Ray System-4 has arrived...

[VAB2013]

and I have never been so excited and nervous at the same time since I know absolutely nothing about cameras! With the step-by-step installation instructions that Ray provided, putting all of the pieces together, loading the software and adjusting to the proper settings was easy! I put the 50mm lens on first so I could figure out how to see a full coin. Then I used an index card to adjust the white balance and I think I didn't do that correctly and need to look at that part again. Then I put on the 35 mm lens to see if I could focus on a close up and that is a whole new ball game. I am not sure if I did this correctly, but in order to get a close up in focus I had to move the camera almost to the top of the pole and the lens is about 3" from the coin so the bellows looks about maxed out. I thought... if I could move the camera up just a tad more (without tearing the bellows) I could get better focus. That is where I stopped for now (until I find out from Ray if that will mess up the bellows)... anyway here is my first photo!

Good lighting technique is just as important with Ray's System as it is with any other camera or scope! I was not trying real hard with lighting today (Jansjo's at 2 and 10:00) I was mainly trying to get a good focus - which I almost achieved (until I was afraid I would tear the bellows). I used the zoom in focus in the EOS Utility but just couldn't quite get it where I wanted it.

Thank you very much Ray! Your detailed instructions made these first steps so easy to do! I am really looking forward to learning more about this System, and as a camera newbie, I think I can do this!

[WaterSport]

Woohoo!! Its just a matter of time before you will improve your picture taking to share neat finds with us!

WS

[VAB2013]

Woohoo!! Its just a matter of time before you will improve your picture taking to share neat finds with us!

WS

Thank you very much WaterSport Bob! Once I get over the part of being afraid I'm going to break something LOL! Really... I don't know if what I just did to get a close up is the right thing to do. The full shot lens was much easier to get into focus!

[ray_parkhurst]

Viv...looks like a good start! You don't need to worry about tearing the bellows. You can't adjust it far enough to make that happen. It can go from one end to the other and still be OK. It sort of looks like the aperture on 35mm may have been set too small. Did you have it at f8? If so you might try f5.6 or even f4.5 to get a sharper image, and that will make focusing easier as well because the image will be brighter. Keep the pics coming and I'll keep checking this thread to see your progress and offer assistance...Ray

[VAB2013]

Thank you Ray! Well... the camera shut off and I think the battery needs charging so I just plugged the battery into the charger. Then I will try again. The aperture on the 35 mm was set at f8, so I will try f5.6 or f4.5.

[ray_parkhurst]

You might consider picking up a second battery. I don't have extras or would have sent a second. Here are a couple links:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Genuine...UAAOSwjiZcyxsD
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Genuine...cAAOSwpnpczELA

If you find you leave it on quite a long time and swapping batteries gets tedious, there are battery eliminators as well, like this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/AC-Power-Su...frcectupt=true

[VAB2013]

Perfect! Thank you Ray! Yes Sir... I definitely need that because I have a lot to learn and if one battery only lasts about 1-1/2 hours it's going to have a hard time keeping up with me!

[VAB2013]

Ray, please tell me where you place your Jansjo's for close up shots. Also, do you cover the light to reduce brightness? I must have gotten lucky on the light placement yesterday without trying and it was decent, but it seems like the more I try to get it right it gets worse Thank you very much!

[makecents]

That's great Viv!! I'll bet you were like a little kid on Christmas morning when you opened that system!

[ray_parkhurst]

Ray, please tell me where you place your Jansjo's for close up shots. Also, do you cover the light to reduce brightness? I must have gotten lucky on the light placement yesterday without trying and it was decent, but it seems like the more I try to get it right it gets worse Thank you very much!

Put the lights as close to the lens as you can get them, at 10 and 2. If there is room between the lens and coin you can even slightly move the light between the two but not too far as you'll eventually block the lens. Sometimes I will tape the two lights together to keep them more stable, and even tape them to the lens once I find a position I like.

No need to reduce brightness! Usually the brighter the better since it will give you faster shutter speed.