What the heck am I doing wrong??

[seal006]

Setup for the obverse and reverse shots of this coin are exactly the same. All I did was flip the coin over. So why is the reverse so much darker? I am starting to get extremely frustrated with photographing coins.

[simonm]

No pics, Sean.

[seal006]

No pics, Sean.

See how frustrated I am?? UGH!!!

[ray_parkhurst]

Looks like you have things set on "auto". White balance is different (reverse is very blue) and probably everything else is on auto as well. Your camera is making decisions for you and they are probably not the ones you'd make...

[coop]

See how frustrated I am?? UGH!!!

Seal: I know you are using a ramp. If you don't have the ramp at the same exact location, the ramp can make the light darker if it doesn't hit the target. I have my light located at 12:00 and the ramp at the widest at 6:00. If it is slightly turned, then the coin can appear dark and not that golden glow you want. To try this, figure out where the ramp gives you the best shot with you setup. Make sure if you make any adjustment to get a shot, you rotate the coin only and keep that ramp in the best position before taking the shot. Even a 5 0r 7:00 position will darken your shot. Keep me posted on if this is your problem.

[seal006]

Couldn't sleep. Here is another attempt.

[Antiquity]

Looks like you are heading in the right direction.

[ray_parkhurst]

Seal: I know you are using a ramp. If you don't have the ramp at the same exact location, the ramp can make the light darker if it doesn't hit the target.

What's a ramp?

[seal006]

Seal: I know you are using a ramp. If you don't have the ramp at the same exact location, the ramp can make the light darker if it doesn't hit the target. I have my light located at 12:00 and the ramp at the widest at 6:00. If it is slightly turned, then the coin can appear dark and not that golden glow you want. To try this, figure out where the ramp gives you the best shot with you setup. Make sure if you make any adjustment to get a shot, you rotate the coin only and keep that ramp in the best position before taking the shot. Even a 5 0r 7:00 position will darken your shot. Keep me posted on if this is your problem.

Thanks Coop. In both shots it was in the exact same position. I know this because I had it backed against something.

[seal006]

What's a ramp?

The coin is on an angle, rather than flat. It cuts down on glare

[ray_parkhurst]

Ahh. It also makes your shots less sharp unless you are using a tilt/shift lens. Are you trying for the "axial" look? There are much better ways to cut down on glare using diffusion and proper light placement.

[seal006]

I am using one of the Janjo lights with three layers of coffee filters in front of it.

[seal006]

Here are a couple more.

[jallengomez]

Looking good Sean. Now if you can just find a way to cut down on the glare without having to tilt the camera.

[seal006]

I just wish there was an easier way to do all of this. I literally have thousands of coins that I need photographed for my website and auctions, but if it takes me an hour for every coin, it is just not worth it.

[jallengomez]

Are you using a tripod?

[rlm's cents]

You have too much angle on your coins. The top half of every picture you have posted is out of focus while the bottom looks sharp.

Next, you need to play with your lighting angles. You don't need to take a picture to see that. What you see in the view finder is what you will get (or at least close). Keep playing with your lighting angles until it looks better and then take a picture. However, it becomes pretty much hunt and peck for the best angles. I take lots of photos, but it is almost an assembly line with my pictures.

[coop]

What's a ramp?

Here is what mine looks like:
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/coop49/RAMP.jpg

Actually I use mine different than Seal. I use mine to direct the light from 12:00 into my scope so the light hits the target of the lens better. It is just a way to direct the light in my case. I diffuse the light at the source, and the ramp directs into the scope. That's just what I use on my scope.
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/coop49/WHAT_I_USE.jpg

[seal006]

Are you using a tripod?

These were done by hand. I do have a homemade copy stand that I guess I need to employ again.

[ray_parkhurst]

It's never going to be easy to take lots of pictures by hand. Having the camera mounted so that all you have to do is put a coin under it and snap the pic, then put another coin under it, etc makes a big difference. It will also be sharper.

I take a huge amount of care to make sure my coins are perfectly flat vs the camera sensor in order to get the best pics. My technique is to put a mirror where the coin goes, and adjust things until the camera "sees" its lens centered in the image. Only then are you sure the setup is truly flat.

How much room do you have between front of the lens and the coin?

[jallengomez]

I agree with Ray, and that's what I was getting at asking about the tripod. For my full coin shots, I use a tripod. I have an area set up with the Jansco lights. It makes it much easier, because all you have to do is adjust your lighting and you've got a ready made area where you can just stick the camera on the tripod and capture one coin after another without having to make anything but minor adjustments.

[seal006]

How much room do you have between front of the lens and the coin?

I have been playing around with that

[seal006]

Here is a shot with the coin flat and my camera mounted on my copy stand.

[rlm's cents]

You are still slightly out of focus, but the lighting looks MUCH better. The only thing I can suggest for the focus (assuming it is not too angled) would be to clean off your focusing light.

[BadThad]

What kind of camera are you using?

Like RLM pointed out, you're out of focus. Most modern digital cameras need the shutter depressed halfway to invoke the autofocus....then you fully depress.

I use an old Canon SD700IS and a $30 desklamp and they do a decent job. I take all of my pics by hand in about a minute...some take a little longer....and I use no post-processing other than to resize for web use. I'm guessing a lot of your problem has to do with your camera, settings and lighting.

[seal006]

I am using a Canon EOS. The only setting I am unsure on is what the F Stop should be set at.

[ray_parkhurst]

f/5.6 for Cents, and f/8 for Dollars

[seal006]

f/5.6 for Cents, and f/8 for Dollars

That is what I have it set at.