Discussion Compact & Wireless Prototype Axial Light Box for Mobile Phone

[Silverlocks]

It seems to be working fine - the shot is nice and you can see the detail well.  Axial shots will pick out the detail but tend to flatten out the lustre of the coin. 

Some things for OP to contemplate:

• Get a grey card (a few quid on Amazon) and figure out how to lock the white balance on the phone.  You calibrate the phone by putting the grey card where the coin would go, pointing the phone at the card and then setting the white balance lock.  This will be more significant when photographing gold, as gold tends to confuse the software that auto-calibrates the colour balance on the camera.
• Learn how to use raw image files rather than taking pics directly to JPEG.  You can do this with free software, either on the phone or on a PC.
• Take a look at the 'open camera' app (free through the app store).
• Consider getting one of the little bluetooth dohickeys that let you trigger the shutter without physically touching the camera (a few quid off Amazon).

Take a look at some of the missives in the photography section.

Edited April 29 by Silverlocks

[Peacemaker]

I mean its never going to compete with a proper camera and light setup but it fits my needs

[Peacemaker]

1 minute ago, Silverlocks said:

It seems to be working fine.  Axial shots will pick out the detail but tend to flatten out the lustre of the coin.  Some things for OP to contemplate.

• Get a grey card and figure out how to lock the white balance on the phone.  You calibrate the phone by putting the grey card where the coin would go, pointing the phone at the card and then setting the white balance lock.  This will be more significant when photographing gold, as gold tends to confuse the software that auto-calibrates the colour balance on the camera.
• Learn how to use raw image files rather than taking pics directly to JPEG.
• Take a look at the 'open camera' app.
• Consider getting one of the little bluetooth dohickeys that let you trigger the shutter without physically touching the camera.

 

Very helpful tips, will give that a go, cheers!

[Silverlocks]

1 minute ago, Peacemaker said:

I mean its never going to compete with a proper camera and light setup but it fits my needs

You'd be surprised how far you can get with the cameras on a mobile phone.  Some phones have 'periscope' cameras that produce remarkably good results.  Mine didn't, so I ended up getting a camera, but @Solachesis has put up a lot of photos taken with a relatively cheap phone that had a periscope camera.