Lighting ... Dual Fiber Optic

[pennyhound]

I have recieved my new lighting system but keep wanting to go back and use the "Light Ring" for scanning (most of the coins) the number of coins.

Question as to what I should be doing ...

Use the "Fiber Optic" to take pictures only ???

or

Try and get use to using it all the time. (seems to be a problem getting the whole coin/s, in veiw ... for scanning purposses)

Just not use to the light I think.

or

Use the "Light Ring" to scan and the new on for just taking pictures of the area/s of subject?

I'm really have fits with getting the light right, seems that the focus of the light is off to the side ... maybe its just me, but trying to get the light right is messing with my mind.

Suggestion/s please.

Should I stick with one or both or what?

May even have gotten the wrong type ... at this point I really don't know, but am hard headed ... tell me what I should do?

The one I got is this one:

DUAL GOOSENECK FIBER OPTIC MICROSCOPE ILLUMINATOR -NEW!

The ends (Dual Fiber Optic) seem to be covered with a len/s that that focus the light off to the side of the coin, when I look back at it ... is this normal ?

I've tried the caps of coin tubs (new plastic tubs) and white paper to defuss the light some ... but can't (at this time) seem to get it right.

Should I try and use only one of the Fiber Opic flex lines at a time ... any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I've never used this type of lighting befor.

[coppercoins]

When you mention "scanning" I assume you mean when you are looking at coins versus photographing them. The term "Scanning" has so changed with the advent of flatbed scanners, it almost exclusively means using a scanner any more.

If you haven't cut a milky white coin tube to use as a lampshade and light diffuser between the two ends of your goosenecks, then that's where you're going wrong. Just find a milky white coin tube that will fit easily around the ends of your gooseneck, cut the bottom off of the tube, point the goosenecks toward each other, and slip each end of the tube over the two goosenecks. You should have near-perfect lighting after that.

Ring lights are simply all around bad sources for microscopic viewing and/or photography. Your light needs to be coming from one single direction, not all directions. I can guarantee you will miss stuff using a light ring. You should break yourself of the habit.

[coop]

Pennyhound: I think you are going the right direction with the dual fiberlight. I had the same setup for a time. But I needed the same adjustable set up. My dual cables we not goose necked and I had a problem getting enough light. I always had it cranked up all the way and still needed more light. Chuck uses that same setup, so listen to his suggestions as to where the lights should be placed, how he connects it. Hopefully he will have images to show how his setup works. I went back to the older lighting system and tweeked it up a little. Now I still need more light again on circulated coins. The ramp made from 2X2's is a key. It lets the light glance off the surface of the coin and into the lens of the camera through the scope. My images tend to be a little golden, but then I know I have the best setup for what I'm working with. It just takes working with what you have to make it do what you want. So watch for Chuck's advice on this matter as he already uses such a setup. Again I want to stress, you are going the right direction. The ring light is nice for taking full images of coins, but not for searching and taking images of varieties. I still have my old system that is used for such purposes, but use the mighty bright system to illuminate varieties as the source only comes from one direction. So you are headed the right direction, you just need to experiment to get the light to work for you.

[pennyhound]

Thanks for the advice:

Yes: (When you mention "scanning" ) you hit it on the head.

What I had tried: (lighting)

I had placed paper and the end cap (off of a coin tub) on each of the goosenecks (two each) and tried that.

[pennyhound]

Huge difference, thank you very much.

Now I can get back to business. (looking)

Thanks again, much appreciated.


Just one question ... should I leave as much distance as possible between the ends of the goosenecks, or try and get the ends to within a ( ? ) distance apart, within the coin tube?

Man this is great!

[coppercoins]

I generally leave as much distance as I can. If I had a longer tube it would work better, but I deal with the length of a roll of cents. Another thing that might help if you haven't figured it out already is to coat the top of the tube so the light doesn't bounce directly back up into the optics. I did this by covering half of it with black construction paper.

I have published photos of my setup a number of times, but here it is again to show what it looks like in this thread so people don't have to search for it...

[coppercoins]

Clearing a couple of things up from my last post...

The distance I refer to is the distance between the ends of my goosenecks. The distance my light is from the coin when I take my photos is generally between 1 and 1.5 inches from the coin.

The two photos in my previous post are an image taken through the scope, then I backed out without any adjustments and took the photo of the setup. The coin in the photo of the setup is the exact coin photographed to the left. The two photos were taken seconds apart from one another.

[pennyhound]

I noticed you seem to have taken the (end caps) off the goosenecks ... or is it, that yours didn't come with the caps, or you had removed them?

I left the end caps on and forced the end caps into the white coin tube, then re-placed the end caps back on the goosenecks.

Was this done on purpose?

I'll remove, the ends caps and give that a try also, and yes I figugered out that if you didn't cover the top of the tube, the eye peice would have a white-ish ghost, (halo effect) at the bottom of the optics.

On my setup ... the goosenecks are facing each other, head on, with no light escaping, the ends of the tube.

I'm still trying to get it (light were I want it, in relation to the scope & coin) to focus with the light as in the photo as your is.

It is tricky ... when I get it how I like it ... will also post pictures, were you used "black construction paper", I used "aluminum fowl" ... this will probly make a difference also.

As allways ... I'll post back with results I get latters ... and thank again ... been a real help.

I'm getting there just gonna take some more testing.

[coppercoins]

There are no end caps to my goosenecks. What you see is what I got. They are small enough that the tube fits very loosely on them, and in fact sometimes falls.

It really doesn't matter one way or the other. The point is to get light into the tube and down onto the coin in a diffused manner. The aluminum foil isn't as good an idea as black paper...foil reflects any room lighting and has some negative effect in the optics. Black absorbs light, thus doesn't shine back into the optics at all.

[pennyhound]

I'm getting there ...

just need to fine tune the pictures a bit more & the lighting seems to be about right now, this were take with a "clear" coin tub wrapped in white paper. The white coin tube seemed to be a bit darker ... but I'm getting there.


This is (I think) a die brake just below Lincoln's lower eye lid.

What do you think?

[coppercoins]

You're also way too close to the subject...and just as an added suggestion, when you're editing the photos, orient the details in the photo to N-S as we would view the coin.