fml
**Member** 
Posts: 14
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Post by fml on Mar 21, 2022 13:31:45 GMT
Have noticed some really good pictures of stamps uploaded to this forum.
Does it require expensive cameras and equipment to do this?
Can it be accomplished with a good handheld cell phone camera?
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Beryllium Guy
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What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Mar 21, 2022 13:40:39 GMT
Thanks for your post, fml. The best quality images of stamps are mainly created by use of a scanner. There are some exceptions to that, where digital cameras have been used. Torbjørn ( tobben63), I recall that you were doing some work with a camera. Can you comment on your findings? |
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brightonpete
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Post by brightonpete on Mar 21, 2022 18:28:53 GMT
I bought a Canon Lide 400 scanner new for around $70. It's the best scanner I've ever had! I also use my cell phone at times.
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stainlessb
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What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Mar 21, 2022 23:08:42 GMT
I use an Epson V600 with VueScan software (as I wasn't real happy with the Epson software for color recognition), Your monitor will play a role in how the scans look, and keep in mind, how your scans are viewed by others on the forum may not be exactly (color-wise) as you are seeing them. I previously had a Canon Ide 300, but was not happy with its color recognition, it especially had difficulties with lavender/pale violet colors and they would often scan as a grey tone. If I changed my background to a yellow , it worked better, but that just proved to much of a headache, especially since I do collect the nuances/shades In addition to posting images, the scanner serves as my magnifier and although I do have a scope with a digital camera for very specific looks at small areas (Types), the scanner works well at hi resolution and then magnified- a definite aid to old(er) eyes  The canon is in it's original box under my desk...emergency back up I guess! |
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eggdog
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Post by eggdog on Mar 22, 2022 0:10:27 GMT
Hey there fml, Yeah, Canon and Epson scanners are excellent and cheap. The Epson V600 has been around for fifteen years; we still have one downstairs and it works as well as ever. The one thing that really doesn't work with scans is asking for help with color identification - orange vs. orange-yellow, crimson vs. carmine, and the like. The scanner distorts the colors slightly and the display once the .jpg has been uploaded and posted here distorts it some more. That's the nature of digital color reproduction for non-billionaires who can't borrow equipment from Pixar. But any good scanner can capture all sorts of detail in engravings and lithographs. Camera pictures tend to have strange angles because you simply can't hold a camera directly parallel to the object unless you're really lucky - and then you'll never be able to do it twice anyway! - and they often have shadows and irregular lighting patterns. As good as cell phone cameras and point-and-shoots have gotten (my wife takes about 50 pictures a day of the birds outside our kitchen window), I can't say that they're ideal for philatelic photography. |
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tobben63
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Stamp eat sleep repeat
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What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
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Post by tobben63 on Mar 22, 2022 9:07:31 GMT
I would recommend a scanner. I have a Canon Lide 400 and are happy. I also use the VueScan software, much better than the orginal software who often are made so siple to use that they are hard to use!!!!!
Problem with a camera being a professional or a cell phone camera is to get the image sensor parallelly to the stamp. If the stamps are curved (paper) it will also give you problems with cameras.
Then you need a image software to edit/crop the stamp.
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brightonpete
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Post by brightonpete on Mar 22, 2022 11:08:40 GMT
I also use VueScan - it is excellent software.
When using my phone to take a picture, I build a stack of things to raise my camera, I really should build a stand for it! If the stamp lays flat, you are lucky, otherwise you may have to lay a clear piece of plastic to flatten the stamp. For the best photo, I place this in a daylight lit room, but not in the sun if it is shining.
For image editing, I usually use Acorn (Mac app) which does most of what I want.
Peter
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fml
**Member**
Posts: 14
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Post by fml on Mar 22, 2022 14:48:28 GMT
I bought a Canon Lide 400 scanner new for around $70. It's the best scanner I've ever had! I also use my cell phone at times. Judging by the replies I've had so far a scanner seems the easiest way to go.
My daughter has an old scanner (Brother HL 22800DW) that I'll experiment with.
My Moto G Pure phone is another alternative but lining it up involves a lot of playing so I'll probably only use that as last resort.
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renden
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Post by renden on Mar 22, 2022 14:54:00 GMT
BTW - there are other threads on scanning and scanners - I think this on should be part of one of these - Admin will certainly check this René |
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fml
**Member**
Posts: 14
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Post by fml on Mar 22, 2022 14:56:29 GMT
Hey there fml , Yeah, Canon and Epson scanners are excellent and cheap. The Epson V600 has been around for fifteen years; we still have one downstairs and it works as well as ever. The one thing that really doesn't work with scans is asking for help with color identification - orange vs. orange-yellow, crimson vs. carmine, and the like. The scanner distorts the colors slightly and the display once the .jpg has been uploaded and posted here distorts it some more. That's the nature of digital color reproduction for non-billionaires who can't borrow equipment from Pixar. But any good scanner can capture all sorts of detail in engravings and lithographs. Camera pictures tend to have strange angles because you simply can't hold a camera directly parallel to the object unless you're really lucky - and then you'll never be able to do it twice anyway! - and they often have shadows and irregular lighting patterns. As good as cell phone cameras and point-and-shoots have gotten (my wife takes about 50 pictures a day of the birds outside our kitchen window), I can't say that they're ideal for philatelic photography. Good comments about color distortion when using a scanner.
Going the route of using either a cell phone camera or a point-and-shoot camera seems to give mixed results.
The scanner approach seems to be the easiest and most consistent way to go.
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stainlessb
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Posts: 4,649
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
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Post by stainlessb on Mar 22, 2022 15:10:52 GMT
The VueScan software works with pretty much all platforms and scanners. it used to be free, but updates were limited, and for the $50 (at least when I purchased) it was well worth it as there are a lot of updates as they constantly seem to be making improvements.
The color settings offer many adjustments, and I went to the local paint store and got 'paint chip/samples" of various colors (including what looked to me to be primary colors) to use to adjust/calibrate my color settings so what I saw on my monitor looked correct to my "eyes".
Scanners typically come with a white background insert. Black seems to work better for stamps in most instances, so I purchased an additional/replacement (white) and painted it matte black. you could tape black construction paper, etc ., or lay a piece of black paper atop the stamp(s) before scanning (or always put into a stock card.
Whether you calibrate against a black or white background, I suggest cropping so there is a background 'frame' as this will generally be the case when scanning stamps!
whatever works best for you, is perfectly fine with us!!!
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fml
**Member**
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Post by fml on Mar 22, 2022 15:30:13 GMT
I also use VueScan - it is excellent software.
When using my phone to take a picture, I build a stack of things to raise my camera, I really should build a stand for it! If the stamp lays flat, you are lucky, otherwise you may have to lay a clear piece of plastic to flatten the stamp. For the best photo, I place this in a daylight lit room, but not in the sun if it is shining.
For image editing, I usually use Acorn (Mac app) which does most of what I want.
Peter Appreciate the tips but I'm a Windows user and not into Apples or the iOS. My daughter has a Brother HL-22800 DW scanner that I'm going to be experimenting with.
Just seems like too much trouble using any kind of camera to easily get good pictures of stamps!
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tobben63
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Post by tobben63 on Mar 22, 2022 15:32:53 GMT
You will find a free ok photo editing software to Windows.
Vuescan work on windows.
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brightonpete
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Post by brightonpete on Mar 22, 2022 21:14:20 GMT
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brightonpete
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Post by brightonpete on Mar 22, 2022 21:20:36 GMT
Just seems like too much trouble using any kind of camera to easily get good pictures of stamps!
I suppose it depends on what you have for a phone. Mine is an iPhone 12 Pro Max. I can't stand still, so I need tech they put in it to stop blurry photo's, and it works great! Although the two photo's there were with the phone on a stack off stuff so it wouldn't move at all.
Peter |
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angore
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Post by angore on Mar 23, 2022 10:41:09 GMT
If one goes the camera route to get images, one should invest in building a fixture to hold the camera properly and light it evenly.
I have found in some cases the scanner cannot pick up some details very well such as screen values on the Machins. You need an more off axis light arrangement so it shows more clearly.
Using VueScan and a complete black background it often gets the light wrong - less brightness.
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fml
**Member**
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Post by fml on Mar 23, 2022 14:52:18 GMT
You will find a free ok photo editing software to Windows. Vuescan work on windows. Thanks...
Just downloaded their demo version but need to look into the price for their registered version.
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fml
**Member**
Posts: 14
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Post by fml on Mar 23, 2022 15:05:34 GMT
Just seems like too much trouble using any kind of camera to easily get good pictures of stamps!
I suppose it depends on what you have for a phone. Mine is an iPhone 12 Pro Max. I can't stand still, so I need tech they put in it to stop blurry photo's, and it works great! Although the two photo's there were with the phone on a stack off stuff so it wouldn't move at all.
PeterThe built-in stabilization feature of recent phone cameras is a really great feature but for me at least scanning just seems so much simpler.
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fml
**Member**
Posts: 14
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Post by fml on Mar 23, 2022 15:17:49 GMT
If one goes the camera route to get images, one should invest in building a fixture to hold the camera properly and light it evenly. I have found in some cases the scanner cannot pick up some details very well such as screen values on the Machins. You need an more off axis light arrangement so it shows more clearly. Using VueScan and a complete black background it often gets the light wrong - less brightness. All valid points... trying to get a good picture of a stamp INMHO is balancing the cost of more expensive gear vs ease of setup.
Best route for me is trying to keep it simple....
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Post by blackcap on Apr 22, 2022 5:53:29 GMT
How do you actually post a picture on this forum? I go to upload images and then it asks me for username and password. But then it says that my email is invalid. Really confused.
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