Coin Cameras Question and Recommendation

mrearlygold · February 2, 2018 11:49PM

In your opinion are todays camera's easier or more difficult to use then a 5 or 10 year or older model? I find myself now having to try and figure out how to take images ( yikes! ), and I don't do well with this kind of thing. What would your recommendations be in terms of actual camera set ups? Keep it fairly economical as I don't ever forsee me becoming a great picture taker, my hopes are first take pictures to begin simply and then figure out how to send them. I have lighting, a camera that I don't know how to use and no manual that I can find so maybe easier to start fresh ( ? ) since this would also be a first camera for a beginner picture taking old guy? What say you? what simple economical camera and other parts would you choose

yosclimber · February 3, 2018 12:15AM

Please tell us the make and model number of your camera - we can advise better knowing that info.
(And we may be able to find the manual for it).

Many cameras made 5-10 years ago are perfectly good -- especially true for Canon, Nikon, etc.

ricko · February 3, 2018 7:23AM

@mrearlygold.... I commend your effort and sense of adventure. I have not ventured into the photographic field as it applies to the internet and coins. I still have a Canon AE-1 SLR... that I used to take pictures of flowers with... not sure anyone even develops film anymore. I am getting quite proficient at copy and paste though... and have my wife take a picture with her phone and send it to me sometimes... Good luck... Cheers, RickO

bsshog40 · February 3, 2018 7:51AM

I used an old canon digital for a long time and it took great pics. I now use a canon T4i which does great also. Lighting and a decent camera is key to have but I have also found out that a good photo software can be pretty key in getting your pics to be presented much better. A lot of my pics are taken at a distance, not right on top of it. Easier to focus on. Then I can take my pics into photoshop and crop out everything else I don't want in the pic. It brings the coin in closer and maintains the integrity of the picture. Then you can play around with backgrounds and such. I've seen people post a lot of coin pics that would look 100% better if cropped, rotated, etc...

Azurescens · February 3, 2018 9:00AM

It's not always the camera, either.

Some of my best shots are under yellow and full spectrum light using black paper for luster and white paper for details. Some pictures can be better had by shining light underneath a slab and up through it, with a mirror above.

RogerB · February 3, 2018 9:24AM

Lighting is more important that all the other factors. Get that right, then buy higher quality optics and CCDs.

mrearlygold · February 3, 2018 10:57AM

@yosclimber said:
Please tell us the make and model number of your camera - we can advise better knowing that info.
(And we may be able to find the manual for it).

Many cameras made 5-10 years ago are perfectly good -- especially true for Canon, Nikon, etc.

Don't laugh! Canon power shot sx530hs

BryceM · February 3, 2018 11:25AM

Spend your money on a great lens (not cheap), lights, and a copy stand. Then Goodman’s book. After that, a camera.

messydesk · February 3, 2018 11:42AM

@mrearlygold said:

... I have lighting, a camera that I don't know how to use and no manual that I can find ...

Don't laugh! Canon power shot sx530hs

If you have a camera you don't know how to use, replacing it with a newer one won't solve that problem. A quick glance at the camera shows it should be good for starting with. Here's a link to the manual, and here's a 20 minute YouTube video that might help. You don't say you have a tripod or copy stand, so you'll need one of those to hold the camera.

AUandAG · February 3, 2018 11:49AM

Don't laugh! Canon power shot sx530hs

I switched from a Canon powershot A590 to a Nikon Coolpix A900 point and shoot. I found that it was pretty easy changeover and I still use the Canon software that I was using to adjust and trim the pics. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to learn the Nikon and I'm photography challenged as well.

bob

RogerB · February 3, 2018 11:50AM

Most camera lenses have better resolution than camera CCD chips. So, get the highest quality chip set, than a lens to match the chip's resolution.

mrearlygold · February 3, 2018 12:51PM

Oh boy what an adventure

lcoopie · February 3, 2018 3:03PM

A photographer was invited to dinner.

The host said that the photographer took great photos and wanted to know what camera they used.

Dinner was over and the photographer said to the host, great dinner, what oven do you use.

bsshog40 · February 3, 2018 3:21PM

Here is my meager setup. Copy Stand, 2 halogen lights, Canon T4i and I also have a diffuser not in the pics. And Photoshop 10.

yosclimber · February 3, 2018 3:38PM

Tom,
Your Canon PowerShot SX530 HS will work great for taking photos. Plus it is only 3 years old if that helps.

Using the link to the manual posted by @messydesk, you should download that manual.
The video link he posted looks great, too.

The simplest way to get started is to charge your camera (or it may already be charged), then figure out how to turn it on, and take a few shots around the house using the shutter button on the top right of the camera. Each photo should display briefly on the screen on the back of the camera after you take it. Then figure out how to download the photos you took onto your computer. After you do this, you will know that you can use the photos you take, and you can work on making those photos better (using lighting, tripod / camera stand, etc.), and learn how to use software to crop and adjust colors on your photos (there are several choices for software to do this).

Use the instructions on page 138 for the simplest way to copy the photos you take to your computer, using a USB cable.
If you don't have a USB cable, many electronics stores have them for $5-10; there a few different types so make sure it fits the connector on your camera.

Please keep us posted here on your progress, and we look forward to seeing some of your photos!

SamByrd · February 3, 2018 3:41PM

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SamByrd · February 3, 2018 3:45PM

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SamByrd · February 3, 2018 3:47PM

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BillJones · February 3, 2018 3:51PM

I have a Nikon 24X optical Zoom digital camera which has been a big disappointment so far as coins are concerned. It is great for taking pictures on vacation, but for the close work required for coins, the focus and exposure have never worked right.

I have don't want another of these microscope cameras that go bad every time Microsoft updates their software.

My old coin camera, a 20 year old Sony, is getting on its last legs, and I know that I have to replace it. I have heard all of the stuff about how it's the lighting and all that, but that has not been the case with Nikon. It just can't do the job.

The local photo stores don't exist any more to give you advice. My computer guy recommended a camera he bought, but he thinks super close-up pictures are the ones he has taken of his cat.

What to do? I don't want to spend $1,000 + on something that does not work. I really need specifics, but all the models available it's hard to find a specific camera.

yosclimber · February 3, 2018 4:13PM

@BillJones - find a person or a few people here whose photos you like, and simply copy their setup.
Here are some relevant threads, although several of the photos are held hostage by photobucket:
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/801121/coin-photography-post-a-pic-of-your-lighting-setup (2011)
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/770744/post-a-picture-of-your-coin-photography-setup (2010)
Here's another option:
macrocoins.com/macrocoins.html

But see @messydesk's post below. It would help to work through a specific example coin and your photos, to see if there is something you are missing that can be done with your existing camera(s). Otherwise, you might buy a new setup and discover that you could have gotten the same quality with your old camera, by just doing a few things differently. For example, shooting in "raw" mode. My son said this makes a huge difference; I have never tried it because my photos in regular mode seem acceptable. However, you have much nicer coins, so such extra efforts may get you what you want.

messydesk · February 3, 2018 4:37PM

@BillJones said:
I have a Nikon 24X optical Zoom digital camera which has been a big disappointment so far as coins are concerned. ...

What to do? I don't want to spend $1,000 + on something that does not work. I really need specifics, but all the models available it's hard to find a specific camera.

I took a look at the manual for the Nikon P90 (the only 24x Optical Zoom I could find online) hoping to find technical specs that could help. Therein lies my beef with modern point and shoot cameras. It can be really hard, if not impossible to figure out what some of these specs actually mean.

Case in point, if that's your camera, the macro range says, "Macro close-up mode: 10 cm (4 in.) to ∞ (zoom position
where [macro flower] glows green); 1 cm (0.4 in.) to ∞ (zoom position at [triangle] mark)." I have no clue what the heck that means. Was it too much effort to put a focal length in there somewhere? Ugh. That camera might be fully capable of decent coin pictures with a comfortable working distance as is, but I'd have to actually play with the camera to figure that out. The P90 does accept an adapter for adding 72mm filters, such as a +2 close-up filter if necessary. This will get you a comfortable working distance and decent magnification. You could go this route for as little as about $70, which would get you the adapter and a cheap (read: lousy) close-up filter, or starting around $100 with a better filter.

I, and several others, could recommend a different camera, pricey macro lens, custom built setup, and so on, but if your requirements are to first see if you can use a camera you already have an know how to use before buying additional expensive, dedicated equipment that may be overkill for your needs, we should try and figure that out, first.

Put a quarter on your desk, turn the macro mode (flower) on, and see if you can get the camera to focus on it from 18 inches away with the zoom set at various settings. If nothing works, try again at 24 inches and 30 inches. More than that is a bit far. If there isn't a zoom/macro/distance combination in that range that gets you a usable picture, then the close-up filter I mention should solve that problem.

bsshog40 · February 3, 2018 4:58PM

I also have my camera settings to take pictures at their largest size. For example, mine is set at 5184 x 3456 pixels. This way I can crop larger pictures and still have a clear picture of the main subject/coin.

lkeigwin · February 3, 2018 9:59PM

Give me any 5 or 10 year old SLR and a 180-200mm macro lens, along with an average copy stand and flexible halogen lighting, and I'll be happy.
Lance.

BillJones · February 4, 2018 5:54AM

Thanks for the tips, @messydesk.

The thing that drives me nut about the Nikon camera is the way it focuses. With the Sony, the camera focuses BEFORE you push the button. With the Nikon the thing focuses AFTER you push the button. The whole thing like a slap dash, imprecise process that is neither sharp nor accurate for both the exposure and focusing functions. It works great for anything down to the size of a butterfly box full of political buttons, but if you want something really close-up like a coin, almost all of the pictures are useless, and there never seems to be any consistency about it.

Of course, nirvana was when I had a 35 mm film camera with a manual focus. I could hit everything with that camera. I could go 36 for 36 with role of film and almost never got a dud picture.

I wish there was some guide that tell WHAT camera can do what I want without having to lay out the money for it ahead of time.

bsshog40 · February 4, 2018 8:38AM

I always use manual focus!

lcoopie · February 4, 2018 9:53AM

@BillJones said:
Thanks for the tips, @messydesk.

The thing that drives me nut about the Nikon camera is the way it focuses. With the Sony, the camera focuses BEFORE you push the button. With the Nikon the thing focuses AFTER you push the button. The whole thing like a slap dash, imprecise process that is neither sharp nor accurate for both the exposure and focusing functions. It works great for anything down to the size of a butterfly box full of political buttons, but if you want something really close-up like a coin, almost all of the pictures are useless, and there never seems to be any consistency about it.

Of course, nirvana was when I had a 35 mm film camera with a manual focus. I could hit everything with that camera. I could go 36 for 36 with role of film and almost never got a dud picture.

I wish there was some guide that tell WHAT camera can do what I want without having to lay out the money for it ahead of time.

there may be a setting to focus continuously and if you turn that off it will focus when pushing the shutter, also much better to set it to a delay so the camera doesn't move from pushing the shutter

Cameonut · February 4, 2018 12:30PM

I'll tell my story because it might help others in their decision making.

I tried several handheld digicams - didn't like the results at all for coins. Didn't know what to do.

By sheer luck, I was passing an estate sale and stopped in. Bought a nice Testrite copy stand for $10. That's right - $10 - it was half off on Saturday. The liquidation company had no idea what it was. I told them after it was mine.

So now I have a nice copy stand with a heavy duty 36" mounting post. What do I do next? The lens is the most important part of the setup. Thanks to the threads on these boards at the time, the Sigma macro lenses were well thought of. Decided to buy a used 105mm macro. Checked out photo stores and Ebay. Ultimately bought a 105mm Sigma (later bought a 150mm SIgma). The Sigmas have Nikon mounts.

So back to the boards for more info. Ultimately decided to buy a used Nikon D90. Plenty on the Bay to choose from. Purchased a couple more Nikons since, but the macro is pretty much dedicated to the D90. I also use a tether to a TV set when focusing - make sure you get a camera that does this as focusing on slabs from any height is problematic.

So I kind of did it backwards - all used equipment. Copy stand first, then lens, then camera body.

I'm happy with the equipment - I only wish I had more time to tinker with it!

bsshog40 · February 4, 2018 9:16PM

Using diffuser paper can also help with glare when taking pics of proofs.

yosclimber · February 4, 2018 9:32PM

@lcoopie said:

@BillJones said:
Thanks for the tips, @messydesk.

The thing that drives me nut about the Nikon camera is the way it focuses. With the Sony, the camera focuses BEFORE you push the button. With the Nikon the thing focuses AFTER you push the button. The whole thing like a slap dash, imprecise process that is neither sharp nor accurate for both the exposure and focusing functions. It works great for anything down to the size of a butterfly box full of political buttons, but if you want something really close-up like a coin, almost all of the pictures are useless, and there never seems to be any consistency about it.

Of course, nirvana was when I had a 35 mm film camera with a manual focus. I could hit everything with that camera. I could go 36 for 36 with role of film and almost never got a dud picture.

I wish there was some guide that tell WHAT camera can do what I want without having to lay out the money for it ahead of time.

there may be a setting to focus continuously and if you turn that off it will focus when pushing the shutter, also much better to set it to a delay so the camera doesn't move from pushing the shutter

On Canon cameras, usually if you push the shutter button halfway down and hold it there, it will do the focus (and aperture adjustment),
Then if it looks good, you press it the rest of the way down, to take the shot. Important for taking live action shots, when the delay from the autofocus can wreck the shot, and it also has a tendency to focus on the background.

BryceM · February 4, 2018 10:59PM

I have a pretty junky Chinese copy stand I got on eBay. It works just fine, but a few things aren't so fantastic and a couple parts are wearing out. Next time I'll plunk down the money and buy a solid one. I have a Canon Rebel Xsi that I bought used for a couple hundred bucks. The copy stand came with some light fixtures.... filled those with big halogens. I did buy a new Canon 100mm macro lens. I shoot everything with a tethered connection. That lets me set the focus manually and preview the image. White balance is done with an 18% gray card. I can't emphasize how much having a steady platform helped. Focus was never sharp before this. Now, it's pretty easy to shoot passable photos of most things:

BStrauss3 · February 5, 2018 4:37PM

If you are shooting on a copy stand, look into tethering to your PC. Both Canon and Nikon DSLRs support this along with other cameras (software out of the box or 3rd party). Removing your hand from the camera vastly reduces shaking.

ctf_error_coins · February 5, 2018 4:44PM

Todays DSLR cameras have about a thousand menu choices that many do not understand.

I as a lifetime professional photographer use Manual, ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture, Erase, Mirror Lock up, and White Balance. So I use 7 of the 1000 functions on my camera.

Todays (Canon) cameras have vastly superior sensors than cameras that are older.

Get a good sensor, a great macro lenses, and of course a copy stand and lights.

bsshog40 · February 5, 2018 6:22PM

@BStrauss3 said:
If you are shooting on a copy stand, look into tethering to your PC. Both Canon and Nikon DSLRs support this along with other cameras (software out of the box or 3rd party). Removing your hand from the camera vastly reduces shaking.

I like to tether once in a while also. Can see the coin better than the little lcd screen. Lol When I don't, I always set my timer to at least 2 seconds, that way after I click the shutter button, it gives the camera a little time to rest in case I moved it a little.

Stork · February 6, 2018 10:59AM

Just how good of photos are you looking for? Some of the phone cameras are pretty darn good. With a steady stand, good lights, and a shutter release (I have a bluetooth one that cost about $8, but I do believe you can use the controls on some of the earbuds), you can do quite decent shots. A little on phone cropping maybe, plus a modicum of lighting/white balance, and you can email and send the photos super easily.

ChrisH821 · February 6, 2018 2:24PM

@BillJones said:
Thanks for the tips, @messydesk.

The thing that drives me nut about the Nikon camera is the way it focuses. With the Sony, the camera focuses BEFORE you push the button. With the Nikon the thing focuses AFTER you push the button. The whole thing like a slap dash, imprecise process that is neither sharp nor accurate for both the exposure and focusing functions. It works great for anything down to the size of a butterfly box full of political buttons, but if you want something really close-up like a coin, almost all of the pictures are useless, and there never seems to be any consistency about it.

Of course, nirvana was when I had a 35 mm film camera with a manual focus. I could hit everything with that camera. I could go 36 for 36 with role of film and almost never got a dud picture.

I wish there was some guide that tell WHAT camera can do what I want without having to lay out the money for it ahead of time.

Bill, it sounds like what you want is a DSLR rather than a point and shoot.

A couple of notes about what you've posted:
-The focus happens when the shutter button is pushed halfway in all the digital cameras I've ever used, is this one different?
-High optical zoom isn't really the best for close range photos, I would try the macro mode with maybe half or less zoom and a shorter distance. The more zoom you use the more light you need.

The reason I think what you want is a DSLR is because all the modes can be controlled manually. I recently got my first DSLR and it has made everything easier, although it is a complicated piece of kit. I went with an entry level Canon Rebel T6 (the kit runs about $450 but come with two lenses and a carry case) and it does more than I need it to. I imagine the entry level Nikon is pretty much the same.
A really nice bonus is being able to use remote shooting via a usb cable (I think also wi-fi but I'd rather not drain the battery that quickly) from your computer or laptop, it gives you a huge display to see what the camera sees and you can adjust the focus, white balance, ISO, exposure, etc. with onscreen adjustment buttons.

There is a VERY useful video that explains pretty much all the controls on the camera, what they do, when to use them, and includes tips for ideal settings to use(like AI servo focus mode, continuous shooting).
Here is the video, it's close to an hour long so grab a drink before you start it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-cCxpTjsVo

OldIndianNutKase · February 6, 2018 10:56PM

Sometimes the smallest dollar investment will yield the best results. I would focus on the following:

Any copy stand will provide for a stable picture.
Always use manual focus with the highest f stop to ensure good focus throughout the focus range. Don't shoot at 1.4 because you have a great lens. Shoot at f8 or above to get good resolution.
Connect your computer with your camera so that you can focus on the computer screen. Nikon Camera Control 2 will provide nice results and very easy to use.
Multiple lighting sources. Price can range from a couple IKEA Janjo LED lights to a few thousand for kaiser light stands.

Start cheap and upgrade when your skills make the upgrade reasonable as to results. The most exotic set up without skill will not give great results. My setup is good, but I need to refine my skills before I make a larger investment. I still send my coins to PCGS for a Trueview.

OINK

Twobitcollector · February 7, 2018 3:57AM

@mrearlygold said:

@yosclimber said:
Please tell us the make and model number of your camera - we can advise better knowing that info.
(And we may be able to find the manual for it).

Many cameras made 5-10 years ago are perfectly good -- especially true for Canon, Nikon, etc.

Don't laugh! Canon power shot sx530hs

I use a Canon Power Shot SX20IS which is an older model.
I place the top dial on "P" then on the back I use the "Flower looking thing" for macro. I also use led lights, and Photoscape to crop.

Coin Cameras Question and Recommendation

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