OK, class! Deceptive Images 101

[James_OldeTowne]

Which coin would you rather have, A or B, and why?

 

[RGT]

The second one, of course. It has fewer hits but otherwise looks identical to the first.

[harvey8542]

The second one, of course. It has fewer hits but otherwise looks identical to the first.

Same here (thumbs u

[MAULEMALL]

The second one, of course. It has fewer hits but otherwise looks identical to the first.

Seems James is trying to pull a fast one..

[Keith Smith-migration]

That is the same coin, just different lighting revealing different hits. Am I right?

[Just Bob]

OK, I'll be the first to have a go. They are obviously images of the same coin, with "B" having been doctored. Without the benefit of side-by-side images, I would naturally choose "B" because of the cleaner surfaces.

 

 

 

So, prof, do I get an "A"? (Pun intended)

 

I type so slowly that 4 people posted before I did!

[MAULEMALL]

 

I thought I might be able to do a little more with your picks ... When I moved them to my Comp I noticed they were titled Junk...

 

 

[jgrinz]

OK, I'll be the first to have a go. They are obviously images of the same coin, with "B" having been doctored. Without the benefit of side-by-side images, I would naturally choose "B" because of the cleaner surfaces.

 

 

 

So, prof, do I get an "A"? (Pun intended)

 

I type so slowly that 4 people posted before I did!

 

Gave that man a "A"

Is the Doctor in the house

 

 

[BillJones]

It's the same coin with the scraches removed, including the biggest one by the star at 12:00 o'clock.

[cpm9ball]

No question! It's the same coin. Notice the rim hit at 9 o'clock; there is a faint, light spot to the northwest of the 3rd star on the right, and there is a ghost-like image of an airplane slightly to the west and between the 2nd & 3rd stars on the right. By the way, the plane is heading NNW from Fenton, MO to Cedar Rapids, IA.

 

Chris

[IGWT]

Somebody found the "clone" tool in Photoshop.

[James_OldeTowne]

Somebody found the "clone" tool in Photoshop.

Actually, I don't have PhotoShop, and never have! I am using the basic image editing software that came with my computer. I use the same program for making those cutout images.

[BillJones]

Somebody found the "clone" tool in Photoshop.

Actually, I don't have PhotoShop, and never have! I am using the basic image editing software that came with my computer. I use the same program for making those cutout images.

 

Yes my photo editing program has the same capacity. It's a $75 program at Staples. On my previous computer the photo software that came with the machine could do the same thing.

[TJ'S Coins]

Thank you for an enlightening illustration!

 

It is also possible for a coin to look worse in some pictures than it does in hand. Lighting angles play into this.

 

Thanks again for the lesson, James.

[EZ_E]

My impression that someone used the cloning tool to remove the gouge at 12:00.

[MikeInFL]

Obviously I'd prefer coin B, but that image has been manipulated. However, without seing coin A one would be hardpressed to tell the photo was maniupulated. Which is, I believe, the point James was making.

 

In the hands of someone who knows what they are doing (and even those that don't) it can be extremely difficult to detect the games people are playing with photographs.

 

Without seeing before and after photographs or having a chance to see the coin in-hand, I think most people would be hard-pressed to tell if a coin was artificially enhanced in a photograph. In addition to removing digs, hairlines, etc., the color of a coin can be changed signficiantly. Even simple changes like color saturation and contrast can change how a coin looks in a photograph (see below for example).

 

All the more reason to only purchase coins that have a good return policy preferably from sellers that stand behind their coins...Mike

[MikeInFL]

As an example, the only thing changed in these photographs is exposure, saturation and contrast:

 

Unretouched:

 

Enhanced:

 

Yet they make the coin appear very different....Mike

 

[James_OldeTowne]

Obviously I'd prefer coin B, but that image has been manipulated. However, without seing coin A one would be hardpressed to tell the photo was maniupulated. Which is, I believe, the point James was making.

Yep, that's exactly it.

 

Importantly, I just used simple, basic software. I'm sure more advanced programs, such as PhotoShop, can do a whole lot more. Furthermore, all I did was "despeckle" areas on the image that had flaws. It took less than a minute to create the manipulated image!

 

You don't suppose there are sellers on eBay who do this, do you ?

[just-john]

same coin

[jman425]

To doctor pics is just asking for a lot of coins to be returned (presuming you have a return policy).

Good point though. It doesn't take much to add value to the coins, on photo, of course.

[sro114-migration]

I appreciate the learning experience here. Now I'm going to be afraid to buy anything without a rock solid return policy and great reputation. I probably should have been there already.

 

Again, thanks for the exercise, it is a learning experience for us less experienced yahoos!

[cpm9ball]

You don't suppose there are sellers on eBay who do this, do you ?

 

Now, James, why would you infer that eBay has any unsavory characters in their midst? Of course not! All of them are highly respected in their field. It's just that some of them are collecting the cow manure, and others are hauling it away.

 

Chris

[rrantique]

You don't suppose there are sellers on eBay who do this, do you ?

 

Now, James, why would you infer that eBay has any unsavory characters in their midst? Of course not! All of them are highly respected in their field. It's just that some of them are collecting the cow manure, and others are hauling it away.

 

Chris

 

[bsshog40]

Well I got in a day late and a dollar short. As soon as I looked\at these pics, could tell it was the same coin. Just too many likenesses to be different. Amazing what photoshop can do.

[DJCoinz]

Somebody found the "clone" tool in Photoshop.

Actually, I don't have PhotoShop, and never have! I am using the basic image editing software that came with my computer. I use the same program for making those cutout images.

You can do all sorts of tricks with Windows Picture it.

[DJCoinz]

Now which one of these would you like?

 

[cpm9ball]

Now which one of these would you like?

 

 

I like the one in the middle!

 

Chris