FriendlyEagle7 | MyCollect

added a photo

What's everyone think of the photography over at GreatCollections? I've been playing the Guess the Grade game and am pretty impressed. At first I thought the photos all had the same lighting setup for each coin series, but then I noticed some of had axial lighting, which is pretty neat because they're photographing through the slab. Post your fav below.

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When photographing raw coins, what surface do you find best for placing them on? I find coin flips to be safe but they get static charged and attract dust, and depending on the batch they don't always like to lay flat. Do you use something disposable like paper or something you regularly clean like a sheet of plastic or glass or a lint free cloth? I've considered those velvet or velour trays but those seem like they'd get dirty quickly. Lighter surfaces let you see the reeding which is nice. It makes me wonder what kind of material is on the graders desks at the TPGs. What's the absolute safest possible material to prevent damage, both physical and chemical?

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CoinPhotographyStudio

Axial lighting doesn't work well on a slab. Sometimes you can get a usable image, but it's better to mimic axial lighting with lights at almost 90 degrees, like in the image below. This is as close as you can get to axial lighting without the glare.

Axial lighting doesn't work well on a slab. Sometimes you can get a usable image, but it's better to mimic axial lighting with lights at almost 90 degrees, like in the image below. This is as close as you can get to axial lighting without the glare.
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- FriendlyEagle7
  
  CoinPhotographyStudio You can remove the glare in post processing though as long as its not overexposed by just raising the black level, but this trick only works if 1) your light source is diffused and 2) the coin is much more reflective than the plastic, i.e. not very dark toned
  
  in my experience many coins aren't mounted in the slabs perfectly level with the slab plastic anyway, so this works better than putting the light slightly off axis
  
  [CoinPhotographyStudio] You can remove the glare in post processing though as long as its not overexposed by just raising the black level, but this trick only works if 1) your light source is diffused and 2) the coin is much more reflective than the plastic, i.e. not very dark toned in my experience many coins aren't mounted in the slabs perfectly level with the slab plastic anyway, so this works better than putting the light slightly off axis
Robert.Julian

Using axial lighting on a slab is tough. The reflection back off the slab is a constant issue.

Using axial lighting on a slab is tough. The reflection back off the slab is a constant issue.
- 2
StevenFarrell

this is the greatest thing around i love it

this is the greatest thing around i love it
- 2

messydesk

I use plain white paper. Plastic anything will attract dust and fuzzy surfaces will create it. Just handle the coin with care.

I use plain white paper. Plastic anything will attract dust and fuzzy surfaces will create it. Just handle the coin with care.
capegreg

You should get a copy stand (on right). Cost about $250. Don't use LED lighting because the white balance will never be right. This is true with an LED light box (left). Use professional light umbrella for $50. Use a sheet of quality white printing paper and set your camera white balance on the paper.

You should get a copy stand (on right). Cost about $250. Don't use LED lighting because the white balance will never be right. This is true with an LED light box (left). Use professional light umbrella for $50. Use a sheet of quality white printing paper and set your camera white balance on the paper.
keyman64

A few(so nothing shows through) white sheets of printer paper for me then I put the paper back into my printer tray when I am done. I also set me white balance using the white paper when everything is in place. I could use a gray card but it isn't necessary.

A few(so nothing shows through) white sheets of printer paper for me then I put the paper back into my printer tray when I am done. I also set me white balance using the white paper when everything is in place. I could use a gray card but it isn't necessary.
- 1
ToddPollock

I mainly use plain white copy paper. I have tried other soft substances but I find if you handle the coin right paper is fine. I dont like velvety surfaces as they are not as flat and could hairline a proof.

I mainly use plain white copy paper. I have tried other soft substances but I find if you handle the coin right paper is fine. I dont like velvety surfaces as they are not as flat and could hairline a proof.
- 3
IanRussell

ToddPollock

[ToddPollock]
- 1

Indigone_Demon

That's an amazing video! Put some music to it and make it vertical and you'll get hundreds lf hours of watch time per Short.

That's an amazing video! Put some music to it and make it vertical and you'll get hundreds lf hours of watch time per Short.
- 1
FriendlyEagle7

big change with this vid - tell me if you see it

big change with this vid - tell me if you see it
- JasonNicholls
  
  background RGB?
  
  background RGB?
  
  2
- FriendlyEagle7
  
  JasonNicholls yes, but it’s the diffusers on the white lights that really makes the difference
  
  [JasonNicholls] yes, but it’s the diffusers on the white lights that really makes the difference
  
  1

pcgsregistrycollector

Nice. I remember collecting these as a kid.

Nice. I remember collecting these as a kid.
- 1
Absurdum58

Looks like you’re into deep with your Asian technology supplier and they’ve got you selling their trading cards now

Looks like you’re into deep with your Asian technology supplier and they’ve got you selling their trading cards now🤪
- FriendlyEagle7
  
  Absurdum58 someone on another forum asked me to try trading cards and these were the only holographic cards I could find in whats left of my childhood collection. I stupidly sold most of them years ago.
  
  [Absurdum58] someone on another forum asked me to try trading cards and these were the only holographic cards I could find in whats left of my childhood collection. I stupidly sold most of them years ago.
  
  1
- FriendlyEagle7
  
  next version of the machine I'll have enough room to fit the whole card in the frame, probably shooting vertical or swapping lenses.
  
  next version of the machine I'll have enough room to fit the whole card in the frame, probably shooting vertical or swapping lenses.
  
  1
- Absurdum58
  
  FriendlyEagle7 I had like a third. Of the nes games they made back in the day. Sold em all $300 to get the new PlayStation when it came out. Oh well
  
  [FriendlyEagle7] I had like a third. Of the nes games they made back in the day. Sold em all $300 to get the new PlayStation when it came out. Oh well
  
  1

FriendlyEagle7

wow the YouTube compression does not handle noise well.
It's surprising they don't have an editor that can do denoising built into YouTube.

wow the YouTube compression does not handle noise well. It's surprising they don't have an editor that can do denoising built into YouTube.