Share your secrets with us.

I'm not that good at coin photography, but I'm getting better. I use a Canon 5D full frame 12.8 mag. SLR. I use a Canon 24-105mm L lens and have orderd a Canon 180mm macro today. I use two 300 watt lights set up on each side of the coin. I use a tripod with a ball head mount, and point the camera down at the coin. After reading up on coin photography I've gotten a little better at it. I some times use two off camera Canon 580 flash units for lighting.

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One word.....SCANNER
It shows a lot of detail But NO luster,

I'm not great at coin photography, but I'm getting better as I practice. One thing I never use is a flash. It causes too much of a glare on the subject, and causes the image to look washed out. Instead, I use natural light. My desk lamp usually gives a yellowish light, whereas a fluorescent lamp gives off a bluish tint. As for scanners, I used to use my scanner for coins, but the images usually looked fuzzy and the toning looked horrible. I save the scanner for banknotes instead because it's easier get the correct results.

Nothing wrong with using off camera flash. Here are two coins, I used off camera flash with an Omni.

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Nothing wrong with using off camera flash. Here are two coins, I used off camera flash with an Omni.

Very nice. I unfortunately don't have an off camera flash, so I use existing light. Thanks for sharing.

One word.....SCANNER
It shows a lot of detail But NO luster,

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SCANNER IS A 7-LETTER WORD.   

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I have a photographic 'toolbox,' I suppose.

In my toolbox are:

   corks and rubber stopper

   black velvet, they recognize me at Vogue Fabrics now.   

   pinking shears, thanks to my wife

    painter's tape, lint roller

    white paper -- good luck finding one your camera will recognize as pure white
 
    mirror --  8" x 8" square may be best; mine has plastic frame

    leaf of my desk is on right.  All numismatography is performed there.
 
     Bogen Manfrotto miracle composite tripod and an old Hollywood metal tripod
 
     Nikon D300, Micro-NIKKOR 60mm ED lens, also have 105mm VR ED micro lens
 
     4 Nikon SW-12 diffusers, Nikon R1C1 closeup flash system included one.  Part No.  NK4907
 
     Bubble level (Home Depot, cheap), use levelers on desk to level leaf of desk!
 
     Axial Lighting Device,  use for coins with toning, simulates tipping coin toward light
 
     Giotto Rocket Air Blaster -- like nasal syringe for infants -- invaluable
 
     squirrel hair brush
 
     vacuum cleaner
 
     clear plastic easel -- I put backgrounds on it and have them reflected in mirror behind coin image

     Gray card -- 8-12 x 11 gray card when cut makes square card and two smaller cards

     Under Construction -- more to come...

I just go by the idea that it's digital, take lots of pics and one or two will surely turn out nice.  Delete the rest. I use outdoor light for some, flourescents for others.  That just depends on the coin.

Oh, and my camera is a Sony DSC-H5 with 7 or 8 megapixels, can't remember.  It has a built-in macro, so that helps.

I just go by the idea that it's digital, take lots of pics and one or two will surely turn out nice.  Delete the rest. I use outdoor light for some, flourescents for others.  That just depends on the coin.

Oh, and my camera is a Sony DSC-H5 with 7 or 8 megapixels, can't remember.  It has a built-in macro, so that helps.

Sony has good cameras.  Mine is the Sony: Cybershot DSC-W150 8.1 Megapixel. Macro feature is pretty much a requirement when doing detailed closeup of coins. Otherwise the photos will be too blury to work.