How to take good pictures of small coins? [επιλυμένο]

I'm trying to photograph my 1854 US Gold Dollar, but it's so tiny that I can barely get my IPhone camera to focus on it, let alone capture any decent details in a photograph.

Does anyone have photo-taking tips for smartphone camera users? I'm sure there must be at least a few tricks and gadgets in the camera app, but I've no idea how to work them to take focused pictures of small objets.

Here were my best set of results with my IPhone camera:


Getting a proper camera is out of the question cost-wise, at least for me, and I don't have access to any scanners either.

I have a de(attachable) macro lens It can get the coin from really up close :)

I don't know what they cost, but you can easily use them with a phone.

Oh dear, that is Iphone camera? They really should work on that.

Here are my results from Samsung on really small coins:

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces105066.html
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces105065.html

It is hard to focus the camera, but I usually take it from greater distance, where I can see that it still focuses, and then crop it.

you need to get a bright light pointed at an accute angle to provide contrast, and to get under the shadow of the camera in your hand, and to provide brightness, so the camera shutter speed will get faster.

Απόσπασμα: "Jarcek"​Oh dear, that is Iphone camera? They really should work on that.
​
​Here are my results from Samsung on really small coins:
​
​https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces105066.html
​https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces105065.html
​
​It is hard to focus the camera, but I usually take it from greater distance, where I can see that it still focuses, and then crop it.

Basically the same.
I try to place the coin on a vertical surface (like the edge of a small box) and take the image vertically from far. This gives the best lighting. I zoom in a bit, and here are the results:

14 mm, 1 Peseta, 1998

Best regards,
SRL

Απόσπασμα: "Mr. Midnight"​you need to get a bright light pointed at an accute angle to provide contrast, and to get under the shadow of the camera in your hand, and to provide brightness, so the camera shutter speed will get faster.
​

​Lighting is very important, indeed! I agree.

Απόσπασμα: "Jarcek"​Oh dear, that is Iphone camera? They really should work on that.
​

​Don't blame Apple, maybe it's just (read: probably) me.

@SRL Did you mean a horizontal surface?

@Jonathan Could you expand on what you mean by "get under the shadow of the camera in your hand"?

I've tried taking the picture from afar too, then cropping it, but the small size of the coin usually means I get a more focused picture but with less details.

Απόσπασμα: "Salaction"​I have a de(attachable) macro lens It can get the coin from really up close :)
​
​I don't know what they cost, but you can easily use them with a phone.
​
​

​I also use this one - the clip-on macro lens; low-end is very cheap on eBay/AliExpress

Απόσπασμα: "Salaction"​I have a de(attachable) macro lens It can get the coin from really up close :)
​
​I don't know what they cost, but you can easily use them with a phone.
​
​

​Are we talking about one of these?


(Random internet search result)

Απόσπασμα: "CassTaylor"​@SRL Did you mean a horizontal surface?

Well, depends. Whichever way gives the image a larger contrast, do it

Απόσπασμα: "CassTaylor"​

Απόσπασμα: "Salaction"​I have a de(attachable) macro lens It can get the coin from really up close :)
​​
​​I don't know what they cost, but you can easily use them with a phone.
​​
​​

​​Are we talking about one of these?
​
​
​(Random internet search result)

​Sort of yeah, the idea is the same. I will post a photo of the one I have at home (once I get home)

The usual setup for photographing coins is described in a thread at the Coin Community Forums called
"Best I can get on a $400 budget? Help"

https://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=158182

This is usually called the "$400 setup", which was the cost in 2013, but costs considerably less in 2018.

That setup involves a used DSLR (Canon XS or newer) which supports "live view" focusing, a copy stand, variable extension tubes or a bellows and a cheap enlarger lens (plus various adapters, etc.). There is also the option of a cheap microscope objective for magnified closeups for variety collectors. For lighting, use a pair of Jansjo lights and a lens-attached diffuser, also known as a "smile director follow-on".

I use something functionally equivalent to the "$400 setup", but use a newer camera.

BTW -- here is a gold dollar shot with the "$400 setup":



The lens used was probably 75mm f/4 APO Rodagon D 1x (actually a duplicating lens, not an enlarger lens). Since the magnification is close to 1x, the depth of field was very small requiring focus stacking with Zerene Stacker.

For really small coins, a microscope objective is required.

I have at times used a good ol' magnifier. The most difficult part is to set it up and adjust the lighting so that it doesn't reflect into the glass. Some metal detectorists on YouTube do close ups of their discoveries by simply holding a magnifier in front of their digital cam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ms6YWzp2NI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf53BrnMPwA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPzPHXwlXSs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc_h2P-6B8g

Besides professional manual above, I dare to give you a hint.

Focus is important too, so do not take photos holding you cell phone at your hand, you can shake it, even a little, so use a tripod.

Sometimes, getting the phone a little way from the coin works, letting the auto focus find yourself, with my non-Iphone cell, the auto focus works well at something like 10 cm.

I took some of the tips above to heart, and tried photographing a tiny coin:


This was taken from some distance away with the camera at a slightly tilted angle, so the autofocus (I tapped on the screen while taking the picture) would work it's magic; and then it was cropped afterwards. It's quality is not too bad but still less than ideal IMHO....

I think I'l probably be going after one of those devices Salaction mentioned. Any other tips for doing it raw are of course still appreciated.

Απόσπασμα: "SquareRootLolly"​
​14 mm, 1 Peseta,

​For small coins, a scan is an easier solution

Dug out the gold dollar for another try; this was the best result of one side with some lighting adjustments.

Some people like editing after the image. Here's my try.

SRL

Απόσπασμα: "SquareRootLolly"​
​Some people like editing after the image. Here's my try.
​
​SRL

​Did you increase the saturation?

I sometimes play around with the settings out of boredom, but usually I post my pictures unaltered (except cropping of course).

Απόσπασμα: "CassTaylor"​Dug out the gold dollar for another try; this was the best result of one side with some lighting adjustments.
​

​that's pretty good, the focus is in full control. but now I think you have run up to the limit of the camera's shutterspeed, as your light is a little too close. now you can see there are highpoints that are saturated, overexposed. abetter camera would perhaps have compensated by adjusting the film speed or iris.
but you have the angle of the light right, you got good contrast.

yet another variable to play around with is the color of the background. the camera is averaging the lightlevel over the entire field of view with the shutterspeed . if the background is dark the bright coin may get overexposed. for example, I have had better results with the light blue cloth I have used recently than the dark green I was using formerly.
even if you just placed some sheets of white paper around but say, 1cm away from the coin in all directions this would fool the camera to give more even result.

I'm getting reasonable pictures from a old Samsung Tab 3, - but you have to experiment with lighting and angle.
One tip is to steady the camera/tablet on an object to save shake.

Took these yesterday

A friend from Numista sent me a PM about "macro mode" on IPhone cameras; but apparently this led to naught, because it turns out there is no such function on my current IPhone (SE).

So I will conclude my best bet is to get those physical macro lens.

@Mr.Midnight
I tried taking pictures of "bright" coins on a lighter background... not too much more satisfactory IMO. I think lighting angle is probably a more relevant factor with regards to placement.

Απόσπασμα: "CassTaylor"​

Απόσπασμα: "SquareRootLolly"​
​​Some people like editing after the image. Here's my try.
​​
​​SRL

​​Did you increase the saturation?
​
​I sometimes play around with the settings out of boredom, but usually I post my pictures unaltered (except cropping of course).

​Sharpen, contrast, brightness and recolour! :D

Update: I think I've taken my most focused picture (to date) on an IPhone SE camera:


It's the reverse of a 1872 British sovereign, which (granted) is a bit larger than the previous test subject of the 1 dollar gold, but I've reinitialised all the camera settings to default (the one used for my previous gold dollar photos) and used the same background (black leather) to keep those consistent as control variables. I think my angle and lighting here were definitely improvements.

I'm beginning to think whether it's size or gold metal that's making photography hard for me?

That picture looks alright.

Haha, thanks Zac!

I'm marking this thread as solved because I took a satisfactory set of photos of the original 1854 US Gold Dollar using the magnifier of my IPhone camera:



But feel free to post if anyone has any more advice.

Non-related, but the magnifier also allows photos at angles and lighting that allow me to capture the gorgeous lustre on some of my larger coins that my regular photos couldn't before:
Before and after

Απόσπασμα: "ZacUK"​ That picture looks alright.

​


I agree with Zac, once it's had 'the treatment' I would be more than happy with that pic (and no colourizing needed either!)

@Rick
Feel free to use my photos for the coin's page, which I think could do with an upgrade ; here's the obverse picture similarly cropped:

©CassTaylor

Let me know if I can help you out with better photos of any other British coins, I've kind of caught the shutterbug over here right now!

Thanks @CassTaylor, hadn't even thought to check the coin page, will get these published as they are a definite improvement

Glad you agree, I'll send you some more quality replacements (incl. for that Jubilee head Sovereign below the last one) once I get them cropped.