Photo Suggestions - Results added

speety · February 20, 2007 7:51AM

At my dads office i was looking for a mouse for my computer there in the computer room when i spotted a Canon Rebel XT DSLR and a Sigma 70-300mm Lense. So i brought them home tonight to experiment with coin pics. I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for zoom, aperture, shutterspeed, etc. This is my first time trying to take coin pics with a SLR so any suggestions are welcome.

Mark

Edit: I'm looking at gooses site right now and am trying all of his suggestions tonight also, great site

Edit Edit: mgoodm3's site not goose

.

Below are the pictures i was able to take...thanks mgoodm3 and Drwstr123 for your help!

mgoodm3 · February 20, 2007 8:07AM

gunna have a hard time getting very close with that lens.

mgoodm3 · February 20, 2007 8:15AM

Actually looked it up and it will go to 1:2 focusing so you should be able to something with it. Won't be the quality of a dedicated macro lens, but should be OK to pay with.

drwstr123 · February 20, 2007 8:16AM

Check your Sigma. they make a 70-300mm with a macro feature. It's not the best but it works. Mike

speety · February 20, 2007 8:18AM

When i said gooses site i meant yours mgoodm3, i always confuse you two

(ask him, double

). I am having an extremely hard time with it. The lense the camera came with goes to 55mm and the macro lense goes from 70-300 so you think i'd be able to get some good pics with the wide variety. Any suggestions? I am trying everything i saw on your site.

speety · February 20, 2007 8:20AM

Drwstr: Mines the one with the macro function (

) but it's only macro from 200-300mm and that's hard to take a pic from that high of magnification, or so i think with the experimenting so far.

joeyuk · February 20, 2007 8:20AM

Would something like these be worthwhile?
copy/paste from a e-bay auction.

Macro Set (Close-up Lenses) top

Highest resolution and true color of the tiniest details

Metallic double thread rings

Highest Strength and flexibility -- From +1 to +7 diopters

Super clear crystal optics for minimum f/stop

Brand New. Sealed!

Convenient filter wallet to protect and carry your set

Retail for > $98 + tax
The +8 lens by itself retails for $50 or more...

Macro set: These round filter-like screw-on lenses allow closer focusing distances. Enabling you to take extreme macro and close-up pictures from miniature objects. This lenses will open a new photographic world of colors and tiny details at its highest possible resolution. Get closer!!

Or is a dedicated macro lense($$$) the only way to go?

mgoodm3 · February 20, 2007 8:22AM

There's a good chance that the 55 that came with it won't focus very close at all. The 70-300 has a macro feature on it (some sort of switch?) that allows it to come in fairly close.

mgoodm3 · February 20, 2007 8:23AM

Helps to have a tripod or copystand to keep things steady.

onlylincolns · February 20, 2007 8:24AM

Go to this site: http://www.coinimaging.com/index.html

It offers all the information you will need

speety · February 20, 2007 8:26AM

mgoodm3: thats exactly the case. However macro is only from 200-300mm so i can't get in the 100mm range like you suggested on your website.

drwstr123 · February 20, 2007 8:27AM

<< <i>Drwstr: Mines the one with the macro function (

) but it's only macro from 200-300mm and that's hard to take a pic from that high of magnification, or so i think with the experimenting so far. >>

Ok big guy. Wait a couple. You'll do damage if you switch to macro incorrectly. Let get the instructions. Be right back. Mike

mgoodm3 · February 20, 2007 8:27AM

Doesn't matter if it will go macro at 200 or 100, at 200 it will do the same thing from farther away. Should be able to do decent pics of larger coins with it.

speety · February 20, 2007 8:32AM

I'll just keep experimenting with it for a while. I can't get the coin to come in focus at all though, it's always real blurry.

drwstr123 · February 20, 2007 8:39AM

speety
Turn the lens to 300, and them put the switch to macro. Now start at a distance and come close until you focus. This was taken with that lens:

speety · February 20, 2007 8:44AM

Wow, the aperture plays a huge rule, once i set that really low it all came in focus

drwstr123 · February 20, 2007 8:50AM

Great! Now lots of practise. Good luck, Mike

speety · February 20, 2007 9:00AM

I can now get a picture of the whole coin but is there a way to focus mainly on just one area like the date? Whenever i come closer it turns to a blur instantly.

Dinner time but more experimenting a little later

drwstr123 · February 20, 2007 9:23AM

Mark, Try using the crop feature of your software. ie.: Photoshop. Mike

speety · February 20, 2007 12:03PM

star 8 going through center of dentil

Obverse (1:2 ratio cut off part of the coin

)

Reverse (Blurry - Sorry)

AlixTCat · February 20, 2007 12:20PM

Who does the camera belong to and did they give you permission to take it?

speety · February 20, 2007 12:44PM

My dad owns the company and he wants me to learn how to take pics so i can take some of his coins for the registries listed below in my sig line. So yep i got permission

.

AlixTCat · February 20, 2007 6:12PM

<< <i>My dad owns the company and he wants me to learn how to take pics so i can take some of his coins for the registries listed below in my sig line. So yep i got permission

. >>

That's GREAT! I just didn't want you to get in trouble of any kind. The way I read it, I thought the camera might belong to someone not actually the company's property. (Sorry, I'm getting old and acting like an old person.) Anyway, I think it is great that you have access to such a nice camera. Some of those images are really sharp! Do you have any VAM's you might image? What is your coin collecting passion?

Keep taking pictures and post them here when you're done.

Jonathan
(too old for his own good!)

BECOKA · February 20, 2007 6:15PM

Fantastic, looks like you are a fast learner.

speety · February 20, 2007 8:08PM

No insult taken and i could tell what you meant.

As for what i collect. I have my own 7070 and i am into bust halves right now. I also find most of the coins for my dads seated dollar collection but cannot afford that series, hint it's my dads collection.

Photo Suggestions - Results added

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