Even a worn coin, when you go to 100%, will show you lots of pitting and scratches; it certainly wouldn't look blurry. If it is in focus.
This could conceivably just be camera shake.
I don't know. That's one bit of advice that someone gave me that I basically ignored. (He said to max out the number--choke down the aperture. But then he photographs the coins at a slight tilt.) I photograph head-on and use the lowest number (widest opening) I can use and still get the entire depth of the coin in focus. I have secondary reasons for doing it; it boils down to I don't want any more depth of field than I need.
I use a copy stand, and I also do tethered shooting, so I can readily zoom in and go for tack sharp focus. Also I check the entire coin to make sure it isn't tilted, if it's in a holder. (If it is, life is much more annoying.)
As far as lighting goes, you're better off going off axis with your lighting, if you want to show relief (I rarely, almost never find that necessary). If you're using a ring light, all you will get tilting the coin is the shadows from the relief will be hidden from the camera, because the light is in the same direction as your line of sight.
By the way, I don't use a ring light either. The reflective properties of metal basically dictate one to three directional sources works best, most of the time.
This could conceivably just be camera shake.
Hi Steve.
Again, I’m no expert, but could the lack of sharpness be from diffraction, I get using f/22 to capture the full height of the coin, but a shot from overhead giving a flat plain would allow A much larger aperture. I suppose the overhead shot might reduce contrast slightly?
I don't know. That's one bit of advice that someone gave me that I basically ignored. (He said to max out the number--choke down the aperture. But then he photographs the coins at a slight tilt.) I photograph head-on and use the lowest number (widest opening) I can use and still get the entire depth of the coin in focus. I have secondary reasons for doing it; it boils down to I don't want any more depth of field than I need.
I use a copy stand, and I also do tethered shooting, so I can readily zoom in and go for tack sharp focus. Also I check the entire coin to make sure it isn't tilted, if it's in a holder. (If it is, life is much more annoying.)
As far as lighting goes, you're better off going off axis with your lighting, if you want to show relief (I rarely, almost never find that necessary). If you're using a ring light, all you will get tilting the coin is the shadows from the relief will be hidden from the camera, because the light is in the same direction as your line of sight.
By the way, I don't use a ring light either. The reflective properties of metal basically dictate one to three directional sources works best, most of the time.
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