Taking Pictures?

[Scooter1685-migration]

I am absolutely awful at taking pictures of my coins. If you can read the label in the slab, it's a good one for me. I would very much appreciate it if you coin-photographers out there could share a few tidbits of advice... I want to show off my collection, but can't manage to get a picture where you can see more than a vaguely circular shape inside a blurry white rectangle...

[physics-fan3.14]

First off, answer a few questions for us:

 

What kind of camera are you using?

What kind and how many lights are you using?

What sort of setup (tripod, stand, etc) do you have?

[pendragon1998]

This might be of some help:

 

What You Need to Know: Online Resource Review: Coin Photography Technique

 

What You Need to Know: Digitally Matting Coins for Display Online

 

 

[Coindude]

Try this. I think it will give you a ton of info and most likely the above articles probably borrowed from this source. I could be wrong, but Mr. Goodman is a pioneer in the area of coin photography.

[pendragon1998]

You forgot your link, but Mark Goodman's site is www.browncopper.com

 

[Coindude]

... yea I sure did. Thanks sir dragon.

[Scooter1685-migration]

, I didn't get to check back in yesterday. My wife and I decided to con my brother-in-law into watching our children while we took a whole day out together. It's been so long since we've done anything of that nature...

 

Anyhow, thank you very much. I'll get the information about the camera I've been using. As far as lights... I just set it up in such a way that the image on the display looks as good as I can manage before taking the picture. It depends. Sometimes I use sunlight, sometimes I use a few sun-bulbs... I know absolutely nothing about photography, . As far as setup... I hold the camera in two hands, and sometimes if necessary my elbows are braced against some type of surface to minimize movement.... . I'm a hack with a camera

[Scooter1685-migration]

Ok, the camera is a Nikon Coolpix S4000. I just looked it up to get information about the camera, and it's all greek to me. I'll copy and paste it.

 

Nikon COOLPIX S4000 Specifications

 

Effective pixels: 12.0 million

 

Lens: 4x zoom NIKKOR; 4.9-19.6mm (35mm [135] format picture angle: 27-108mm); f/3.2-5.9; Digital zoom: up to 4x (35mm [135] format picture angle: 432mm)

 

Focus range (from lens): Approx. 50cm (1 ft. 8 in.) to infinity (∞), Macro close-up mode: Approx. 8 cm (3.2 in.) to infinity (∞)

 

Monitor: 3-in., approx. 460k-dot, TFT LCD with touch screen control and anti-reflection coating

 

Storage media: Internal memory (approx. 45 MB), SD memory cards*1

 

ISO sensitivity: ISO 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, Auto (auto gain ISO 80-1600), Fixed range auto (ISO 80-400, 80-800)

 

Power sources: Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL10 (supplied), Charging AC Adapter EH-68P/EH-68P (AR) (supplied), AC Adapter EH-62D (optional), Battery Charger MH-63 (optional)

Battery life*2: Approx. 190 shots with EN-EL10 battery

 

Dimensions (WxHxD): Approx. 94.5 x 56.5 x 20.4 mm (3.8 x 2.3 x 0.8 in.) excluding projections*3

 

Weight: Approx. 131 g (4.7 oz.) with battery and SD memory card*3

 

Supplied accessories*4: Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL10, Charging AC Adapter EH-68P/EH-68P (AR), USB Cable UC-E6, Audio Video Cable EG-CP14, Strap AN-CP19, Stylus, Software Suite CD-ROM

 

I was actually in the process of copying the whole article (somewhat lengthy really...) when I stumbled across a part marked "specifications." I figured that would give you all the information necessary without all the "Introducing the S4000 touch-screen, a stylish..." garbage. I doubt anyone really wants to read through all that.

 

[cjones81-migration]

I Was coming here to ask about the same question. I Could not get a good picture to save my life from h-e double hockey sticks. They would be so much glare up close, and too dark further away. Finally i put my coins on the scanner, and now the edges of the coins looks sand blasted. ahhh i give up!

[tenacious]

Besides learning from the above links, and from Mark Goodman's book, it takes practicing and experimenting. And what works best on one type of coin doesn't on another.

 

It would be nice if it was just point and shoot. But it isn't. It isn't hard but it takes some time and experimenting. And taking a lot of practice pictures to see what works best.

[HiHoAudio]

A good camera and lens mounted on a decent copy stand works for me.

 

Something like this...

 

 

Will produce photos like this...