Does anyone KNOW how they DO it?

[MikeKing]

How Goldbergs, Superior, ANR and even Heritage (when the pictures are decent) photograph coins in holders catching the best of a coins toning without that glare you get off the plastic when you try to do it yourself? How do they do it?

[jom]

I have no idea and with the exception of ANR I'm not sure I WANT to know. Superior and Goldberg have terrible pictures and Heritage is mediocre at best....

 

jom

[physics-fan3.14]

They make sacrifices to the coin gods by the light of a full moon, using an ancient ceremonial knife.

[rexcat]

They make sacrifices to the coin gods by the light of a full moon, using an ancient ceremonial knife.

 

Gee, I would have expected something a little more scientific from a “physics-fan3.14”

 

Just kidding….

 

(Cause that IS how they really do it)

 

BTW, welcome to the forum Jason.

[michael]

trial and error

 

a great photo set up

 

extremely professional photographer with many years of practical experience and a 20k photo set up and great lighting set up

 

also some sort or transperancy that is done with multiple photos cleverly overlayed with fancy computer programming

 

and other SECRETS of the trade

 

also a huge dose of light

 

and add a dose of luck and you got one person_without_enough_empathyin mamma jamma

 

photography

[cpm9ball]

When using an SLR, it is common to use a polarizing filter when taking a picture through a window, but I don't know if the same would be true for digital cameras.

 

Chris

[James_OldeTowne]

I would rank their imaging quality, from best to worst, as follows:

 

ANR

Goldbergs

Heritage

Superior

 

I've always thought that Heritage's images were atrocious, since they used to just slap the slabs on the ol' scanner and let 'er rip, but now that they're using a digital camera, they've pulled slightly ahead of Superior. Superior does use a digital camera, but they ALWAYS angle the coins to pick up maximum light reflection, which picks up zero luster, and gives the colors a cartoonish look.

 

I don't know how ANR does it, but they're digital imaging is the best of these four - though by no means is it perfect.

 

James

[kryptonitecomics]

Yep...trial and error and having the right equipement helps but is not the sole driver. I agree with the others that the pictures you speak of aren't really that great as far as capturing color and luster. I have been honing my skills over the past year and have gotten better just by playing with the lighting and camera settings.

 

 

A link to my website is in my signature so if you want to see some pretty toners with descent picture just take a peek.

 

Youll probably notice that the quality of pictures varies which just goes to show you that the older pictures aren't as nice as the new ones so I am going back an re-imaging the ones that I took a year ago to bring them all up to the same quality.

[jom]

Superior does use a digital camera, but they ALWAYS angle the coins to pick up maximum light reflection, which picks up zero luster, and gives the colors a cartoonish look.

 

You mean like this:

 

 

versus

 

 

 

jom

[MikeKing]

You mean like this:

 

 

versus

 

 

 

jom

 

YES!!!

 

and thank you all for your input. Thanks Shane for reference to your site, its been very helpul.

PS I think I will try using a polarizing filter.

[MikeKing]

there's been a lot posted in other threads about photography, all of which has been incredibly helpful. I'm putting these pics on this post though, because of the question about how 'they' do it.

 

Here's the Heritage pic of my coin:

 

 

Here's the best I can do so far trying to capture what they captured. Major problem, the glare (I tried using a polarizing filter but that didn't seem to do anything...perhaps I'm not using it correctly, I don't know)

 

(no enhancements, coin was stuffed up into the shade of the lamp I used with a reveal bulb, the camera couldn't fit in there so the actual picture is in the upper left corner of the photgraphic field, coin slightly at an angle):

 

 

it took me forever and all sorts of hit or miss experimentation to get that one.

 

NOw here is a main issue, the glare.

 

the first shot is light directly shining on the slab

the second shot is light moved to the right a bit

the third is light directly over the slab with my hand blocking the reflection of the lightbulb. you can see that between my spread fingers, the light comes through, enough to really bring out the reflective surface of the coin, but with enough areas where the glare reflects off the plastic. There's got to be a way...

 

 

 

 

any ideas?

[kryptonitecomics]

More lights.....one on either side of the coin so that the light shines down but the bulbs are not reflecting on the slab...also tilt the slab so that it's angled towards the light......I just took this picture tonight so let me take a picture of my very technical set up

 

[HaydenTubbs]

also tilt the slab so that it's angled towards the light

 

 

[kryptonitecomics]

Notice how I have two cheap goose necks pointed at the coin from either side but I don't have them directly overhead which would cause the light bulb reflections.

 

 

 

[HaydenTubbs]

What does the battery do?

[kryptonitecomics]

It's top secret....your too young to have the appropriate clearence

 

 

[HaydenTubbs]

It's top secret....your too young to have the appropriate clearence

 

 

 

 

I can understand your "lampshade" and the glass frame,but the aluminum foil?

[Ed Daggett]

Wow! I feel like I have just snuck into the Bat Cave! Shane/Bruce Wayne?

[HaydenTubbs]

Wow! I feel like I have just snuck into the Bat Cave! Shane/Bruce Wayne?

 

No,Daniel Canup...

[kryptonitecomics]

It's top secret....your too young to have the appropriate clearence

 

 

 

 

I can understand your "lampshade" and the glass frame,but the aluminum foil?

 

I have tried anything and everything at one point........but that might be left over pizza

 

The battery is just something I use to prop up coins......I told you I was high tech and I meant it

 

 

By the way I am Clark Kent......not Bruce Wayne

[HaydenTubbs]

I have tried anything and everything at one point........but that might be left over pizza

 

The battery is just something I use to prop up coins......I told you I was high tech and I meant it

 

Ummm,ok...well you just keeping doing your thing with your big,bad self...

[kryptonitecomics]

Yes well at least I know that I have a lifetime patent on my technique.....nobody else would want to use my methods

 

 

By the way...I will be at the Lakeland show on Satuday

[HaydenTubbs]

Yes well at least I know that I have a lifetime patent on my technique.....nobody else would want to use my methods

 

 

By the way...I will be at the Lakeland show on Satuday

 

 

You should see my setup,it's just as wacky!

 

I won't be making the Lakeland show this time,but be sure to say howdy for me to anyother FL NGC/PCGS board members you run across.

[EZ_E]

Then do you have a tripod? How far away is the lens and in what mode, Shane?

[kryptonitecomics]

I have a tripod......I only use it to hold up the picture frame with tissue paper placed between the glass.....which I use for some of my color shots but not the luster. I have a Nikon CoolPixs 5400 and I leave it in macro mode and I would say that I am between 3-6 inches away from the coin. That measurement is really for Morgans and other large coins....I try to get a little closer with the smaller coins but you can't get much closer or you will block out the light. I have very steady hands so I can usually take pictures that are in focus even without the tripod....but I am sure they might be just a tad bit nicer if I did use one. I just like the flexability and angle adjustments I can make quickly without change how my tripod is configured or positioned.

[EZ_E]

Thanks. Your results are impressive. Still waiting for my Canon in the post.

[kryptonitecomics]

Thanks. Your results are impressive. Still waiting for my Canon in the post.

 

Thanks....I think finally they are adequte.....it's been a lot of trial and error and there are still a lot of folks on the board that have more skills, better camera etc......but hey I am happy and that's all that matters.

[vumc409]

I am by no means a photography expert and have asked "How do you do it" several times on this forum myself.

 

Here are a couple of pics I've taken recently with my cheap Olympus 540 Zoom 3.2 megapixel. I was quite pleased with these with a couple of exceptions - I wish I could get closer and a little less out of focus. I'm working on it ...

 

1968S NGC PR68RDU

2004S NGC PR70RDU

[HaydenTubbs]

You might want to rotate your reverses so that they aren't upside down.

 

Hayden

[RWB]

Gentlemen,

Here are a couple of tips that might be helpful.

1. Most of the interference comes from the front surface of the slab. It will reflect light just like a mirror --- the angle of incidence equals the angel of reflectance. If your camera is exactly perpendicular to the slab, you will get a reflection of the lens, body and anything behind them. The strength of the reflection depends on the amount of light falling on the objects being reflected. Therefore:

2. Do what you can to eliminate spill light on the camera, lens and room ceiling. Some photographers use a matte black card with a cutout for the lens so that the only thing the slab front “sees” is the black card.

3. Use shims or black cards to prevent stray light from getting on the camera or lens – concentrate on lighting the coin.

4. Turn off the room lights so you can control where the light goes.

5. A single, rather broad light source often gives better, more easily controlled results than multiple sources.

Slabs also have reflections from the inside surface, and this can produce spurious “doubling” on proof coins photographed in slabs. (Multiple outlines to the design caused by light being reflected from the inside of the slab to the polished coin surface and back.)

 

One member mentioned trying a polarizer. This can work to a limited extent if placed on the light source (and other lights in the room have been turned off). If you try to use polarizers on the light and camera, you’ll see some colorful stress patterns in the plastic, but it won’t help tame reflections.

 

I’ve seen some excellent coin photos posted by members, so keep doing whatever you are doing!!