Coin Photography - 28-135mm f3.5-5.6

[rmpsrpms]

Has anyone seen one of these Fotodiox lenses or used them? Would it work? Seems more feasible pricewise.

 

That's just the extension tube, no lens.

[bsshog40]

Has anyone seen one of these Fotodiox lenses or used them? Would it work? Seems more feasible pricewise.

 

That's just the extension tube, no lens.

I think I missed this part.

 

" the effect of magnifying your subject is created."

[bsshog40]

Has anyone seen one of these Fotodiox lenses or used them? Would it work? Seems more feasible pricewise.

 

That's just the extension tube, no lens.

Isn't a bellows just an extension tube? This ext set works with the cameras electronics where a bellows doesn't. Right?

[rmpsrpms]

Has anyone seen one of these Fotodiox lenses or used them? Would it work? Seems more feasible pricewise.

 

That's just the extension tube, no lens.

Isn't a bellows just an extension tube? This ext set works with the cameras electronics where a bellows doesn't. Right?

 

Yes to both questions, but most of the lenses you would want to use for coin photography can't utilize the connections anyway, and the fixed extensions don't give you much flexibility in setting the magnification. Bellows give you continuous adjustability of magnification, and working with the camera electronics offers little to no benefit for coin photography.

[bsshog40]

Has anyone seen one of these Fotodiox lenses or used them? Would it work? Seems more feasible pricewise.

 

That's just the extension tube, no lens.

Isn't a bellows just an extension tube? This ext set works with the cameras electronics where a bellows doesn't. Right?

 

Yes to both questions, but most of the lenses you would want to use for coin photography can't utilize the connections anyway, and the fixed extensions don't give you much flexibility in setting the magnification. Bellows give you continuous adjustability of magnification, and working with the camera electronics offers little to no benefit for coin photography.

Excuse all my questions Ray but still trying to understand this. With aperture enabled with the tubes, doesn't that give a small benefit over the bellows? I also realize the bellows is more magnification but how much is really needed for just full coin pics, not micro? Thanks Ray.

[rmpsrpms]

Excuse all my questions Ray but still trying to understand this. With aperture enabled with the tubes, doesn't that give a small benefit over the bellows? I also realize the bellows is more magnification but how much is really needed for just full coin pics, not micro? Thanks Ray.

 

For coins, you want to shoot at pretty much a fixed aperture. For Dimes to Quarters, use f5.6. For Halves to Dollars, use f8. Allowing the camera to adjust the aperture is usually not a good thing. By using manual aperture adjustment, you just fix the aperture where it should be for the magnification (coin size) and the shots you take will be more consistent.

 

Bellows allow you to get more magnification, but you don't have to extend them all the way. Shorten them up and take full coin pics if that's what you're doing.

 

Ray

[bsshog40]

Excuse all my questions Ray but still trying to understand this. With aperture enabled with the tubes, doesn't that give a small benefit over the bellows? I also realize the bellows is more magnification but how much is really needed for just full coin pics, not micro? Thanks Ray.

 

For coins, you want to shoot at pretty much a fixed aperture. For Dimes to Quarters, use f5.6. For Halves to Dollars, use f8. Allowing the camera to adjust the aperture is usually not a good thing. By using manual aperture adjustment, you just fix the aperture where it should be for the magnification (coin size) and the shots you take will be more consistent.

 

Bellows allow you to get more magnification, but you don't have to extend them all the way. Shorten them up and take full coin pics if that's what you're doing.

 

Ray

Thanks again Ray!

[wdrob]

 

Ray, I received my 105 mm EL-Nikor lens today and it is in perfect shape. Aperture is clean, responsive, exact, and just all around a very nice lens. Even came in the box with the original warranty card, manual, retaining ring, as well as mounted in the original storage capsule thing with the foam and all.

 

I also received one of my microscopes and it has a very heavy base, smooth movements, and I think it is actually going to be perfect for setting up with bellows. Disappointment was that I had bought two from the guy but only received one in the box. Called and he said he would ship the other out tomorrow morning. Hope so. They are much better quality than I expected.

 

Now I am just waiting on my bellows, 39 mm adapter, and an enlarger that I think I can turn into something as well later since it has bellows already. Would just need another lens and a adapter for the top to mount the camera.

 

Hopefully I will have some much better quality photos to get opinions on here soon.

 

 

[rmpsrpms]

Ray, I received my 105 mm EL-Nikor lens today and it is in perfect shape. Aperture is clean, responsive, exact, and just all around a very nice lens. Even came in the box with the original warranty card, manual, retaining ring, as well as mounted in the original storage capsule thing with the foam and all.

 

I also received one of my microscopes and it has a very heavy base, smooth movements, and I think it is actually going to be perfect for setting up with bellows. Disappointment was that I had bought two from the guy but only received one in the box. Called and he said he would ship the other out tomorrow morning. Hope so. They are much better quality than I expected.

 

Now I am just waiting on my bellows, 39 mm adapter, and an enlarger that I think I can turn into something as well later since it has bellows already. Would just need another lens and a adapter for the top to mount the camera.

 

Hopefully I will have some much better quality photos to get opinions on here soon.

 

 

Sounds like you lucked out! What kind of microscope(s) did you buy?

[wdrob]

 

Sounds like you lucked out! What kind of microscope(s) did you buy?

 

Here are the pictures of them. From what I can tell I can remove all the unnecessary parts with an allen wrench and I will probably have to tap the bellows rail to match the ones on the scope gear plate but it has enough height, I believe, that it will allow the bellows to remain at a usable focal length.

 

They were cheap enough that I bought both of them for under $70.00 .... and they work too!

 

 

 

 

[rmpsrpms]

Excellent price on the Meiji scopes! The focus block has both coarse and fine focus, so you'll have nice focusing capability even at higher magnification. Should be an interesting project. Hopefully you'll post what the final setup looks like, and more importantly what images it can produce...Ray

[wdrob]

 

Getting closer.

 

Enlarger and copy stand as well as the small set of bellows arrived today so I was able to rig something up to get some photos.

 

Now I really need to get some better lighting in place at a much higher angle that I have now. But the EL Nikkor 105 mm seems to be about perfect for the enlarger range.

 

I will have to get a different lens for that microscope setup once I begin working on it.

 

So here are a couple pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing exciting on the setup.

 

 

 

 

 

And that would be my progress so far. Getting better I think.

 

 

[bsshog40]

Looking good. Love the closeups!

[wdrob]

Thanks Bobby.

 

I never did move in close. Those are just cropped from the original large image.

 

I am going to find what those lights are called again that Ray and Brandon, and others use (Jansco maybe) and buy three of those this evening.

 

I think I have decided to just get an adapter for the microscope to mount the camera body and use the microscope with camera tethered for true close up photography to capture varieties, rpm, DD, etc..

 

I think the lights will help get rid of all the shadows and will probably look better.

 

Hope so.

 

 

-------------------

 

 

 

[bsshog40]

I know a lot were using OTT lights and myself also. When I bought my copy stand, it came with halogen bulbs. I think 300w. Not sure.

[robec1347]

They are Jansjo LED lights from IKEA. You can get them there or through places like Amazon.

 

Jansjo light

[wdrob]

Jansjo looks to be the ones I was looking for.

 

I checked out the OTT aslo.

 

 

[wdrob]

Thanks Bob... I was just a bit late.

 

 

[bsshog40]

They are Jansjo LED lights from IKEA. You can get them there or through places like Amazon.

 

Jansjo light

They have 3w Leds in them. Are these the ones Bob? Are they that bright?

[robec1347]

They are Jansjo LED lights from IKEA. You can get them there or through places like Amazon.

 

Jansjo light

They have 3w Leds in them. Are these the ones Bob? Are they that bright?

That's all I've been using for the last year. They will need to be diffused with a paper towel, kleenex or something along that line. They are plenty bright enough. Color temperature is ~3000º K (OTT lights are around 5000º) so you will have to make sure your white balance is set accordingly.

 

They take some time to get used to them, but don't give up too soon. I really love them now.

[bsshog40]

They are Jansjo LED lights from IKEA. You can get them there or through places like Amazon.

 

Jansjo light

They have 3w Leds in them. Are these the ones Bob? Are they that bright?

That's all I've been using for the last year. They will need to be diffused with a paper towel, kleenex or something along that line. They are plenty bright enough. Color temperature is ~3000º K (OTT lights are around 5000º) so you will have to make sure your white balance is set accordingly.

 

They take some time to get used to them, but don't give up too soon. I really love them now.

I may pick up one to go along with my halogens. Thanks Bob!

[rmpsrpms]

They are Jansjo LED lights from IKEA. You can get them there or through places like Amazon.

 

Jansjo light

They have 3w Leds in them. Are these the ones Bob? Are they that bright?

That's all I've been using for the last year. They will need to be diffused with a paper towel, kleenex or something along that line. They are plenty bright enough. Color temperature is ~3000º K (OTT lights are around 5000º) so you will have to make sure your white balance is set accordingly.

 

They take some time to get used to them, but don't give up too soon. I really love them now.

 

The Jansjos are about the same color temp as standard incandescent (tungsten) bulbs, so just set the WB to tungsten (usually a lightbulb setting) and forget it! It will actually come out far more consistent than if you attempt manual WB because the calibration accuracy in manual WB process is less than the error you get using tungsten preset WB.

[Coindude]

Bobby if you're going to get the jansjo lights get at least two.

[bsshog40]

Bobby if you're going to get the jansjo lights get at least two.

I have my 2 halogens that work pretty good. I was just thinking of one of these little lights to use in between my 2 lights to throw a little light in the middle.

 

 

[bsshog40]

I also have another question about diffusing. I got me some of that light tissue paper they use for gift boxing and a couple crochet rings to mount it in. But when diffusing, do you always get that cloud effect over the coin? Is there something different to use to eleviate most of the cloudiness? I find it hard to adjust the coin in photoshop to try to get it to original when it looks like it has a light shield over it.

[robec1347]

I use a paper product called Canson Opalux Translucent Paper. It is something like that clear sheet paper you find in birthday or Christmas cards. It comes in 19"x24" sheets. Cut what you need to cover the light and tape it on.

 

You are still able to capture luster without making it look cloudy. I know the cloudy look you are talking about. I've tried the plastic milk jug and some light boxes made with the clear (partially) white plastic. Those do give off that cloudy look. This paper doesn't.

 

Here are a couple of Lincoln's taken with the translucent paper. I'm sure Ray or Brandon have several results as well.

 

[bochiman]

Bob,

 

You have always taken nice photos. Thanks for posting the type of paper.

I was thinking about getting some, and may down the line, but, that paper isn't that cheap. For the Jansjos, only need a few small pieces, so would have too much left over.

 

Wanna sell a few small squares, cheaply?

[bsshog40]

I'll have to try it. Thanks Bob!

[wdrob]

I ordered those Jansjo's (3 of them) yesterday and they arrived today.

 

Talk about quick shipping. That blew my mind.

 

 

[wdrob]

The picture up top was taken using three of the Jansjo lights positioned at 5, 7, and 11

 

Bottom was taken with two CFL's 3:30 and 8:30

 

Does it look as though the Jansjo lights were worth the cost?