Lighting for scope

[chrsb]

I did a search and found some useful tips using fiber optic lighting, what I would like to know is if anyone has any "mods" for this type of lighting-http://coinoptics.com/order/cat4.html I have the MP613. It has angled lighting and I am getting frustrated with it. Right now I have a DVD case that is off white with a tissue inside it to help diffuse the light.

What got me thinking is I just bought a 1956 DDR proof and when i first put it down I did not see anything, as I turned it 360 degrees I found the DDR and started wondering how many varieties I have missed because of this. I wondered if I had different lighting if that would make a difference?

When I go to photograph my coins I also get a glare from the lighting that came with the scope and have to dim the light almost to where the camera will not focus to get rid of the glare.

I hope some of this is making sense, I can put pics up if it would help.

[chrsb]

Here is an example, the light is already diffused with a tissue and DVD case. Would fiber-optic lighting help with this issue? Or should I mess with the camera settings?



PS, Like my 1956 DDR?

[chrsb]

My setup with a DVD case and tissue inside of it.

[coop]

Chris: Is that the light that cam on the scope. seems too bright. Can you adjust the lighting. My microscope had a switch on the left side. I say had, as I removed all that with in the first week of owning it. I used a fiber light, then a ring light, beck to the fiber light, then went back to the same lighting I had on a different scope. I boosted the power and larger bulb. Works great about 85% of the time. Not real good for circulated coins, but the BU & proof I have plenty of light.
The old fiber light setup.
http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/coop49/FiberLight_03.jpg
What I use now.
http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/coop49/WHAT_I_USE.jpg

The dual tipped fiber light was not bright enough. (Chuck thought it was a cable issue as that is what he uses) The ring light was bright enough, but only good for full coin images as the light was not directional, but emitted all around. The Mighty Bright is a book light that can be bought from different coin stores. This is a 6 volt setup. But I changed mine to a 12V with an adjustable transformer and replaced the bulb with a 14 watt bulb. I used the same hanger I shaped my self using a coin tubes (Cent soft tube cut in half with black tape on the top edge and a quarter tube to put the light inside. The tape is used as a shade to keep light coming from one direction.) I use this all the time now. The fiber lights, I put away as they didn't work for me. They did for Chuck, but I probably needed a better cable.

[chrsb]

Coop,

The lighting does have a dimmer, if I dim it to much the camera will not take the shot. I have been thinking about this and think the lamp that comes with the scope is a spot, I am thinking of changing it out to a flood type and still use the DVD case to diffuse the light. I am hoping this will get rid of the glare and the intense light that is focused on the coin. If I have to rewire the scope I will (I am a electrical contractor and master electrician). I have played around with different types of back stops (tried shooting the light over the cent and bounced it back down) but most of those wash the doubling out of view.

I got probably 50-60 OBW BU cent rolls (and more coming) to go through ranging from 1944-D through 1982 and want to take pics of anything I find to add to my database of the coins I own. I just got done taking pics of my entire 1909-1958 wheat collection and am in the process of doing the editing now. I have a couple months off coming up and figured this would be a good way to make it go by!

I appreciate the help, and your photos gave me some good ideals! I will post pics of what the final outcome is and what I did to achieve it. Thanks again-

[coop]

looking forward to your posts. Did you notice the ramp I use? This allows the right angle to bounce the light into the lens better. If you put the ramp at the wrong angle, the images are dark, but at the correct position it makes them look golden. Makes a difference on just a few degrees off. So I have to make sure the light is at 12:00 and the ramp largest angle is at 6:00. I rotate the coin to take images, but searching you can toate it at different angles. I put a cap from a half dollar tube to make it closer to the light.

[chrsb]

Coop,

I finally found some time (watch out boards, lots of questions coming!) and made this up-



I really like the light it throws, just wish it was a little more brighter. It makes my photos come out a lot better, less reflection.

[coop]

Chris: A couple of things your might try is a black cloth instead of white and a ramp. The ramp can make your fields dark/light if you use the right angle. It always takes time to make what you have work to the optimum. You use what works and try something else. It it works better, keep that. I've discovered things by accident, that I continue to use.



It is a 2X2 With material on it and a wedge of cardboard on the open end make an incline. I find it best when the scope you are using has the incline/open end at 6:00 in front of you. It you turn the ramp to a wrong angle the image will be dark. So if you need to turn the ramp, turn the coin instead. This mainly for taking images as it adjusts the angle to make the light reach the lens better. So I always check to make sure it is a 6 before I click. LOL

[chrsb]

I will try that out, I did notice the lower part of my pics were darker when photographing the coins. Thank you for the help!

[Dick]

Coop, I notice you use your scope 180 out from my way. I like the light "looking away", and you have it looking at you. I use a QSZ and the lighting, (dual. the light inside the base never has been used, as I can't figure a way to make use of it). The wswitch, and rheostat on the top, left was wired differently, but I changed that, because it was too bright! the x-former has a dual secondary, and I wired ti in parallel, instead of series. It is not so bright, now, and I change the "direction of the "beam" so that it is max,on the coin. The "pot." does have some effect on the power of the light. the camera makes changes to off-set the amount of light. I "try to get a golden, or at least a lemon color for the photos, but don't often succeed! My "ramp" is a base with a variable angle, and a divot, that allows the coin rest to rotate in place. that way i can high-loght any area, and it also serves to make minor focus adjustments. I don'r use a dufuser very often, and it is either a DVD case with sone tissue, ot a slab of milk jug, sometimes with a slip on scratch paper added. Nostly, running bare. Hope this helps.
Dick

[coop]

On full image of OBV/REV of coins I may even add a cent or two under the widest edge to get a more even flow of light over the full surface. If you add too many then the coin will look oblong/eliptical and there is a way to fix that with photoshop, but why fix when you could do it right the first time.

[coop]

My scope had that kind of light and I removed it all the first week I had it. Went to different lighting as it worked better and could do what I wanted. I do have a top from a square half dollar tube added to the base of the ramp. It get the ligting closer to the coin, but If I had made the holder for the light longer I could have eliminated that step. But it works for me. The more you experiment, the more you find that works for your setup. If it makes things worse, then don't do that.

[Dick]

Oh, fiddle-faddle! I thought I was allowed to "go from bad to worse"!
Dick