New setup test

[kloccwork419]

Don't mind me. Just trying to get this new setup down. Thanks to Ray for all the help
Still need a little tweeking but Ill have it down soon. My big issue is the lighting. Not quite getting the look I want
FULL OBV REV examples
1960 1DR-002
1938D 1MM-002

After loading them. It still needs a lot of help. Back to the drawing board!!!!!!!!

[Roller]

Looks pretty good to me. Lighting is always the last and most difficult issue to handle.

[mustbebob]

I think the most important factor is focus. It looks like you've got that one down. There are lots of things you can do to improve the lighting. You will figure it out before too long. The pics look good though.

[kloccwork419]

I'm still getting more glare then I would like but these aren't too bad.

[profiler]

Those are nice. I especially like the color rendition on the '38. I've got the lighting worked out to get good contrast and low glare but I don't like how the color of my coin pics render (I'm using a high-end Dino-lite). I've had to adjust the colors in the control panel and even when I do that I can't get browns like that (and I feel like I'm using Photoshop, not taking a picture...) Nice pics there.

[kloccwork419]

I'm using a Canon with bellows and lens. No scope

[profiler]

Thanks, kloccwork. There was no question in my mind that your pics weren't taken on a scope. I was more lamenting that I can't get anywhere near the quality of your pics. A setup like yours is definitely the path I need to be heading down really soon.

[kloccwork419]

I would pm Ray (ray_parkhurst (http://www.lincolncentforum.com/forum/member.php?1281-ray_parkhurst)) ..Hes the man when it comes to getting a setup for what you want and the price you can afford.

[stoneman227]

I'm still getting more glare then I would like but these aren't too bad.

Are you shooting in raw and are you doing manual or auto exposure.

John

[jfines69]

I need to save up some money and get a rig from Ray... Those are awesome pics!!!

[kloccwork419]

OK...Here we go again.
First one is without coffee this morning. 2nd is with coffee......and the doctor said I should drink so much.:LOL_Hair: What does he know?

[jfines69]

So when the coffee low level light comes on drink more coffee :LOL_Hair: Both pics are good but the second is a closer shot and the lighting is better!!!

[mustbebob]

I personally like the first pic better. It doesn't have the glare that I see on the second one.

[duece2seven]

Shots look pretty good to me. Your focus looks really good. I think once you work out which one of the seemingly 10 million options for light diffusion you will be set!
Gel filter sheets and Charmin Ultra are my personal favorites at the moment.....

[styxman]

kloccwork419,

Your photographs are awesome! Focus is right on the spot and the detail is tremendous. Exposure is great. Your lighting is really very good – not much to improve. I have been using Ray’s suggestion of the IKEA Jansjo LED light ($9.99):

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20169658/#/90214233

with a ping ball cut in half and taped over the light as a diffuser. My problem is that my lens is so close to the coin there isn’t any room for a light. And I cannot get anywhere close to your level of work!

I agree that Ray is the Grand Master of this coin photography stuff. He has inspired me to get back into general photography after a 35+ year hiatus. I do tons of photography at work – not for fun. Ray really has it down to a science.

All I can add is keep the photos coming. They are a joy to look at!

Over and out, styxman

[kloccwork419]

Are you shooting in raw and are you doing manual or auto exposure.

John


Its on manual Av and everything else is how Ray had it setup. I'm going to double check the setting he sent me. Maybe I changed something without knowing. It would be easy since I have NO IDEA what any of this means. My issue is I cant get enough lighting or I'm at the wrong angle or something. I'm stacking about 15 shots and still aint too happy with the outcome, nothing on Rays part. The equipment is awesome, its all me.. Anyone have a certain setting they like on helicon?

[kloccwork419]

I personally like the first pic better. It doesn't have the glare that I see on the second one.


The reason I like the 2nd one better Bob is because it shows less shadow. More detail comes in, it shows the sides of each digit.. I wish I could combine these together.

[kloccwork419]

kloccwork419,

Your photographs are awesome! Focus is right on the spot and the detail is tremendous. Exposure is great. Your lighting is really very good – not much to improve. I have been using Ray’s suggestion of the IKEA Jansjo LED light ($9.99):

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20169658/#/90214233

with a ping ball cut in half and taped over the light as a diffuser. My problem is that my lens is so close to the coin there isn’t any room for a light. And I cannot get anywhere close to your level of work!

I agree that Ray is the Grand Master of this coin photography stuff. He has inspired me to get back into general photography after a 35+ year hiatus. I do tons of photography at work – not for fun. Ray really has it down to a science.

All I can add is keep the photos coming. They are a joy to look at!

Over and out, styxman


Thank Styx

Try this. I took a ping pong ball cut in half and place it over the cap of the macro lens. When its close at it is to focus I still get the light in and darkened the bottom so it comes in at the right angle. I was having the same problem as you. The original filter was stuck directly to the bottom of the cap, I put this one under it and it made the right amount of room for light. Not sure why the last one came in upside down, but you get the idea..lol

[profiler]

Anyone have a certain setting they like on helicon?

kloccwork, have you seen this post from Ray on Helicon settings? http://www.lincolncentforum.com/forum/showthread.php?34935-Calibrating-3D-Depth-Map

[kloccwork419]

That's for 3D...

[profiler]

That's for 3D...

Ok. I saw your reference to "Helicon" and stacking and had remembered reading that. Sorry.

[styxman]

Now that’s what I am talking about! The close up of FG (fg2.jpg) is exactly what I would like to do. Is this a stacked image? All I can say is WOW!!!!!

Thank you very much for the photos of the lens / ping pong ball. With the ping pong ball surrounding the coin, you can just project some light at different angles for illumination as the ping pong ball is still used as a diffuser. Your idea of putting the black electricians tape around the opening of the ball is a good idea to cut down on glare coming from cross lighting. I really don’t think you have anything to improve – these are outstanding photos.

I use both Helicon Focus 6 as well as Zerene Stacking. I think Helicon is a bit better in that there are a few more options available than what is found with Zerene. With Helicon, it is important to get a white balance before shooting the stack. I have found that Method B (depth map) for rendering works best for me. I leave the Radius at 8 and drop the Smoothing down to 2. I also work in the raw format. Under the Raw development settings, I have found that using the Nikon Codec works best. As you are using a Canon, I would give the Canon Codec a try:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/windows_vista/cameras/eos_slr_camera_systems/canon_raw_codec_software

These are rather large programs so don’t be surprised if it takes a while to download and install (usually requires a reboot). You might need to locate the installation folder if Helicon doesn’t list it in the pull down list. On my system, the Nikon Codec was installed in C:\Program Files\Nikon\NEFCodec. Not sure where the Canon Codec will be installed. With the Nikon Codec, there are several adjustments that you can make: Exposure Compensation, Contrast, Gamma, Sharpness, etc. I leave things at the default settings most of the time. I am sure that the Canon Codec will have similar settings. Additionally, I render with the Adobe Color Profile as I use Illustrator and Photoshop for post-rendering adjustments. The rendering process takes about 10 times as long with the Nikon Codec as compared with the Built-in dcraw loader (Helicon’s default Codec), so get a couple rolls of cents to look through with the rendering is happening. The Codec makes a big difference. I will upload two images – both rendered from the same 115 image stack – one rendered with the default (Built-in dcraw loader Codec) named Standard_Codec_CS.jpg, and the other rendered with the Nikon Codec (all default settings) named Nikon_Codec_CS.jpg so you can see the difference.

Other than changing the Codec, just play around with a “short stack” and see what you like. As I have already mentioned – don’t change too much as your photos are great!

Hope this helps a little.

Over and out, styxman

[ray_parkhurst]

kloccwork419...I saw some of the varieties you're putting up on eBay, with very nice images. Were these with the new setup? Nice work, looks like you nailed the lighting, especially for the closeups, which is the toughest to do. Are you using ping pong ball diffuser?

[kloccwork419]

For the closeups yes. Seems like that easier than the full pics. Can't get the lighting right or might be expecting too much with the lens. I don't know..lol. I'm about to machine a new 35mm to t mount because I can't find one anywhere. I need to find out the thread of that mount and I'll just make one.