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How do you take various CUT pictures?

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DBM

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I tried doing a search for this in the posts but couldn''t find what i''m looking for.

I''m interested in posting the CUT images of diamonds that i have on my website. I don''t have an idealscope but instead have one of those pretty blue, red, and green scopes from AGS (the kind that look like they came as a freebie in a cereal box :) ) . Is there anyway to take a digital picture of the stone with just this scope?? i would imagine it requires some sort of machine or something....

My question isn''t just regarding the Ideal/AGS Scope. I''d love to post pics of my stones of Microscope View also as well as just a simple "hearts and arrows" in the natural white color-- essentially how can i make digital pics of varoius aspects of a diamond? Maybe my question is more of a CAmera industry question than a diamonds industry question..... Any advice is much appreciated. Thx!!
 

Regular Guy

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I''ll bet he''s spiffed his operation up, but if you do a search for an older post from Denver appraiser, I recall him saying something about a coke can, shoelaces, and other apparatus (not really, but it was semi-odd & detailed). Maybe he''ll stop by!
 

Regular Guy

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The original post I recalled is referenced here, but what you want is in the attached, and is closer to the truth than I realized.
 

Cehrabehra

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I made a funnel out of red construction paper and taped it to my camera around the lens to aproximate an idealscope once.... oooh so high tech!! Im' not sure how I'd tape an ASET since they're heavier lol

ETA: Maybe that's where the shoelaces come in!!! lol!
 

DBM

Shiny_Rock
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Thx guys. I''m tinkering around now.

with the ASET it''s pretty much impossible i think because the viewing eyehole is so small... i''m trying removing the Blue top of it now... will let you know :)
 

DBM

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you guys are the best! :)

haven''t figured it out yet with the ASET but i happened to find another H&A doohicky lying around the office and it''s pretty good i think. pics below

DSCN0580.JPG
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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belle

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good job daniel, you''re on your way to some great pics!
36.gif

here''s is a visual of neils setup described in that thread

ModifiedASET_1.JPG
 

DBM

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this is awesome. thank you all so much! i had no idea these pics could be taken with a regular digital camera. i was thinking i needed some kind of $1000 machine or something :)
 

denverappraiser

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That was quite the Rube Goldberg setup although actually it worked pretty well. I’ve upgraded several times since then, most importantly when the desktop version came out I bought one immediately. I stopped working on it at that point. If you must use the little shotglass version, you can snap off the blue part at the base of the ASET and the lens just unscrews from the inside. The placement of the stone and the leveling is really the tricky part and the reason that I abandoned that strategy. The sandwich wrap stage is a marginal approach, especially if you’re trying to take advertising quality photos.


If you’re serious, buy the desktop model. Jim at AGS says they''re working on a photographic model and it may be worth asking him how that''s going.


Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
 

DBM

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Date: 12/8/2006 2:39:27 PM
Author: denverappraiser

That was quite the Rube Goldberg setup although actually it worked pretty well. I’ve upgraded several times since then, most importantly when the desktop version came out I bought one immediately. I stopped working on it at that point. If you must use the little shotglass version, you can snap off the blue part at the base of the ASET and the lens just unscrews from the inside. The placement of the stone and the leveling is really the tricky part and the reason that I abandoned that strategy. The sandwich wrap stage is a marginal approach, especially if you’re trying to take advertising quality photos.



If you’re serious, buy the desktop model. Jim at AGS says they''re working on a photographic model and it may be worth asking him how that''s going.



Neil Beaty
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Professional Appraisals in Denver
I see what you mean about the leveling. Gary''s technique is great except that i dont have a fold out monitor screen to see what picture i''m taking as the camera is turned upside down with the ASET scope, Plastic, and diamond on top. I''ll definitely look into the desktop version of the ASET. thx
 

Regular Guy

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I think I know what the Borg would say about Daniel''s development.
 

belle

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Date: 12/8/2006 2:57:13 PM
Author: Regular Guy
I think I know what the Borg would say about Daniel''s development.
hehehehehe....
i think it''s true for anyone on ps.
27.gif
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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Date: 12/8/2006 2:48:14 PM
Author: DBM

Date: 12/8/2006 2:39:27 PM
Author: denverappraiser


That was quite the Rube Goldberg setup although actually it worked pretty well. I’ve upgraded several times since then, most importantly when the desktop version came out I bought one immediately. I stopped working on it at that point. If you must use the little shotglass version, you can snap off the blue part at the base of the ASET and the lens just unscrews from the inside. The placement of the stone and the leveling is really the tricky part and the reason that I abandoned that strategy. The sandwich wrap stage is a marginal approach, especially if you’re trying to take advertising quality photos.




If you’re serious, buy the desktop model. Jim at AGS says they''re working on a photographic model and it may be worth asking him how that''s going.




Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
I see what you mean about the leveling. Gary''s technique is great except that i dont have a fold out monitor screen to see what picture i''m taking as the camera is turned upside down with the ASET scope, Plastic, and diamond on top. I''ll definitely look into the desktop version of the ASET. thx
You cant use the ideal light tray and take the photo the other way up Daniel?

It is really very simple with most cameras - you need not remove the lens etc - you may need to zoom - but not use macro
 

denverappraiser

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I still take my photos with the desktop from below but you don’t really need the monitor on the camera if you’re using the autofocus feature. I like it better because it's so much bigger and because the optics of the piece of glass are better than with saranwrap.

I"m with Garry that with the little one, the best pics from above and just work at the whole leveling problem 'til you get it right.

Aren’t you glad digital ‘film’ is free and it’s easy to throw out the ones you’re not happy with.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver


 

JulieN

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Is the cheapo, cereal box ASET the one in the silver tube?

I think it''s kinda sexy.
7.gif
 

RockDoc

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Date: 12/8/2006 5:29:50 PM
Author: denverappraiser
Nah,

Neil Beaty
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Professional Appraisals in Denver
Neil,


Is this photo of a shot with the desktop?

The light source is critical, and you have to make sure you have a cover that seals off external light getting in around the sides of the "black up thingy". In your shot it appears that you have too much light over the stone. You could also raise the light farther away, as that could help too.

Focus the camera on the outer ends of the arrows.

See if that helps.

Rockdoc
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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Date: 12/8/2006 9:37:06 PM
Author: denverappraiser
I admit it, that picture was just for the purpose of tweaking Garry. It took a little bit of photoshopping to get it to look that way.

Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver

You pulling my leg now Neil
3.gif


Surely you dont think that is a good image?
38.gif


I totally thought you meant "Nah, cant get good photo''s yet"
The depth of feild is very restrictive
 

denverappraiser

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Date: 12/8/2006 11:47:13 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

You pulling my leg now Neil
3.gif


Surely you dont think that is a good image?
38.gif


I totally thought you meant 'Nah, cant get good photo's yet'
The depth of feild is very restrictive

Garry,


I pulled that off my hard disk from my rather large collection of crappy pictures. I'm at home at the moment but I'll try to ost a better one from the office although we are probably looking for different things when we certify an image as 'good'. No, I'm not particularly pleased with that one.

My problem with the pictures using the handheld setups is not that they aren’t pretty but that they aren't reproducible. Changing the way the stone is placed in relation to the cone by even a few millimeters makes a considerable difference in the final image, especially with mounted goods. Since the objective is generally to look at the image out of context and draw some conclusions about the cutting, this adds a considerable variable that isn’t present (as much) with pictures taken with the desktop model. A ‘standardized’ and recognizable approach to generating the images is, in my opinion, clearly called for before this can become the broad selling tool that it has the potential for and I think the desktop is closer to that goal than the handheld. As a documenting tool for appraisers, where we take our own image and consequently know the details of how it was done, I find it extremely useful. The end result must be both pretty and useful or it won’t be a success. I look forward to seeing what Jim comes up with but, for now, I’m much happier with the desktop.
Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA(AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver
 

DBM

Shiny_Rock
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Date: 12/8/2006 3:24:41 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)

You cant use the ideal light tray and take the photo the other way up Daniel?

It is really very simple with most cameras - you need not remove the lens etc - you may need to zoom - but not use macro

Yes i guess i''m going to have to get an idealLight for the ASET.

thx for also letting me konw about not needing macro mode, i wasn''t sure.
 

DBM

Shiny_Rock
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Date: 12/8/2006 2:57:13 PM
Author: Regular Guy
I think I know what the Borg would say about Daniel''s development.

who''s THE BORG?
 

Garry H (Cut Nut)

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Date: 12/9/2006 6:02:38 PM
Author: DBM

Date: 12/8/2006 3:24:41 PM
Author: Garry H (Cut Nut)


You cant use the ideal light tray and take the photo the other way up Daniel?

It is really very simple with most cameras - you need not remove the lens etc - you may need to zoom - but not use macro

Yes i guess i''m going to have to get an idealLight for the ASET.

thx for also letting me konw about not needing macro mode, i wasn''t sure.
I think with that set up and a small lens type hand held inexpensive camera you can overcome the problems Neil is having Daniel.

Have you tried that Neil?
It seems like such a simple and obvious solution
 

Regular Guy

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Date: 12/9/2006 6:03:22 PM
Author: DBM

Date: 12/8/2006 2:57:13 PM
Author: Regular Guy
I think I know what the Borg would say about Daniel''s development.

who''s THE BORG?
Wikipedia seems to do a pretty good job.

Imagined quote: "he is one of us."
 

DBM

Shiny_Rock
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Date: 12/9/2006 7:49:44 PM
Author: Regular Guy

Date: 12/9/2006 6:03:22 PM
Author: DBM


Date: 12/8/2006 2:57:13 PM
Author: Regular Guy
I think I know what the Borg would say about Daniel''s development.

who''s THE BORG?
Wikipedia seems to do a pretty good job.

Imagined quote: ''he is one of us.''

adapt and overcome i guess :)
 

denverappraiser

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Here’s my problem with the current state of ASET photography as a selling tool. These images are all of the same stone. one have been retouched other than cropping. The top two were both taken through the desktop unit and the difference is in the diffuser used and the size of the black shield covering the back of the stone. The bottom row were taken through the handheld. The one on the left was from above, the one on the right from below.


What can we conclude about the stone (as opposed to about the photographer) from these images? It’s at least pretty good, that much is clear in all of them but is it a rocking super-ideal? Why or why not? Given one of these images without the explanation of how it was produced, what needs to be considered unreliable data in making a conclusion? Put another way, taken in isolation and with no details provided, would these images lead to different conclusions?


Neil Beaty
GG(GIA) ICGA (AGS) NAJA
Professional Appraisals in Denver



ASET-4pics.gif
 
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