Cameras & Camcorders

[abqer]

hi

what camera to buy for taking close pictures of coins in mint state condition????uncirculated coins ??

[Rrrrrrr]

Price range? Are you looking at a DSLR or a point and shoot?

Personally I'd say get a DSLR (Canon or Nikon) and a 60mm or 90mm macro lens.

[BetterWay]

The camera is not so much of an issue here as making sure that you get the right glass(lens) .

Both Nikon and Canon have specialty lenses to allow Macro (1:1 or lifesize or greater magnification) images to be made.

I would also recommend that you get a good tripod and focusing rails to mount your camera on as most macro photography is best done using manual focus and moving the camera.  This is due to the fact that macro lenses have a very shallow depth of field.

If you don't want to go to this extreme, then at least get a small sturdy tripod and always use a remote shutter release.

All of this is related to DSLR's.

If you want to go the PnS route, then look for one that emphasizes its macro capability and again, use a tripod.  Again, the lens is the most important item here.

[Entropy]

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BetterWay wrote:

The camera is not so much of an issue here as making sure that you get the right glass(lens) .

Both Nikon and Canon have specialty lenses to allow Macro (1:1 or lifesize or greater magnification) images to be made.

I would also recommend that you get a good tripod and focusing rails to mount your camera on as most macro photography is best done using manual focus and moving the camera.  This is due to the fact that macro lenses have a very shallow depth of field.

If you don't want to go to this extreme, then at least get a small sturdy tripod and always use a remote shutter release.

All of this is related to DSLR's.

If you want to go the PnS route, then look for one that emphasizes its macro capability and again, use a tripod.  Again, the lens is the most important item here.

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Actually, no - lens is not the most important - coins are highly reflective and as a result VERY difficult to light properly - the lighting equipment is going to be the most important.

Lens will be second most important - you can probably do fine for coin photography with one of the common pseudo-macro lenses that only do 1:2 and not 1:1.  However a true 1:1 macro lens will give you the most flexibility.

Since the lighting equipment is the most important, the key here is going to be that the camera has support for an external flash.  This is guaranteed for an SLR but rare in P&S cameras.

[BetterWay]

Entropy,

Good point and I agree that you are right.

All of my macro work has been nature where I commonly do not employ any flashes.