That's It, No More, I Give-Up on TrueViews
lablover
Posts: 3,667 ✭✭✭✭✭
Yes, I know there have been many threads on TrueView Service. Once again, we have proof the service has not improved. I like PCGS, I really do. But enough, is enough guys.
No Soup for You!!!
Just a few from my last submission. Just atrocious, with no semblance of the true coin. In-hand these are killer toned coins.
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers
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Comments
inb4 someone complains about clickbait
Young Numismatist • My Toned Coins
Life is roadblocks. Don't let nothing stop you, 'cause we ain't stopping. - DJ Khaled
I'm 73 years old dude, I don't know what that means...
It means, in this environment, making a vague thread title on purpose to attract lots of eyeballs. Emphasis on "on purpose" because more often than not, the "clickbait" on the forum is treated by some as if it were intentionally misleading them. To that I just shrug and wonder why some people type out a comment instead of just clicking the back arrow.
Young Numismatist • My Toned Coins
Life is roadblocks. Don't let nothing stop you, 'cause we ain't stopping. - DJ Khaled
Got it, thanks...
When I saw your thread title, I was concerned that you were going to give up coin collecting. LOL.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
"Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
"Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire
Thread Title Changed.
you have some killer proof Roosevelts - I imagine they look even better in hand ++
I'm done with TVs as well. Here are a few from my last sub. I've cracked out most of them which were MS66s anyway for an album.
My Pic then theirs and I'm the amateur.
Just terrible.
"Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill"
It's unfortunate and it does not look like we will be seeing improvement in the near term.
Tell me about it and what's worse my grades are like they graded based on the TVs.
One more, franks for the memories.
Didn't anyone in the current photography department find anything of interest from the previous administration?
Just sayin'
do we have a third administration? the quality seems to have gotten a lot worse lately
I got a bunch back with a bright line across them
Massive lighting issues on all of them... FFL you have the status that you should be able to complain it gain some merit... Us little guys it seems to fall upon deaf ears..
Those are all very poor
Wow, this is not a gallery of photos to be proud of.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
I'm actually not disappointed with my last batch. They could be better, but I'm satisfied with most of them.
Note that I think they have a couple of different photograph lines. They are taking their time and doing a good job, perhaps based on submission tier or maybe luck of the draw.
This is actually what this Peace dollar looks like:
Was disappointed that they didn't choose high contrast DCAM photos, but these aren't bad. One thing is that they flipped obv/rev for 2 of them:
http://ProofCollection.Net
FFL - this is a somewhat standard lighting pattern and is simply how the luster shows.
See something similar here:
Coin Photographer.
i'll counter that the cartwheel luster highlights are way bright and distracting
I think that 89-cc is nicely done, or maybe I am infatuated.
What exposure, F-stop, light positioning (and type), and coin distance would you recommend to correct it then?
Coin Photographer.
like the 1884 you put up
Ironically, the image I posted and the TVs are about as close to identical as you can get. I'd say the only difference is a slight white balance adjustment, and a 25% angle shift of light #1 plus a slight reduction in exposure.
Here's the TV with roughly five seconds of Photoshop adjustments.
Coin Photographer.
Here's a money making idea for PCGS - turn the true views into cards, like baseball cards, and sell them in packs of 5 with a slice of bubble gum
"When they can't find anything wrong with you, they create it!"
I've taken my own photos before. It's a labor of love at times, and can be time consuming.
We all got spoiled by Phil. He was a numismatist who also did photography at a high level. He knew what he was doing and had put in a lot of time.
You can take someone and give them all the equipment and they can "know how" to take photos, but when it comes to coin photography, with the different variables for each coin, it isn't that easy...particularly if you aren't a numismatist first and foremost.
Just hiring a "photographer" doesn't always cut it.
I'm not saying I could do better, as I don't have the equipment nor, any longer, the desire to fiddle around doing it, but I do know it isn't easy.
Hopefully things get better
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Then they can turn around and grade the cards for a fee. Raking in the money coming and going.
"To Be Esteemed Be Useful" - 1792 Birch Cent --- "I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain." - Lily Tomlin
@Bochiman . Pictures do make a huge difference. I just had a small group of coins for sale post at Great Collections. Before shipping I used my new smartphone to take some pictures.
My before and G.C.'s after pictures would make a GREAT ad for a magic cream that inproves coins dramatically. James
Very disappointing. I wonder who does photos of the rarities featured in the PCGS Market Report? Probably not the team doing the terrible photos in this thread.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
I'm concerned what my TVs are going to look like! The coins are in QA now.
Viewing is not for the faint of heart. Please share the results.
Some of those pics look similar to the old ANACS photograde certificates.
So inconsistent. Here are some new TVs. Pretty disappointing. I guess I would describe these as washed out. or too bright Is there a more technical description someone has so I can complain? I wonder if the photos can be tweaked. At least they aren't yellow.
http://ProofCollection.Net
why does it seem so random whether coins get axial lighting? Are there many photographers making their own judgements on how to light each coin? I've never understood why they don't take several pics with different lights turning on/off. It wouldn't take any more time than taking one pic with very simple automation.
Coin Photographer and Videographer
https://www.youtube.com/@FriendlyEagle7
They couldn’t just buy the same camera set up as the last guy and click a button ?
Oh the replies you'll get when a photographer enters the chat.
Successful BST transactions- Bfjohnson, Collectorcoins, 1peter223, Shrub68, Byers, Greencopper, Coinlieutenant, Coinhunter4, SurfinxHI, ProfLiz
When @PhilArnold ran things, that’s exactly what they did. On a couple of occasions, I requested the “other” photo and Phil officially swapped them for me. I’m guessing the procedure is the same today, but be careful what you wish for.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Without knowing anything about what things cost or how much space they have, you'd think they have a few dedicated stations for a few different setups... Proof coins, Toned coins, Business coins, Copper, etc. and that way you wouldn't or shouldn't have to change the setup much once you get it dialed in. I could be over simplifying things.
http://ProofCollection.Net
I was talking to a friend on here a while back. We jokingly thought about sending them through GC to get a Great Photo, and then bidding them back!🤣
If one could only get around the BP!😉
.
Coin Photographer.
Time is money, and different lights on multiple shots are time. No way they can provide free TV’s if they have to do different set ups for each coin………….. They must be shooting 1000s of coins a day(?).
I think you are probably right, but again, time to do multiple shots and then process them. Alot of labor. I suspect as their photographer(s) gain more experience, he/she/they will do better as they are more knowledgeable on how to shoot each coin. I have been doing this 20 years and no way no how can I get every coin right on one shot or many some times. If I had to shoot 1000s a day……….. Yikes.
Just sent this in for reholder and variety attribution. It was reimaged. Here’s the before:
And here’s the after:
Thoughts?
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
We are not asking for free TVs. We pay for them as part of the "gold shield fee."
http://ProofCollection.Net
Again, too much emphasis on the color yellow.
I like the before TV.
Me too. Much more like the coin in hand. And I can actually “see” the metal, where on the new photo it’s so washed out you can’t really see anything! 😠
Empty Nest Collection
Matt’s Mattes
The descriptor "washed out" has been mentioned by many on this forum when it comes to TrueView 2.0, and I am also in that camp.
Alright, here’s a washed out winner. I actually thought the coin should grade PL so it’s hard to photograph but this coin is deep green in person.
Here are some good photos:
I constantly see these reels on instagram of product photography showing the .RAW file vs the edited photo. Its a cliche in photography that clients will ask for the .RAW and that you should never give it out because they'll badly edit your work and misrepresent your skills to others.
I think coin photography should be the exception to this rule. It would be such a good thing for the hobby if a TPG would publish a set of standards for what lighting and where to place it. Will that lighting look best for every coin? Of course not. Is it incredibly simple to have multiple lights and capture multiple photos in a burst and provide them all? Yes, yes it is. Cropping and adjusting exposure in post should be automated, especially if they include an 18% grey reference or color card in the shot.
Coin Photographer and Videographer
https://www.youtube.com/@FriendlyEagle7