How to photograph your collection

[Robert P.]

If I want to take a true macro shot of an iron cross I set the cross either to the right or left side of the box and rely on only one light source to illuminate the cross, like this...

Robert

[Robert P.]

I play a trick with bouncing (reflecting) difused light off of the face of the cross, like this...

Robert

[juoneen]

Mark S In frame 183, I have a comment....I use a 2.1 sony dscP50, and It will allow the standar loop to be snapped righ to the front as if it were made for the camera, and megapixels are NOT that important, the 2.1 sonys work great, and so close and still very sharp , but lighting is everything. You must move the lights around whether you use a tent or an opaque large plastic street light plastic ball. Not using the zoom is important , and having the camera on a very secure still stand or base is also important. You get the focus by moving the camera in an out as the focus, and when it is in focus, take a shot, then move it again till sharp, then after a few shots review them, and delete all the ones that are out of focus, and save the best.

I am buying all the cheap 2.1 sonys of the dscP50, but watch out to not buy the dscP30s, as they look similar, but are not as good as the dscP50. They only made that P50 for one year, the discontinued it. I also do not use batteries, but use the ac adapter. I can give you exact settings if you have one of the same P50, and a 128mpl memory stick is the largest that will fit in this camera. The 1 gig later made sticks will NOT function in the P50 at all. I also look for cameras with the 128 mpl sticks , as they have become very expensive now, and are just about impossible to buy cheaply new, but are worth more than some of the sony models they are found in. You also want to set the image size to 1024x768, and not 640x480, as they will be fuzzy when blown up. This of course allows less photos to be taken on the memory stick, but it is still a lot, and then download them to a my book, or a external memory like seagate, and do not keep them in your camera or computer. Then when you need shots, go to the external memory , and sort them by subject, for easy retrieval.

[Kelly w]

Amazing pics Robert

Next to Marc you have the best pics.

Can I send you all my medals for photos? How much you charge lol?

[Kelly w]

I'm also happy to see the watermark. More collectors need to do this IMO.

[Robert P.]

Amazing pics Robert

Next to Marc you have the best pics.

Can I send you all my medals for photos? How much you charge lol?

Thanks Kelly,

You're very kind to say so. Yes, Marc's photos are excellent.

Robert

[1st Army]

Very helpful thread!
Ryan

[Eric Gaumann]

ISO vs. SS

I did a test today changing only ISO ('sensitivity') and SS (shutter speed).

4:30PM, inside near an eastern-facing window, bright light but high general overcast (Florida sun). Older Kodak Z730 digicam (less than $200(5+ years ago)). Tripod, no flash, natural light setting, timer (of course)

It certainly seems that a lower ISO setting with adjusted shutter speed produces more detailed results.
I'm not 100% sure that these results are an across the board fact or just a product of my particular situation but I have noted it in my photo journal before.
Note the detail, or lack thereof, between right and left.

The lower photo is Photoshop job with the 400 ISO on the left half and the 80 ISO on the right.

[Eric Gaumann]

I don't know how well this will display as it's been high photoshoped but here are the details of the above.
Again 400 ISO on the left half and 80 ISO on the right.
You should be able to see the differnce.

[Robert P.]

Eric,

The medal to the right is so much better than the one to the left, as you say. It is extremely clear.

Robert

[Kelly w]

HEy Robert, I was thinking of getting a ring light like you have. The light tent just doesn't concentrate the light for silver coins and medal close-ups. Where to find a good one and how much they cost?

THks
KElly

[Robert P.]

HEy Robert, I was thinking of getting a ring light like you have. The light tent just doesn't concentrate the light for silver coins and medal close-ups. Where to find a good one and how much they cost?

THks
KElly

Here you are Kelly:

http://www.lampsplus.com/products/bl...ck__x4617.html

I took the magnifying lens out of mine, and put defusing paper over the ring light to help eliminate light bounce-back when photographing.

Robert

[Kelly w]

Thanks, so the staples lamp wasn't that great?

[Robert P.]

Thanks, so the staples lamp wasn't that great?

It was made by the same company, but it clamped to the edge of the tabletop. This new one stands on it's own giving you a more secure situation. They both had the same bulb, etc., just the support for the lamp is different. I like the latter much better.

Robert

[Kelly w]

I see some models now with the newer LED bulbs. What color light is in yours?