the lens is probably more important than the camera.

lcoopie

the first photo may not be in focus

Most would use manual focus and an f stop around 8 to get some depth of field

crypto79

<< <i>

<< <i>The benefit of the lens is greatly underestimated by many. Nice job, keep up the practice. >>



Thanks blu62vette. Quick question for you, I talked with you at the Denver ANA ever so briefly, just curious, what kind of lighting do you use? >>



Getting awfully close to trade secrets aren't we

MVC

<< <i>the first photo may not be in focus

Most would use manual focus and an f stop around 8 to get some depth of field >>



That's about what I used (Manual focus and fstop around 8, I tried several different)

There may have been several things I was doing wrong, but the macro lens covers up many of those mistakes

keets

i thought that this had been settled, that a good camera with a function that allows a short focal length is a better choice than a pricey macro lens?? the pictures below are examples.

notwilight

To get the color right, the basic recipe is to get a grey card, take a photo of the card with the light you will use on the coin and then choose custom color balance and select the grey card picture as the template. Best to take photos at night or in a dark room with only the coin lighting on.

Now the tendency once you have a good macro and DSLR is to take too big a photos, blow them up too big, show every microscopic scratch in the coin, and make it look much worse than it does in hand.

Good luck and enjoy,
Jerry

UtahCoin

A few quick clicks in Photoshop to tweak the color and get rid of the shine around the head.

blu62vette

<< <i>A few quick clicks in Photoshop to tweak the color and get rid of the shine around the head.

>>



If there was a color adjustment needed of that level I would be uncomfortable with it and reshoot the coin. I don't want to be doing that much in photoshop. That new image looks heavy on the blue side to me.

rmpsrpms

<< <i>Now the tendency once you have a good macro and DSLR is to take too big a photos, blow them up too big, show every microscopic scratch in the coin, and make it look much worse than it does in hand. >>



That depends on your purpose for the photos. My whole justification for the thousands I've spent on my setup is to be able to take a single photo of a Lincoln Cent die variety and show enough of the details to:

1. Identify the variety easily without having to change over to a microscope setup
2. Show the surface conditions for die state attribution
3. Give a good indication of the amount of luster present (but of course this is impossible with a single shot)
4. Show toning coloration as accurately as possible
5. Provide a pleasing image when downsized for web publishing
6. Grade the coin

Published size depends on what you are trying to show out of the above list. I look at it in terms of total magnification from coin to screen, assuming a typical 24" 1080p monitor and viewing a Lincoln Cent. If viewing Dollars, the image size should be doubled:
1. 1600x1600 (20x mag)
2. 1600x1600 or 800x800 (10x mag)
3. 400x400 (5x mag)
4. 400x400
5. 400x400
6. 400x400 or 200x200 (2.5x mag)

Rarity

I just bought a Tokina 100mm f2.8 lense last week. The lense is solid, made in Japan, not Thai Land or China like all Nikon lenses now.

Problem is I have a Nikon D60 which can only manual-focus with this Tokina but I'm very impress with the pic quality.

Wish I have a D7000 so I can auto-focus this lense.