Author Topic: stereo coins (Read 3537 times)

dougsmit · « **on:** March 26, 2011, 01:30:11 pm »

I began playing around again with the idea of shooting coins in 3D. Some coins have high enough relief to make it worthwhile but you can always tilt a coin to add to the effect and show the edge if the coin has an interesting one. To take a 3D, one must shoot the same coin from two slightly different angles separated by approximately the separation of two human eyes.

A problem is that you must learn to freeview stereo pairs or buy some sort of viewer that delivers the left and right images to the proper eye. I collect old stereoviews (popular 1850-1950) which require images mounted parallel fashion (right image on right side) but some people find it easier to view if they cross their eyes and look at the right image with the left eye. I decided to try to produce images that could be viewed either way so I made sets of three consisting of a right eye image in the middle and the left image on both the left (for use by parallel viewers) and the right (for eye crossers). Of course the extra set will confuse the view a bit. The question is whether this helps or hurts more people. I'm not yet skilled in lighting the coins so there is not glares in different spots that make the 3D view confusing.

This site gives instructions for viewing:
http://www.stereoscopy.com/faq/freeviewing.html

Samples:
Datames stater

Aigina:

Worth pursuing or waste of time?

Dino · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2011, 01:49:24 pm »

Great photos, but i've stared at them every which way and have only succeeded in getting strange looks from my dog.

rover1.3 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2011, 02:00:29 pm »

Congratulations on this really great idea, it works very well. Really impressive!

My best wishes

moonmoth · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2011, 03:49:03 pm »

I like that - genuine 3-D! To see them I just defocus to the right extent, like viewing those "magic eye" images that were popular in the 1990s.

Bill

rover1.3 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 26, 2011, 07:03:10 pm »

The more i glance at these, the more I like the idea and the results.

I had no problem observing the images for a long time without unwanted results such as dizziness etc.

The tilt on the first coin gives a really interesting view, the area of the countermark and the test cut looks great, adding to the sense of depth, I appreciate the highlighted area on the left side of countermark's depth, adds depth too, because of the contrast between this area and darker areas around. The edge view is very uncommon and interesting and gives a good idea on how the coin looks in hand.

The relief of the turtle on the Aigina looks exceptional. The depth on the reverse incuse square's compartments is outstanding, while we can really feel
the thickness of the coin, being on a tight, thick flan.

I think you have done a great job, and very clever choices also. You have chosen coins that they enhance the 3d effect, and been enhanced by that.
I would love to observe more examples in the future, it is really worth.

Best regards

Randygeki(h2) · « **Reply #5 on:** March 26, 2011, 07:35:08 pm »

Very cool! I would have like to have done this, but wasnt sure how to go about it. Some coins you just need to seed with both eyes(in 3d)

Great job!

dougsmit · « **Reply #6 on:** March 26, 2011, 11:29:56 pm »

I am discovering that some coins benefit nothing at all from the stereo while others are interesting.

Athens 4dr

C. Sulpicius denarius

Dino · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2011, 06:44:23 am »

Finally got it. Very cool. Amazing how easy it is to see after youbget the hang of it

Dino · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2011, 06:46:08 am »

I like the turtle the best.

dougsmit · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2011, 07:11:55 am »

Quote from: Dino on March 27, 2011, 06:46:08 am

I like the turtle the best.

The turtle is one of my favorite coins. It speaks volumes about what coinage was before we got so hung up on mass production, roundness and stackability. I bought it for the claws.

renegade3220 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2011, 09:16:45 am »

Looks great! One question though, since I seem to see these things differently from most people, from what i have been told before...

When you get it to give the 3D effect are you only supposed to see one image? Do the three superimpose on themselves? I can get a 3D effect, but I end up seeing 4 coins side by side all popping out.

rover1.3 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2011, 09:41:53 am »

I frequently read this " Unfortunately, the photo can't capture the amazing relief and the feel of this coin in hand "
This problem doesn't exist anymore.

Aarmale · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:10:04 am »

Wow, very interesting technique!

Randygeki(h2) · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2011, 01:47:16 pm »

I imagine it would help the details and patina (or rainbow patinas) that are tough to get good photos of, come out better. Something like this one. I'll have to gve it a try

dougsmit · « **Reply #14 on:** March 27, 2011, 02:49:44 pm »

Quote from: renegade3220 on March 27, 2011, 09:16:45 am

Looks great! One question though, since I seem to see these things differently from most people, from what i have been told before...

When you get it to give the 3D effect are you only supposed to see one image? Do the three superimpose on themselves? I can get a 3D effect, but I end up seeing 4 coins side by side all popping out.

I caused confusion by trying to please everyone. Usually a stereo pair is two images but you have to arrange the pair according to what viewing technique will be used. Old stereo views and my preference is called parallel viewing with the right eye image on the right side. Some modern stereo workers prefer to view by mounting the images reversed and cross their eyes to allow the 3D effect. I posted three images with the middle one being the ight eye and both outside images the left. That allows the viewer to see 3D no matter which technique is used but it also places additional 'wrong images' in sight. If you view the above by the parralel method you will see four coins across. The outer two are the flat images, the second from the left is the correct 3D and the second from the right is 3D but everything near looks to be far and far looks to be near. This is most obvious on the Owl tet where the wrong image appears to have a test cut projecting abover the surface. Cross eye viewers will see the two center images reversed.

Everyone should own a stereo viewer. Most houses had one in 1900 give or take a vew decades before pictures in magazines and motion pictures caused the fad to go out of fashion. There were many types but most were baffled so the wrong eye could not see the wrong image so the brain only saw one, 3D result.
http://cprr.org/Museum/Ephemera/Stereo-Viewers.html

Of all my web pages, the most ignored was my call for information on the history of coin photography.
http://dougsmith.ancients.info/sterphot.html
No one ever reported an earlier coin photo or even wrote to say I was seeing things calling the things coins (let alone Postumus). I'll repost the image here and ask you to tell me if yo see a coin photograph before 1860.

moonmoth · « **Reply #15 on:** March 27, 2011, 04:59:01 pm »

They certainly do look like coins. Those to the right and left clearly look lke radiates, quite possibly Postumus. The one on the left might be Allectus.

Bill

dougsmit · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2011, 06:41:14 pm »

Two more that offer something different in 3D:
Andronicus I (Will HBO ever dare to make a movie of his story?)

Probus

TheEmpireNeverEnded · « **Reply #17 on:** June 09, 2012, 01:51:47 am »

Any chance that you did more of these? I just found them now and I can't get enough! I'm blown away!

dougsmit · « **Reply #18 on:** June 09, 2012, 07:30:04 am »

Actually, I have done no more recently. The problem with people expecting the images to be delivered in the format they see (crosseye or parallel) makes it twice as much work but still many people can not see the relief since there is a learning curve to being able to see 3D. I not these same problems in the current 3D movie fad where there is more than one system for theater and TV and different glasses required to see all the formats. Printed books have the advantage of being able to slip a prism viewer in the pocket of the book but online I have to ask each viewer to learn something or own something I can't provide online.

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Author Topic: stereo coins (Read 3537 times)