Need Lighting Suggestions ASAP

[Darkhorse]

OK I'm taking photos of small metallic objects, maybe 600 at a time. I need to set up a production line to do this. Camera is mounted on a copy stand we cable shutter release. At work here in California I use powerful halogens and reflectors. They run HOT. This is a compact space so it needs to be small, and cool, and the lights must be available in France.

I've been trying to make some LED lights I got from Ikea work, but each light has a slightly different color temperature that it's making things complicated.

I need to figure this out ASAP.

 

[malcD]

check out kinoflo ---- you can light a whole studio or a cuboard

 

[ferider]

Check out "Photostudio in a box". Comes with two halogen lamps and a small backdrop.

 

[MartinP]

Do you mean one photo containing 600 small metal objects, or individual photos of 600 small metal objects, in repeated batches? If the latter then a couple of small flash guns/heads and a tabletop white-tent would be portable and repeatable. If the former, then a lot depends on the scale and layout and is beyond my previous experience (he said, relieved).

 

[Jamie123]

Is that 600 objects in one frame or 600 shot one after the other? What are the shots for? Does it have to look pretty or just be evenly illuminated? Are you shooting them on white, black, gray?

 

[Darkhorse]

individual photos of 600 medal objects, specifically coins of varying luster, shape, finish, etc. cramped quarters, i can't have anything large at all. i have the gooseneck led lights from ikea that are inconsistent - maybe i'll get lucky if i buy a lot of them since they're cheap, failing that i can tape a colored sheet of paper on the thing to try and even out the color to match the others. but i'm open to other ways of doing this.

 

[Jamie123]

individual photos of 600 medal objects, specifically coins of varying luster, shape, finish, etc. cramped quarters, i can't have anything large at all. i have the gooseneck led lights from ikea that are inconsistent - maybe i'll get lucky if i buy a lot of them since they're cheap, failing that i can tape a colored sheet of paper on the thing to try and even out the color to match the others. but i'm open to other ways of doing this.

Don't bother with DIY Ikea lighting idea. If color temp consistency is important to you that's really not a good idea. Getting the different LEDs to match will require a color meter, a whole bunch of different gel filters and hours of fussing around. Not worth it.
How much money do you have to spend? How about a small 4 or 8 tube Rololight kit? They're cheaper than Kinos and somewhat more modular. Dedolight also makes nice little spotlights. They run hot but they're small and very precise as you can focus them. Not cheap, though.
However, it seems like this job could also be easily done with strobes. Make a cone out of paper with an opening in the top for the lens and illuminate it from the sides.

 

[Darkhorse]

I think I've gotten good enough results from the LEDs, but I still haven't heard from my boss about whether he thinks they're acceptable. I was thinking the Ikea lamps because, as I said, these need to work in Europe. I also need to make this setup easy for someone with not a lot of photographic knowledge to use it... which also adds to my frustration right now.

 

[Jamie123]

I think I've gotten good enough results from the LEDs, but I still haven't heard from my boss about whether he thinks they're acceptable. I was thinking the Ikea lamps because, as I said, these need to work in Europe. I also need to make this setup easy for someone with not a lot of photographic knowledge to use it... which also adds to my frustration right now.

Why would you think other lights don't work in Europe???

 

[Roger Hicks]

Why would you think other lights don't work in Europe???

International standard voltage instead of 110v, maybe? But there are always transformers...

Cheers,

R.

 

[Darkhorse]

At this point shipping for our operations goes out tomorrow. We have transformers, but one of my coworkers destroyed many lights on the last trip using American lamps. So I'm apprehensive of getting something here and then shipping it over (even if I had time). This is all short notice for me as well.

I've never used strobes with coins, nor do I know anyone who ever has, really. Always continuous, and frequently DIY lighting. Such is the nature of the little niche I'm in.

 

[robbeiflex]

What about a battery powered flash light?

 

[Roger Hicks]

At this point shipping for our operations goes out tomorrow. We have transformers, but one of my coworkers destroyed many lights on the last trip using American lamps. So I'm apprehensive of getting something here and then shipping it over (even if I had time). This is all short notice for me as well.

I've never used strobes with coins, nor do I know anyone who ever has, really. Always continuous, and frequently DIY lighting. Such is the nature of the little niche I'm in.

How?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Darkhorse]

He said he fixed the problem by then end. I don't know, I think he may have been using the wrong bulbs.

Maybe I'm second guessing myself, I mean what I'm getting is OK I guess, but I need things more consistent otherwise I'll be spending more time post processing these images (and I have to use JPGs because I take so many photos that RAW is impractical). These are mostly for archives, but we get off customer requests for images.

Tests using LEDs:

Capturing luster is difficult. If I, for instance, place a coin in a coin and shine lights on the side it becomes completely flat.

 

[Darkhorse]

Two strobes - diffused. Keep the angles such that the angle between the camera and the surface of the coin does not come anywhere close to the angle between the surface of the coin and the strobe (Angle of Incidence = Angle of Reflection) Use low power settings and a tripod or copy stand for the camera and strobes; this will allow repeatability and give you very fast recycle times. Have a second and third set of good (Sanyo et al) NiMH batteries in chargers or AC adapters running the strobes. Sometimes a polarizing filter helps, but I've only used it when photographing sculpture with multiple aspects.
The whole thing will look very much like a traditional copy-stand set up.

Light, compact and very controllable.

Good luck

EDIT: Oh gawd... You are doing this digitally, aren't you?

My concern is with diffusing too much (see above). On a really busy day I can take upwards of 4000 photos. Could strobes handle that without ploughing through batteries? I can see how they might be useful, but getting acquainted with them in time is another (I don't know a lot about strobes). What strobes would you recommend? The camera is a Nikon

 

[Jamie123]

My concern is with diffusing too much (see above). On a really busy day I can take upwards of 4000 photos. Could strobes handle that without ploughing through batteries? I can see how they might be useful, but getting acquainted with them in time is another (I don't know a lot about strobes). What strobes would you recommend? The camera is a Nikon

If you're used to using continuous for coins stick with it. Strobes are nice but they (even low output ones) are much stronger than hot lights. Could be tricky to get selective lighting on a small scale and not have it spill everywhere. Batteries are not a problem, though, as you plug studio strobes into the wall.
You still haven't told us how much money you have to spend. If you have a decent budget I strongly advise you to consider a Dedolight kit. They are really amazing little lights. Four lights, the power pack and four tripods fit in a dedicated suitcase. Not light as a feather but easy enough to transport anywhere.

 

[Darkhorse]

I already have a more professional setup for this kind of thing, so we could feasibly buy the same for the French office. They're light by Kaiser in German, so getting European versions would be no sweat. But, like I said, they run hot and need to be used by someone who knows what they're doing, and I think I can assume the same for the Dedolight kit?

I'm trying to make this setup as consistent, and as simple, and as small, and as cool as possible. I may have to arrange it so people who are in this particular office (whatever their ability) can easily take a photo automatically, put markings on the copy stand to raise and lower for certain things, leave instructions etc. It's not ideal, and it's kind of frustrating, but sending me to do this every 5 weeks isn't an option for the company - flights hotel, per diem, too expensive.

Thanks for the ideas, everyone.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

http://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2011/01/led-lighting-im-finally-getting-handle.html and other January/February posts on his blog.

 

[Jamie123]

I already have a more professional setup for this kind of thing, so we could feasibly buy the same for the French office. They're light by Kaiser in German, so getting European versions would be no sweat. But, like I said, they run hot and need to be used by someone who knows what they're doing, and I think I can assume the same for the Dedolight kit?

Yes, the regular Tungsten Dedos do run hot after a while. They are worlds more sophisticated than the Kaiser lights but that sophistication might be a little complicated for someone who doesn't know what they're doing.
If you want to use LEDs that's good, too, but I would go with a more professional approach. I just saw that Dedo also makes a LED light which might be worth looking in to. Litepanel also makes a wide range of LED light sources.

 

[taskoni]

I would keep it simple - small softbox and reflectors (if the white background is good for you). Nice and easy...
Regards,
b.

P.S.
In Europe you can rent equipment and lights everywhere. I am sure you can find everything you need in France 🙂
Regards,
b.