WHAT A PAIN!! posted by Six Mile Rick

[CSJournals-migration]

Focus or Tones

 

I spent a bit of time trying once again to get the right picture to load for the 1957D MS66FBL. I could get a great focus with no color or a great toned pic with no focus. I kept trying until I at least had most of the color and the bell lines. To get the right angle for color and focus seems impossible!!!

I was trying to get the right pic for Dimefreak but do not feel so successful.

 

See more journals by Six Mile Rick

[jayman1970]

I can feel your pain,I have taken hundreds of photos that once downloaded into my computer where I could see them large scale were immediately deleted.I have a few coins I have given up on getting a decent picture.Even though your Franklin is a little out of focus it has great color!!!

 

 

Jason

[Six Mile Rick]

Thanks Jason, I guess I could blame the bad focus on the scratched up PCGS slab. Hmm, Na I just gotta work with it later till I get it right or at least close.

 

Later---

[mkman123]

nice picture I might add

[CSdot]

I can't seem to photograph dimes. The color on that half is nice.

[brg5658]

There is a way to get both focus and tilt (color). The method is called "focus stacking". Using that method you can take multiple pictures of the tilted coin focused on different areas. For example, one on the bottom edge, one on the bell lines, one on the top of the bell, and one on the top edge. You then use software to piece together the four images to give you one final image all in focus.

 

The free software for doing this is called CombineZP. There are also some non-free versions of similar software, namely Zerene Stacker (which is what I use) and Helicon Focus. Adobe Photoshop also has some focus-stack-like capabilities but it doesn't do a true focus stack but rather just applies layer masks to show the sharpest layer at each pixel.

 

This is probably more information than you wanted, but I thought you might want to play a bit if you like photography a lot. Nonetheless, a very nice colorful picture and razor sharp bell lines! Nice! (thumbs u

[dleonard-3]

Smaller aperture? A tiny hole will give you a greater depth of field. Oh wait, that was for the old fashioned film cameras, not today's modern digitals.

[brg5658]

Smaller aperture? A tiny hole will give you a greater depth of field. Oh wait, that was for the old fashioned film cameras, not today's modern digitals.

 

It still applies to digital cameras. But, once you close down the aperture too far you run into diffraction problems that degrade the quality of the image. The best coin images are taken around the f/5.6 to f/11 range -- you can stop down to f/32 to increase your depth of field at the detriment to the quality of the final image because of diffraction. I personally never shoot at a smaller aperture than f/11 (usually f/5.6 or f/8) because of this problem.

[Six Mile Rick]

Wow, I do get a little better with each try. It seems every time I post a problem there is a helpful photography mechanic to give me a little more advice. Of course it is impossible to purchase a nice camera, a great lens, and just expect great pics. I have learned something new with each post --- slowly learning step by step.

I have wrote down the f/5.6 to f/11 and will check the camera this weekend to see where I have it set and change it up a little.

 

Thanks Brandon------Rick

[brg5658]

Wow, I do get a little better with each try. It seems every time I post a problem there is a helpful photography mechanic to give me a little more advice. Of course it is impossible to purchase a nice camera, a great lens, and just expect great pics. I have learned something new with each post --- slowly learning step by step.

I have wrote down the f/5.6 to f/11 and will check the camera this weekend to see where I have it set and change it up a little.

 

Thanks Brandon------Rick

 

Rick, just in case you aren't already doing so, if you set your camera to Aperture priority (Av on Canon Cameras -- not sure on Nikon) then you will be able to control the f/ number, and the camera will take care of the light metering/exposure for you.

 

What is your camera model, and what lens do you shoot with (just curious)?

 

-Brandon

[Six Mile Rick]

Brandon,

The camera is a Nikon D3100, the lens is Sigma 150mm F2.8 APO Macro EX DG OS

 

I have been having a swell time with it and the pics are worth the price. They will only get better with practice and knowledge.

 

Thanks----Rick