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What camera are you all using?


Burks

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My dad's camera croaked and his current one is terrible with macro. Ericas camera doesn't focus after a puddle accident.

 

Just looking for ideas. I'm open to buying a used one. Budget is about $100, less is obviously better. I know lenses are more important than the camera it seems like any more.

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I´m using a cheap supermarket digicam with macro function.

For dark and bigger coins 1 use black background.

The essential step: Original pics of ca. 4000 x 400 pixels are reduced, edited and combined to 1024 x 512 pixels by software programs.

 

Mex20C70fer.jpg

 

:yes:

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I have a variety of cameras that I use and so what I'm doing is probably not of any real interest to your question. Perhaps you should consider something like a Nikon DSLR. Used cameras can be had for less than $100 and deliver fantastic results. It would give you a great base to build on should you decide to do so.

 

Try looking at companies like KEH and Amazon. Nikon's D40 or D50 might be a good start. If you're willing to spend several hundred the field opens greatly and gets you into rather new devices like the Nikon D3100.

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Thanks Art! KEH has a ton of cameras in my price range (I rechecked my finances, $150 is doable without question). I see a lot of D40-D50 cameras in that range with EX to EX+ condition. I'll have to keep my eye on them.

 

I can't justify $300+ for a camera that will be used 90% of the time strictly for coins that I'm not selling. If I was a dealer, even small time, I'd do it.

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Thanks Art! KEH has a ton of cameras in my price range (I rechecked my finances, $150 is doable without question). I see a lot of D40-D50 cameras in that range with EX to EX+ condition. I'll have to keep my eye on them.

 

I can't justify $300+ for a camera that will be used 90% of the time strictly for coins that I'm not selling. If I was a dealer, even small time, I'd do it.

 

KEH is a solid reseller. They're condition ratings are very conservative and they stand behind everything they sell. I've been purchasing from them for a number of years.

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KInd of depends on where you live and availability of places. For example by me there are camera shows, Flea markets, tons of just stores, etc. I've got presently 5 digital camers. My favorite one is a Fuji S7000. It also is the most expensive one I have. That one cost me about $100. Most others are much simpler and cheaper ones and none cost more than $50. Two more are Fuji's, two more are Samsung's and one I sort of ignor is a Olympus. The Fuji uses both a Compact Flash and a XD card. All others use SD except the Olympus which also takes a XD card. This is one of the things to make sure of when purchasing a new camera. Very difficult to find XD and Compact Flash cards. And when you do, nothing in comparison with SD for capacity. Also, make sure your camera has a tripod mounting capacity. Note too some have what is called Macro and also a Super Maacro meaning it can really get closer pictures.

IF you could find a Camera show you might want to check there since possibly the best prices. Regular places seldom can compete with a camer show. Also, watch the newpapers for adds in places like Walmart, Target, Kmart, Best Buy, etc.

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Quick and easy - my iPod, otherwise I have some Fuji type camera I probably could play with to take pictures of coins - I still haven't figgered out out to use these newfangled digital cameras besides my phone and iPod.

 

So I'm not the only one that uses an i-device. Unfortunately, I haven't mastered it.

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I think I'm just going to buy this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nikon-Silver-COOLPIX-L27-Digital-Camera-with-8GB-Memory-Card-and-Camera-Case-Kit-Value-Bundle/31033090

 

It's inexpensive and I'll just give it to Erica once I upgrade. Keep losing bids on eBay for nice, used DSLR cameras. Trying to get a "deal" on one, so this will hold me over until I get something better. The reviews on it aren't bad.

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It's really the lens that makes the biggest difference IMO. I have a Nikon D300 I use for things like this, but use a Micro-Nikkor (60mm f:2,8D) lens that's optimized for close-in sharpness and focusing:

 

ma5zqtw9kWlr1GVDlOLV21g.jpg

 

(I just borrowed that image from eBay, so it'll probably only last as long as the listing it came from does!)

 

Micro-Nikkors like this go for somewhere around $250-$300 used.

 

Here's a shot I just posted in another thread taken with one:

DIMES72dpi.jpg

 

(I could fill the frame with just one coin using this lens.)

 

Ron

 

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I've had really good results from a Sony Cybershot and a Polaroid i1437; I recently got a Sanyo S1414 since both the Sony and the Polaroid went walkies and I'm likin' it so far because it's by and large running the same software as the Polaroid did.

 

Speaking of software, I'd also recommend The GIMP for your post-processing needs, since it's at least as powerful as Photoshop, but is open source (i.e., free).

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I've used GIMP and like it. I don't bother much with post processing these days. Sort of a return to my older straight film photography roots. I do have Photoshop Elements but use it more for organization than editing.

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Yeah, generally the amount of post I do is fairly minimal: crop, white balance, maybe a level of unsharp masking if it seems to need it. For coin photography, I'll usually use some combination of the three, with varying degrees of success, as a quick glance at my Omnicoin page will demonstrate. :)

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Yeah, generally the amount of post I do is fairly minimal: crop, white balance, maybe a level of unsharp masking if it seems to need it. For coin photography, I'll usually use some combination of the three, with varying degrees of success, as a quick glance at my Omnicoin page will demonstrate. :)

 

I almost always have to adjust the white balance on my coin shots. Of course I use several lamps to light the coins and they tend to run very pink/red.

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The white balance on my new camera is pretty good at filtering out the color imbalance in the CF bulb I usually shoot under. The daylight bulb is probably the best, though.

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