Photographing coin Tips

[Martin_V3i]

i have a kodak easyshare camera cheap $50 bucks.use the macro setting no flash.hold coin about 6 inches away.once pic is taken hit edit,then crop and zoom in on the coin.hit save.done
comes out like this

Great shots! Why make it harder than it is, is my phylosophy. martin

 

[Airedale1]

Another vote for using a scanner. I am a professional photographer and IMO anyone can capture high-res images of coins with just a flat bed scanner. it really does not get any easier than that. It is quick and easy.

 

[No nuggets]

I am by no measure a professional photographer. Just another hobby of mine. I prefer a good digital SLR with a fast macro lens a couple f stops from wide open on a tripod. I really prefer natural sunlight, although shaded, and raising the coin about an inch off of a black felt surface for a solid black background. But, that is just my opinion.

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

Natural light is best. For best results try shade in bright light or when skies are slightly overcast. As others have said before, use Macro mode.

For my silver finds I like to use a red background, for copper finds I use blue for contrast.

 

[Battlecry4]

My kids' gave me a Fujifilm FinePix AX550 for Christmas.I'm only just getting to to grips with the computer the digital camera is my next quest! All the posts have helped me enormously.When I have "conquered the beast"!I will post some good stuff!.

 

[PermanentlyLost]

I use my iPhone 4S and a macro lens (comes with wide angle lens too). I got mine free as a promo item. Here is a link to fee-Bay, $7.50 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Detachable-Wide-and-Macro-Lens-for-Mobile-Phones-iPhone-3GS-4G-4S-iPod-Touch-/170872546158?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item27c8cc236e

 

[HullGuitars]

My pics

Well.... If its a really nice coin.... This is my setup=
A cannon "point and shoot" 16mp digital camera.... I also use two of the clip on work lights you can buy at any hardware store for about $8 each. I use a regular 120wat light bulb in one clamp on light, and a swirly florescent bulb in the other. That way I have a mixture of WHITE and Soft light! It gives a perfect photo!!! I take the photo on either a white piece of silk I purchased from Wal-Mart’s fabric department.... or a piece of parchment paper.

But most the time I’m lazy and my setup is=
My IPhone, and the light in the bathroom next to the sink where I wash my coins. I dry the coin, and then lay it on the counter,... sometimes on a single ply of toilet tissue! LOL! But it works..... as the merc below will show. I took it with my Iphone, in the bathroom next to the sink... laying on toilet paper!
I always hold the phone at least 6 inches away, maybe 9.... and tilt it back so that there is no shadow over the coin,,, and it appears I am directly over it!

Here’s the merc..... NO EDITING!!!! besides cropping.

 

[HullGuitars]

They are a bit blury because I blew them up TOO MUCH!!!! Should be about 3/4 that size. But you get the "PICTURE" LOL

 

[Planedoc]

I bought one of those magnifying lights with a circular fluorescent bulb and a large round magnifying glass. I remove the magnifying glass and take the picture of the coin through the open hole. The lamp has an articulating arm so it's easy to position the light over the coin. With the camera set to macro it takes great pictures!! I bought 2 on eBay several years ago. I use one for photography and hobbies, the other one I use over my keyboard. They do come in handy for these 50+ year old eyes!!

 

[johno97007]

Camera Stand

Here's a stand I made from scrap pvc. Seems to work pretty well.

I use a Nikon Coolpix 12 mp camera set at 640 x 480 and the resolution is fine for posting.

 

[RyanChappell]

I found the Canon Powershot SX150 on sale at Target for $70

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=141623

 

[nscrcr8z]

Macro and two second delay works. Pretty good

 

[stingray]

for phographing your find in a close up shot you need good lighting. macro shot is different from close up. in macro, you need a specific lens (not you point-n-shoot cam). lighting is key and position to capture details of your subject.
if you put your light to where your camera is that is FLAT lighting which take out details and texture.

you can hand hold but best is put it on trip pod using self timer. Im into photography and macro shooting is my weakest. sure I can take shot of moving and still subject but rarely I produce a stunning one.

for this hobby usually you take pictures of your find not because you want to hang it to your wall. that is how i see most photograph items here. so poin-n-shoot is the easy and cheap way to close up shot.

just remember angle your light to the side of your subject. taking good picture of your find increases its value. good luck

 

[Laggy]

Phone

I just use my phone with a Jewelry Lens under it. Cheap on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/SE-Loupe-Chrome-Plated-MJ368212/dp/B000RB57BY/ref=pd_sbs_misc_30?ie=UTF8&refRID=118AHXVBZZ7HJEZ2CA2N

 

[stinger]

these are pics I get in macro

 

[stingray]

here's how I usually photograph my coin in macro. I'm using two lights set up one above and to the side of the coin. the above light is in a softbox while the one on the side is bare flash and this my kicker light.

here in this picture you can see my coins are not fully magnified just a close up of all the coins.


in this example I'm using now an extension tube on my dslr lens and as you can see it is much larger and fully magnified so you can see details on the coin.
the kicker light on the right illuminate the side and thus shows detail as well.
as if you are looking on a magnifying glass directly to the coin. - see the flattened tail of the six? that you can't see without using this macro technique.
like I said macro photography is my weakest, I was a little off in focus on this coin coz it is hard to get focus when your lens is too close to the subject and hand holding the camera.


I hope this example help you guys shoot your own find better. you don't need expensive flash you can do this also using table lamp. with practice you can get clearer shots. wait for your camera (point-in shoot) to fully focus before you pull the trigger.

know your camera's focus - the Auto Focus doesn't always get you to where you want your lens to focus so go over the manual it doesn't take you long to learn how to use it properly.
you can also apply this one when making video. see those youtube video? they showed you their finds but most often it was focused somewhere or blurry that is because the camera's Auto Focus point was looked on somewhere.

Happy Hunting and shooting your finds!

 

[banshee89]

Some great tips in here.

I have never tried scanning.... sounds like a great idea.


I am not a photographer... at all.

My latest pictures look like this:

I am using a Panasonic Fz150 with the +1 macro lens. I put it on a tripod and use a remote to take the picture. I have th3e camera set to ISO of 100.

For lighting I use A cheap ebay LED light mounted on the camera hot shoe.

I can sharpen it up more if I use a .raw format with no noise correction.... but .jpgs are easier to work with.

Again I am not a photographer, but just wanted to put it out there on what I use.

 

[Providence]

Does anyone have any tips on good ways to take clear pictures of coins?

If you want to photograph professionally, some equipment you should have

Macro lens for close-up (https://www.amazon.com/PLR-Optics-LENS-63-Close-Up-Filter/dp/B002P9HXMW/) depend to you camera lens size!

Lightroom (https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Portable-Lightbox-Studio-background/dp/B01K42ZCXI/) for better background and light.


when you wanna take picture use timer and also use a tripod for your camera

 

[stinger]

Shouldn't this be on forum help?

 

[Stunmi]

if you wanna do photography professionally you should have some equipment

Macro lens for close-up (https://www.amazon.com/PLR-Optics-LENS-63-Close-Up-Filter/dp/B002P9HXMW/) depend to you camera lens size!

Lightroom (https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Portable-Lightbox-Studio-background/dp/B01K42ZCXI/)

I'll put link down to more understanding how much you wanna go professional

when you wanna take picture use timer and also use a tripod for your camera

I've never seen 'wanna' and 'professional' used in the same sentence.