Sunday Morning iPhone Photography Hack...........

[DrDave]

@LawrenceChard @GoldDiggerDave

 

The problem with any macro photography is getting a consistant light onto your subject/coin.

Another problem with ambient light (such as a room light or the sun) is that when you get in close you tend to cast a shadow with your camera or phone.

So we need to introduce and control our lighting. One way is to use a light tent, such as the ikea lampshade, and light from outside, or maybe this lightdome and illuminate from inside.

I made a bowl shape dome from silver foil and left a hole at the top big enough for the iphone to shoot through. The bigger this hole, the more chance of catching a reflection in the coin, especially shiny ones.

The light source is a plain whice picture on an ipad/laptop/surface, or you could even use a lamp underneath a glass table etc. I've placed a blackcloth square under the coin, as the iphone will struggle with the contrast at the edge of the coin and you'll get hazing.

Then place the dome over the coin and take your shot. Take a few and vary the angle slightly to reduce any reflection of the iphone in the coin.

Then a little edit in your picture software (add contrast and definition) and then crop. You can probably shoot a little closer than i have here and have to crop less getting a sharper picture, but you get the idea.

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by DrDave

[LawrenceChard]

12 hours ago, DrDave said:

@LawrenceChard @GoldDiggerDave

 

The problem with any macro photography is getting a consistant light onto your subject/coin.

Another problem with ambient light (such as a room light or the sun) is that when you get in close you tend to cast a shadow with your camera or phone.

So we need to introduce and control our lighting. One way is to use a light tent, such as the ikea lampshade, and light from outside, or maybe this lightdome and illuminate from inside.

I made a bowl shape dome from silver foil and left a hole at the top big enough for the iphone to shoot through. The bigger this hole, the more chance of catching a reflection in the coin, especially shiny ones.

The light source is a plain whice picture on an ipad/laptop/surface, or you could even use a lamp underneath a glass table etc. I've placed a blackcloth square under the coin, as the iphone will struggle with the contrast at the edge of the coin and you'll get hazing.

Then place the dome over the coin and take your shot. Take a few and vary the angle slightly to reduce any reflection of the iphone in the coin.

Then a little edit in your picture software (add contrast and definition) and then crop. You can probably shoot a little closer than i have here and have to crop less getting a sharper picture, but you get the idea.

 

 

Not bad for a phone, but...

The 1891 sov looks rather dodgy. It probably is OK, but a good argument for using a DSLR, macro lens, greater working distance, etc.

🙂

[DrDave]

2 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

Not bad for a phone, but...

The 1891 sov looks rather dodgy. It probably is OK, but a good argument for using a DSLR, macro lens, greater working distance, etc.

🙂

Yes i agree. It was just a quick set up whilst i was toasting my muffins!

I could possibly get a little closer meaning id have to crop less etc but, as good as the iphone is, it does have its limitations

The technology in the iphone is very powerful and clever, but dslrs will always be ahead. But its the lens that does the donkey work, so if you compare the 4mm piece of glass in the iphone to the array of glass in the 100mm macro then its pretty obvious.

Having said that, i use the iphone camera a lot because its pretty good and very convenient, but the dslr is bar far the better quality

[flyingveepixie]

Have you ever tried shooting a clip of 4k video and taking a still from it ?  I've found this to be particularly useful for certain things and is how I captured the image below but I've never tried it on a coin.  This was done on a handheld iphone.

Just a thought.

Edited August 22, 2022 by flyingveepixie

[flyingveepixie]

Here's another from the same video clip..

 

[West587]

Nice tip 😃