Coin photographers... HELP ME!

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 12:26AM

Now this is just driving me nuts. I can't photograph buffalo nickels... don't know why, but the colorful ones elude me.
Here is an example.
I am using a single light in this instance, and using some common buffs to practice on. With a blast white one all is okay

Not crystal clear... but not terrible.
I am using a photo stand, by the way, so the camera is dead still.
Then I move onto some of my toners...

Same set up, but the pics get blurry. What would cause this? Do the darker coins force the camera into a different setting, and the aperature is stying open longer, hence less clarity... or do I just get so excited by my toners that I manage to shake the whole set up when they are around

Anyone who understands lighting have any thoughts?

Leiana · September 8, 2006 12:30AM

It looks like your camera is having a hard time focusing on it because it is darker. Another light might help.

Also, you might be within or outside your optimal focal length for your lens.

It appears to me that the white buff is overexposed while the toned buff is underexposed.

-Amanda

robertpr · September 8, 2006 12:35AM

Looks like the toner is inside of a holder. Take it out before shooting it. Also add more light.

If your camera has a timer, use it instead of pressing the button manually - it will help a lot.

Try using a higher focal length like f/9 for f/10 to increase depth of field, if the option is available on your camera. Also, use the lowest ISO setting you have available.

Also you can move the coin more toward the edge of the viewable area in your viewfinder to get more light on the coin when it's toned, it will look better as far as the color goes.

Final tip, if you're using autofocus and you have manual focus available, choose that instead and manually focus the shot. If you prefer autofocus, choose the "spot" method which will focus only on the center of the photograph (if you move your coin to the side you'll have to put another coin in the center and crop it out later so the camera can focus). Usually the default setting is an averaging method which measures the focus throughout the shot and averages them out. This just doesn't work for coins.

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 12:41AM

The toners are in flips... and the other coin was uncovered... I wonder if the reflection of the light is part of the problem??
As to the first pic being over exposed... that is my other problem, over exposure.
Collecting is easy. Taking pics is hard.

13PacesEast · September 8, 2006 12:44AM

wow.

those pics sip thru a straw.

Leiana · September 8, 2006 12:46AM

<< Collecting is easy. Taking pics is hard. >>

-Amanda

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 12:54AM

<< wow.

those pics sip thru a straw. >>

poorguy · September 8, 2006 12:58AM

#1. What type of camera are you using?

#2. You need to get more light on the coin.

#3. If the toned one is in a flip, take it out and shoot it.

#4. The first shot wasn't that bad. It's actually useable if you scale it down, fix the contrast, and sharpen it a tad.

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 1:16AM

<< #1. What type of camera are you using?

#2. You need to get more light on the coin.

#3. If the toned one is in a flip, take it out and shoot it.

#4. The first shot wasn't that bad. It's actually useable if you scale it down, fix the contrast, and sharpen it a tad.

>>

Its a coolpix 3.2mp (4700 I think).
It has the close up mode turned on, and I had it do an auto adjust on the whiteness before taking the pics.

I actually tried less light 'cause more light seemed to be killing my pics too

And yes, I think making them too big is not helping at all.
Thanks for the input!
Not quite up to anaconda standards eh?

I try to buy my nicer coins only from folks that take good pics, then I ask them if I can keep the pics! But... I still have a horde of other older stuff I want to photograph.

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 1:19AM

small

big

Small = not so bad I should just throw the camera in the lake and be done...
Big = I quit

smaller certainly hides some of the focus flaws!

IrishMike · September 8, 2006 1:22AM

Like several have said take it out of the flip and try angling the coin. Coin photography is not for the impatient, in other words experiment with the settings and if you haven't...... spend a lot of time with the camera manual.

13PacesEast · September 8, 2006 1:23AM

<< 

<< wow.

those pics sip thru a straw. >>

>>

ie - suck

laserart · September 8, 2006 1:24AM

Does anyone have experience using an Olympus 800 digital camera?

IrishMike · September 8, 2006 1:26AM

I have an olympus, different model #, its c5050 zoom zoom zoom.

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 1:27AM

<< 

<< 

<< wow.

those pics sip thru a straw. >>

>>

ie - suck >>

Now that's just hurtful.

But not uncalled for, after all, as you may have noticed this is a call for help!

laserart · September 8, 2006 1:28AM

They discontinued that one didn't they? I wanted one of those. Saw the 800 in a store last night on sale for $280

Leiana · September 8, 2006 1:30AM

The second one is better on the exposure and colours, though!

But it looks like you are experiencing some distortion at the edge of the lens.

-Amanda

mgoodm3 · September 8, 2006 1:32AM

Shoot nekkid when you can (the coin, that is), get it out fo the holder or flip if possible. Looks like your camera is wanting to focus in the front of the plastic and not the coin. Shoot in A mode if you got it. That allows you to set the aperture high. Sometimestilting the coin a little will help keep at least a portion of the coi nin focus even if it wants to focus on the plastic.

The opther question is: are you using zoom? Many cameras have a hard time maintaining focus at macro range with the zoom. If so, back off on the zoom until the camera can focus.

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 1:36AM

Yes, I was using zoom on this batch... I backed off the camera, then zoomed in, hoping to capture the light differently. Considering how huge the pics are, perhaps I could zoom back out...

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 1:37AM

<< Shoot nekkid when you can (the coin, that is), get it out fo the holder or flip if possible. Looks like your camera is wanting to focus in the front of the plastic and not the coin. Shoot in A mode if you got it. That allows you to set the aperture high. Sometimestilting the coin a little will help keep at least a portion of the coi nin focus even if it wants to focus on the plastic.

The opther question is: are you using zoom? Many cameras have a hard time maintaining focus at macro range with the zoom. If so, back off on the zoom until the camera can focus. >>

Shoot nekkid... my wife already worries that I love my coins too much...

Leiana · September 8, 2006 1:39AM

<< Yes, I was using zoom on this batch... I backed off the camera, then zoomed in, hoping to capture the light differently. Considering how huge the pics are, perhaps I could zoom back out... >>

I find that "zoom" absolutely KILLS the functional focus of my macro mode.

-Amanda

JrGMan2004 · September 8, 2006 1:42AM

Also, it's not good to zoom your camera all the way in to get close-ups... you need to keep it just back from it's furthest out point... with all zoom lens, the worst focus points are all the way in and all the way out... If you need to get a bigger picture, move your camera a little bit closer to the coin...

Tonedbuff · September 8, 2006 1:43AM

So...
let me see if I am getting this right...

I have the ligting wrong.
I have the coins in flips and they need to be out.
I am using zoom wrong.
I am over exposing some coins.
I am under exposing the others.

Wow, it seems I'm off to a real good start!

Here's one I like -

Throw me a bone...
Say something nice.

Leiana · September 8, 2006 1:52AM

Now the exposure is correct on that one.

You can determine exposure by looking at your darks and lights. An overexposed shot will not have any pure whites while an underexposed shot will not have any pure blacks.

Contrast is also important, it has to do with midtones and the range of midtones. A low contrast will look very soft and a high contrast will look too hard and angular. Something in the middle will give the most realistic shot.

-Amanda

IrishMike · September 8, 2006 2:01AM

Yeah Laser its an older model. Like the others have suggested lose the zoom. I use spot, autofocus, timer, ott lites (3) and adjust the light. Practice practice practice.

WhiteTornado · September 8, 2006 2:07AM

A tip that recently helped me, which you may already be doing, is: lighter-colored coins like silver and aluminum, show up better with a dark background. Copper shows up better with a background of a lighter shade, such as tan.

Coin photographers... HELP ME!

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