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shylock · October 12, 2006 8:18AM

#1 by mozeppa. # 2 by MGoodm3.

How were they imaged and what do like about them?

#1 PCGS, #2 NGC

shylock · October 12, 2006 8:36AM

Okay, let me start.

Mozeppa's image is dead on. Natural copper color, crisp detail, and the PCGS slab is dead on, dimples and all.
An outstandingly accurate image.

MGoodm3's image is very cool looking.

The white NGC incert color doesn't look quite right. And the coin looks a bit enhanced.

Maybe it's just me.

mgoodm3 · October 12, 2006 8:42AM

#1: Shot with one light, medium-high angle, light at about 2 o'clock. This high-contrast lighting gives nice detail and contrast on the relief, which happens to be a nicely struck coin. The highlights on the relief aren't overblown. good WB. A little glare on the right hand side of the image, but doesn't distract. The appeal of it for me is the detail on the relief. Slab looks clean.

#2: Pure crap.

MrSpud · October 12, 2006 8:49AM

Looks like the light is coming in from different angles in each picture. Can't really say which would be more accurate looking though because the coins have very different surface properties which would change the way light would reflect off of them. Both are very nice.

Bochiman · October 12, 2006 8:51AM

I'd want to see the same coin imaged by both before comparing them.
However, saying that, the top one is easier for me to see nicks and such. The bottom shows the color potential more

rwyarmch · October 12, 2006 9:04AM

Whatever Mr. G has done, he seems to have eliminated any interference by the slab which can mute the color of a coin. I like the detail of the first image as well but wonder if the slab hasn't gotten in the way, dulling the color a bit. Could the coin actually look more like this?

66RB · October 12, 2006 9:05AM

Hey Shylock...two different animals here IMO.

The top coin looks pretty easy to photograph. I say this only from looking at the photo. MS copper in a PCGS holder is very easy to photograph(at least for me). I do not believe the top photo is as crisp as it could be, as the fields look rather 'flat' to me. I suffer greatly from this ailment in my photos....the devices are focused, but the fields are just a touch out of focus. I believe it is more a matter of reaching the limits of the camera's capability more than anything else.

Bottom coin would be an absolute nightmare for me to photograph. #1 it's in an NGC slab. #2 it's a matte proof with distinct surface characteristics that do not behave the same as mint state surfaces for the purposes of photography. Amazing details can be seen not only on the devices, but the fields as well. Color looks right to me. I own one matte proof Lincoln and I can not for the life of me get a decent photo of it! A very tough coin to image as well as Mark has here.

All in all, I like both photo's, not like I could do any better

mgoodm3 · October 12, 2006 9:16AM

Why the 15 image looks "lively" is because the coin is tilted in the slab toward the light (quite a bit). You can see this by the rims. You can see the lower rim fully and the top rims are partially obscured. Tilting toward the light tends to show more color and lights up the fields more evenly also reduces glare off of the slab. and the surfaces are very glossy which provides more reflection of the surfaces (had to shoot with 2 lights to soften the reflections a little).

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