Shooting Gold Coins. Would appreciate a good setup recomendation.

[GoldShooter]

Right now I have a Canon Rebel XS without the stock lens. I've gotten some ok photo's of gold coins with it but need to step it up for advertising.

Right now they are 2 lenses in contention, please add more if you like.

Nikkon D200 with 105mm f/2.8g lens

or

Just add the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM to my rebel XS.

I understand these lens are on two different levels but I need to know if it will be worth spending the extra $1500 to get the nikkon setup.

Oh and I am completely amateur. My best control is the lighting I've done ok with that. This will most likely be a point and shoot process. With more detail put into the lighting. See profile pic for reference.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

The Canon 100mm will be real good for what you are doing, with your Xs.

 

[Derrel]

I would just buy the Canon 100mm EF USM Macro. I have one. It's a solid performer.

 

[Overread36]

Heck for coin photography you could get something like a Canon EFS 60mm macro or a Sigma 70mm macro for you canon and get great shots. Macro prime lenses are all on a pretty even footing when it comes to sharpness so any one you go with is going to be a solid investment.

The main difference is the longer the focal length the more distance between the lens and the subject (working distance). So for coins you don't need a big distance at all. You might however find lighting with a longer working distance a little easier, but I suspect most times you won't be going all the way to 1:1 with the shots so even a 60mm or 70mm would give you more than enough room to work with.

 

[BuS_RiDeR]

I vote for the Canon 100mm... I do not have this lens... But I've seen some nice photos come from it. And it is on my wishlist.

 

[Edsport]

You could get an extension tube and use it with your existing lens...

 

[o hey tyler]

You could get an extension tube and use it with your existing lens...

Extension tubs with a kit lens? Ouchies for image quality.

 

[skyy38]

James Dean Coin-MEDIUM | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[Buckster]

You could get an extension tube and use it with your existing lens...

Extension tubs with a kit lens? Ouchies for image quality.

Shouldn't be a problem, actually. It's not like there's glass in the extension tubes, and as long as there's no cropping (or very little) the kit lens would turn out images that are just fine for this application.

 

[o hey tyler]

You could get an extension tube and use it with your existing lens...

Extension tubs with a kit lens? Ouchies for image quality.

Shouldn't be a problem, actually. It's not like there's glass in the extension tubes, and as long as there's no cropping (or very little) the kit lens would turn out images that are just fine for this application.

Am I thinking of TC's that have glass in them then? I've probably got the two confused.

 

[bazooka]

To give you an idea of the 100mm macro with off camera light on a coin...I shot this with the 100mm and a full set of tubes... it's about the size of a dime, uncropped. Light is OCF and some sharpening added. I didn't quite get the coin lined up with the focal plane so it's not perfectly in focus.

 

[Edsport]

You could get an extension tube and use it with your existing lens...

Extension tubs with a kit lens? Ouchies for image quality.

Here's a few i took with a 350D, 12mm extension tube and the 18-55mm kit lens. These photos are gone though photobucket and lots some of it's sharpness but still good for kit lens. Not sure what kind of quality he wants just to take photos of coins but i'm sure it don't have to be top notch and cost lots of bucks..