Topic: Cameras for coin photos

[fwang2450]

Axial light (with a piece of glass from a picture frame) plus direct light.

[KeepOnTrying!]

Axial light (with a piece of glass from a picture frame) plus direct light.

Crisp photo.  Which coin is this?

[fwang2450]

Crisp photo.  Which coin is this?

2 Fen from 1964, a circulating coin, made from aluminum alloy.

[KeepOnTrying!]

2 Fen from 1964, a circulating coin, made from aluminum alloy.

Thanks for info.

[Gilmore]

Hi Gilmore. Which camera setup did you use for these photos? Thanks for response.

I built a coin photography rig a couple of months ago. Using Ray's experience (coin photography forum) I learned that no expensive equipment is required to take very good photos. If you live in the US and shop for used stuff on eBay you can have it all for less than $200. I had to pay extra for international shipping for a couple of items. My setup is:

Used Canon Rebel XS 10MP - $76
El Nikkor 75mm enlarger lens - $40 (over paid for great condition, can be purchased for $20 or less actually).
Pentax auto bellow - $29
Power adapter for camera - $12
2 x Adapter rings - $2.5
2 x IKEA Jansjo lights - $20

At first I used a tripod I had. It was OK but not perfect. Later upgraded to a microscope stand.

Simple, cheap setup that delivers good results. Wish I'd done this a long time ago.

[fwang2450]

I agree. I do have a Nikon 105 mm micro (macro) lens, but I still followed Ray's advice and built my own bellows/extension tube setup. I am aiming at high magnification pictures, which the micro lens cannot deliver.

[fwang2450]

Some coin pictures taken with my iPhone 4s

[KeepOnTrying!]

Some coin pictures taken with my iPhone 4s

Quite sharp photos with the iPhone! Can you share some technical specifications?

I assume you used the IKEA Jangso lamps. How did you do the white balance? Pre or post exposure? Did you use just the onboard iPhone software only or some other image editing software?

**For new guests/members there has also been discussion on the use of smartphone cameras in another thread: http://china-mint.info/forum/index.php?topic=11855.0

Proof coin surfaces tend to reflect the silvery color of the iPhone/iPad. The trick is how to hide it by using a number maneuvers such as coming at a slight angle etc.

[fwang2450]

These were taken with one or two Ikea Jansjo lights. My setup is shown in the picture below. It was meant to be crude because I was showing a group of Chinese collectors how nice pictures can be taken with minimum equipment.

White balance was a problem as the phone was not stable in capturing the color temperature. Sometimes the pictures had a yellow tint.

[SANDAC]

The latest newsletter from PCGS has a nice article about focus stacking to take picture of high relief coins and coins at an oblique angle.

https://www.pcgs.com/news/a-coin-photographers-trick-of-the-trade