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Just looking to see if it would be ok and how it works to scan images of coins to post here in order to get some grading possibilities of them. Will delete this thread if needed. Am working to do this for my own information about the coins as well as others who might want to know information on this site about coins that they own.
I would appreciate advice/feedback concerning posting better images of coins here. Thank you!
Okay. So, even after I have altered the images by brightening them up some what, they still don't look as good as they do when I see the coins face-to-face. Sure, you can see the marks by which they might be graded such as the hairlines, dates and words on them. But, the imperfections are also highlighted in the images.
Is there a better way to take pictures of and post images of coins on this site? That is my question. Knowing how to do that would help people who ask questions about the grading and possible monetary value of coins here. Do I need to be doing this with a high quality digital camera of some kind, and setting things up a certain way? Or, do I need to be setting things up differently with the scanner that I am using? I have an Epson CX5000 Printer and Scanner, so that you know.
Well, I have taken pictures of things up close with a Panasonic DMC-FZ50 which has a zoom lens and manual as well as automatic focus.
The trick in that case seems to be multi-fold:
1) Lighting and the lighting type (Use whatever light the coins will be viewed in)
2) Manual focus
3) Use of a tripod, even though the camera has auto-stabilization.
4) With larger 3-D objects you can have shadows if the lighting doesn't come from multiple sides.
5) You can't use a flash up close
Although I never used (3), it is an important variable.
I tried taking a picture of a coin using my camera and failed. A tripod would be mandatory.
The coin is 3D and therefore if you pretend it's an optical microscope, you have to pick a plane to focus on. The image was blurry, but bright. I used florescent lighting.
I didn't try autofocus because I'm confident that it doesn't work 10" away.
Clough & keepitsimplestupid - IVE been on pins and needles all weekend , like a kid getting to go into a toy store except mine has been over the coins. Yes a tripod will work a lot better , years ago ,useing a SRT 102 Manolita and a close up lense to get within 12' i found it better and gave better pictures use a tri pod, I also found to use a dark blue or black cloth to lay the coins on .that was the best back ground that I found . A 8 to a 12 megpixel and at least a 3 or 4 power will probley give you what you need and you may not need the power ,just the megpix. Clough I really liked the #3 picture, I think it had the best contrast of the 4 pictures. Instead of the megpixl. camera ,it might work best with a cam corder type with at least a 10 power Clough , do you know any coin shops near you or in the big windy that you ncould talk to about this and see what they would susgest ??? OR a camara shop like (wolf camara ) AND see what they would susgest. So far you have done a good job . GOOD DAY TO YOU BOTH < ILL BE BACK IN A LITTLE WHILE< THERE IS A WOLF CAMARA SHOP IN NASHVILLE < MEMPHIS< & JACKSON < IM GOING TO TRY TO FIND THEIR PHONE NUMBERS < IF I HAVE LUCK I WILL CALL TOMORROW AND SEE WHAT I CAN FIND AND LET YOUAL KNOW TOMORROW F.B.E.
I really, truly do appreciate the responses that have been given here!
Purchasing a nice camera of some kind really isn't an option right now due to money. Hopefully, at some point in the next several months, purchasing one might be an option depending on how well my businesses go.
I'm also going to see if there are any sort of setting changes that I can make on the scanner that might make things look a little better for lighter colored coins. Will also try posting some images of darker colored coins using the scanner to see how they come out.
I have the camera, but no tripod. Taking a picture of a shiny coin is much more difficult and coins have features like dates. What I took pictures of before only had a few non-reflective colors, thus focus wasn't a real problem.
The pic I took was under florescent light, but you probably need something aproximating daylight. I also, would probably benefit with a florescent filter for the camera. I have the megapixels (10 - 12) and have the zoom (12x), but I took the coin at 5 MP.
Scanners may actually use cold cathode florescent lights similar to a laptop, but you may look into what might be required for color correction and calibration. This, again. may impact the color.
It looks as if you have the resolution.
A dark background, in the scanner case, probably won't enhance the quality, but it will enhance the perceived view. The dark background will, in effect, focus your eye on the coin, not the background. The eye has various sensitivites to various colors. Yellow being higher than green, for instance. Amber monochomatic CRT's are better viewed in florescent lighting and green screens in dark rooms.
FBE:
Typo: 12 feet isn't close. I also agree that Clough did a nice job.
Clough:
Look into color correction with your scanner.
Linear Mode
