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Coins in Motion 4K Video Showcase
Senator32
Posts: 407 ✭✭✭✭✭
Wanted to share and get feedback from the CU community on a project I have been working on. This is a ~10 minute 4K video animation using a method I have developed to better show amazing coins online that I am calling "Coins in Motion". The video has no sound and makes a great video screensaver. I am posting the individual animations frequently over on IG: https://www.instagram.com/coinsthatwow/ . I would love to know what you all think - I know its not a wholly original idea, but I think the method I have created works well, and I know there are also some world coins in this video but it is mainly US 
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6EXCXv98a020
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All I cam say is WOW !!! You're on to something here. Sure beats the heck out of looking at a flat picture of a coin. I know some sellers present their products at the best angle, hiding defects. No doing that with this method. If this would catch on it sure would instill confidence in buying w/o seeing the coin in hand.
Really great video... the coins have a 3D appearance....superb quality (video and coins)....Thank you for posting this...Cheers, RickO
Just as I am getting a little practice taking "normal" pictures....
Looks great, very cool.
Instagram
Wow, great job on these! I think this concept is going to catch on for higher value coins.
I see this thread going to multiple pages.
Well done! I have the most of the equipment to do that but putting together the video edit and all the time is a different matter. Not sure how you did the gradual turn of the coin so consistently though. That is really well done and makes the work really stand out....not sure if the camera is on a curved rail and the coin is still or...hmmm. I'd probably add a little more light though. Fantastic job! Nice coins too!
Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner.
I think it's great. As you go farther, it'd be educational to video problem coins or hairlined coins from cleaning to educate noobs about what to look out for and possibly avoid.
How is it done?
"A car is a tool that takes you from one place to another. Everything beyond that is a payment for other people's perception of you."
Will Insta allow 4K upload? I usually face compression issues with video there.
Check out my iPhone app SlabReader!
Forget that. When are you going to license it to the majors?
This is a game changer. Don't miss out on developing it to the most potential.
Two thumbs up for this one.
That Saint is to Die for.
Followed
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
Great concept.
That is awesome. Game changer for sure. Is there anyway to do the same with the coin in the slab?
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
@Senator32 We’re you able to do this without removing the coins from slabs? Looks great, especially the white proof coins.
Thanks all! I am going to continue to improve this so keep the ideas coming.
I like this idea. I will do this.
Secrets
All of these coins were in slabs. Outside of the slab it would be even better. Will do some raw coins soon.
They allow the upload but crunch it down a ton. The YouTube video in full 4K looks nice on a 4K TV
I am totally willing to talk with PCGS, NGC, or any of teh major auction houses - as this is my main goal. I have no doubt this technique can and will be replicated...I just want to improve the quality of images of coins shown online. Will help the entire hobby....but if HA or Legend want to pay me to make these for them in the meantime, I would not complain
Those were incredible if taken in the slab. Very impressive.
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
Interesting video, and interesting approach to showing these. I have some comments, but they'll reveal your secrets, so I'll hold off unless you want me to discuss them.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
Feel free to discuss. I have no illusions of a "moat" or super secret that only allows me to do this...and after years of messing around and testing this approach I have found several methods that work and just felt these finally got the the quality level where they are ready for the market. My main goal is to improve the industry as a whole....but I do work for coins if the big boys are reading this lol.
Thanks! Let me tell you...the slabs make it tough sometimes with reflections, etc. I have a couple very pretty coins I cant do this with because all you see is a scuffed old holder casting shadows and blurring the image. I will make sure to make some with raw coins soon and post the animations over on IG.
Just followed you in Instagram, great work! On IG, we like to shoot coin videos which really do help with viewing a coin, but I can see your method being used by the major auction houses.
Posts like this just show the hobby is evolving, not staying in some moribund, mustard-stained smoke-filled room.
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
That was awesome to watch. Very nice coins as well.
+1
⭐️
The Heritage "360 Video" attempts to do something like this,
but it is not lit very carefully, and the coin moves around too much in the frame (in my opinion).
I think it would work even better if the coin stays fixed in the center,
and you rotate the lights around it.
That way you do not have to deal with all the focus stacking,
and your eye can track specific areas of the coin without them moving around.
P.S. Beautiful coins - worthy of finding this improved way to display them!
Great coins!
My YouTube Channel
The approach you seem to take to both light the coin well and show how luster changes with lighting is interesting. It seems that what you are doing is using three lights, two of which are stationary and one that moves as images are acquired. The coin never moves, but is rotated a little left to right using a series of perspective projections, possibly with the lighting adjusted with some depth shading. In some cases, it's making the shape of the coin look a little unnatural, since it's not exactly how rotating a coin would look and some, but not all, of the luster is stationary. A couple of the coins actually look like they're being bent and unbent rather than rotated, and I don't know if this is the cause.
To simulate tipping the coin left to right in the light, you'd want a jig that slowly tipped the coin. You'd then end up with two new problems (beyond needing to build such a jig). First, tipping the slab into the dreaded Glare Zone, which would require you to move the lights further out from center. Second, depth of field would become a problem, since you'd be shooting on an angle most of the time. This can sort of be mitigated to a certain extent by a small aperture, but at the expense of exposure time and reduced central sharpness, although the latter might not be a really big deal if the coin images themselves are only about 1600 pixels square. The slight blurring of depth information might be a better visual cue than the depth shading I think I'm seeing.
The key to making this usable from your standpoint, of course, is workflow optimization. Reduce the manual steps involved in photographing, moving the light, and composing the result to a minimum and you can make many more of these. So now the moving light and/or the tilting jig should be controlled by the same computer controlling your camera. If you actually were to tilt the coin, the circle used for cropping would need to be tilted, as well.
At the end of the day, however, it's pretty cool!
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
This thread deserves a POTD award for awesome content and discussion!!!
“We are only their care-takers,” he posed, “if we take good care of them, then centuries from now they may still be here … ”
Todd - BHNC #242
Really give you a solid idea of what the luster is doing. Love this project!
Fine, reply to everyone but me. I see.
Camera on a Motorized Curved Rail that is programmed to go kinda around the coin that remains stationary is my guess. You likely have a couple of stationary lights and maybe a light attached to the camera on rail. I still say you need more lights.
Not really looking for much these days but if I were, it might be a toner.
Great work. I’ve appreciated these on IG. Keep up the experimentation!
Latin American Collection
Sorry buddy, totally missed you in all the replies. You are on the right ... track...if you pardon the pun
. Agree on more lights.
Love it!
Nice
Cool video
I like how the coins seem to "Float" when you have them go side to side shows the cartwheel affect! Great Production! Keep up the Great Work!
Looking for the "totally bitchin'" button. I've seen the future of tutorials, internet sales and auctions. Not to mention recording collections for those who want to view their coins as an album. Kudos.
Great concept. I'd love to be able to catalog and display some of my key coins in the collection this way.
You take a flight out this way and bring them and I will do them all for free just to be able to see them
Deal!
Nice work!
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
This is incredible - well done!