Is there a computer camera,like a web cam,to take coin photos?

[Barabus]

 I was wondering if there was a camera like a web cam that you could use to take close up photos of coins? It should come with a program to allow you to download straight to your computer.I've seen some very good coin photos here that were taken by cell phones and I figure there should be a computer camera that would do the same.

[areich]

Every digital camera allows you to copy the pictures over to a computer and most of them have a macro function.

[Barabus]

 Thank you! I have a SVP digital now for about a year,but have not used it or downloaded it's program.The booklet of instructions is very hard to understand for this 65 year old and I can't find anyone personally who can help. I am trying to find a used tripod to use because my hands shake so much,then I will try to use it.

  My question is will the program let me view the image of the coin before a picture is taken and can I capture this image straight to my computer without having to take photo without having to take the picture with the camera and then transferring to my computer. Not only am I ignorant about digital cameras,but have very limited knowledge about computers.

  Thank you!

[areich]

That is a good question, I'm pretty sure that's a feature only the more expensive SLRs have.
It's really a pain to discover, after taking 50 pictures that look fine on the camera's little screen, that you got the lighting wrong and they're useless. Happens to me all the time but it's a really big investment.
I would also like to know which camera is best for that.

It would need a fairly long cable to reach my copy stand and I'd like to be able to take a picture, view it immediately
so I can make adjustments to lighting etc. on the fly.

You can't however, transfer a picture that the camera hasn't actually taken yet.

[Barabus]

  Well Bummer! I just reread my booklet for the operation of my camera I purchased last year.Its for windows 2000,xp and vista. My computer crashed a couple a months ago and I purchased a new one that has windows 7 so they are not compatible! Its a shame aqlso because it says that it can be used as a computer cam!

[Andrew McCabe]

  Well Bummer! I just reread my booklet for the operation of my camera I purchased last year.Its for windows 2000,xp and vista. My computer crashed a couple a months ago and I purchased a new one that has windows 7 so they are not compatible! Its a shame aqlso because it says that it can be used as a computer cam!

Cameras are much simpler than that. All cameras today are compatible with all computers. It doesn't matter what software your computer uses.

All you need to get the photos onto your PC is to open the camera, take out the chip, stick the chip into a $10 USB adaptor (available in every camera store in the world), and plug the USB adaptor into the computer. You don't need any instruction booklet to do this. Just open the cover on your camera and you will see a chip you can take out, and once you've bought your $10 USB adaptor you will find where the chip fits (there is usually several different slots for different shape chips).

Your computer will immediately notice what you have done and helpfully ask if you want to open the files on the chip, or to import pictures to your computer (and one or two other options). You click which one you want, and you see your photos. This is exactly the same whether your computer runs XP, Vista or Windows 7, and for all brands of chip in all types of camera.

Since storage space on camera chips today is enormous and very cheap, you don't need to preview with a wire attached to your camera. Just take a few shots, take out the chip (takes 5 seconds) put into your USB adaptor and seconds later you can see the photos you just took. If you don't like the pictures just try a few more times until you get ones you like.

It is easy-peasy. No booklet needed. All cameras work the same way with all computer types. Just try it.

[Mark Z]

Barabus,

You should be able to use your camera and accompanying software program with your current OS since there is most likely "backwards compatibility" built into Windows 7 to accommodate earlier versions of software for most popular applications.

Have you tried uploading the software program yet?

mz

[Andrew McCabe]

Barabus,

You should be able to use your camera and accompanying software program with your current OS since there is most likely "backwards compatibility" built into Windows 7 to accommodate earlier versions of software for most popular applications.

Have you tried uploading the software program yet?

mz

MZ

Ref. my above reply, and to avoid confusing Barabus - no software is needed to get camera pictures onto a computer today (or indeed any time in the last decade).

Andrew

[Mark Z]

Barabus,

You should be able to use your camera and accompanying software program with your current OS since there is most likely "backwards compatibility" built into Windows 7 to accommodate earlier versions of software for most popular applications.

Have you tried uploading the software program yet?

mz

MZ

Ref. my above reply, and to avoid confusing Barabus - no software is needed to get camera pictures onto a computer today (or indeed any time in the last decade).

Andrew

Andrew,

Yes, you are correct!

I hadn't thought of that.

He could just "plug and play," couldn't he?

mz

[areich]

For most cameras you do not need to remove that memory card and buy an adaptor, you can just connect the camera via USB
cable, usually included, and the computer will recognize it, just as if it were a USB stick.

[PeterD]

Since storage space on camera chips today is enormous and very cheap, you don't need to preview with a wire attached to your camera. Just take a few shots, take out the chip (takes 5 seconds) put into your USB adaptor and seconds later you can see the photos you just took. If you don't like the pictures just try a few more times until you get ones you like.

Yes but it would be nice if you could preview an image on a large computer screen so as to finely adjust the lighting before you actually took the picture. Downloading pictures is quite fast, but doing it several times to get a shot right is a bit of an irritation.

[Andrew McCabe]

Yes but it would be nice if you could preview an image on a large computer screen so as to finely adjust the lighting before you actually took the picture. Downloading pictures is quite fast, but doing it several times to get a shot right is a bit of an irritation.

Indeed, but if you carefully read Barabus' posts you can see that Barabus is looking for exceptionally simple technology-related advice.

I know in principle you are right and being helpful, but there is a consistent trend on this group that any question related to Photography will in the end be answered by the most complex and difficult answer, involving lighting jigs and angling, perspex boxes, f numbers, DSLR lens choices, editing software, clamps, cabling and computer set-ups. This can be very off-putting to technophobes such as myself (yet I've managed to take thousands of good quality coin photos whilst knowing none of these things) and extremely off-putting to those in mortal fear of technology.

My method:

• Buy any reasonable point-and-shoot camera of well-known brand, costing $200 or so
  
• Attach it to a 6 inch tripod that typically costs $10 or $20
  
• Find the camera's Macro function (usually there is a little flower to show it)
  
• Choose a window in gentle morning light, not direct sunshine
  
• Place coin on matt surface
  
• Take a few shots from different angles
  
• Transfer to computer using a $10 adaptor as I described
  
• Use simple software such as photo-filtre or MS photo-editor to auto-adjust contrast and exposure
  
• Choose the best obverse and the best reverse
  
• Use simple software to crop the pictures and attach the obverse and reverse side by side
  

For most cameras you do not need to remove that memory card and buy an adaptor, you can just connect the camera via USB
cable, usually included, and the computer will recognize it, just as if it were a USB stick.

This requires that you don't lose the cable, because the cable connections are usually proprietary to a specific camera type. I've hundreds of black cables at home, most probably belonging to VCRs I threw out 10 years ago. They all look the same to me. If you want to go really really simple then cut out all proprietary equipment and use the adaptor method, which are non-proprietary. If you mislay the adaptor, just get another one. It is really quick too. Seconds.

I wish someday someone would support my crusade for simple photography, but I think it is ingrained in the DNA of numismatists to always look for a more complex solution.

[Danny S. Jones]

Yes but it would be nice if you could preview an image on a large computer screen so as to finely adjust the lighting before you actually took the picture.

What you are talking about is called tethered shooting. As Andreas has already stated there are several high end digital SLR cameras that can preform this task. A webcam can do this, but the quality will be shoddy at best and the camera adjustments are non-existent. Canon SLRs with the Live View function are able to connect with your computer with Canon's free software, Digital Photo Professional, to show the actual view through the lens on your computer screen. The camera software allows complete manual control from your computer with just the click of the mouse. You can fine tune the focus at magnifications up to 200%. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and exposure compensation can all be controlled with the click of the mouse.

Nikon DSLR cameras do not provide free software to shoot tethered, but you can purchase Nikon's Camera Control Pro.  There are other third party programs on the market that will allow tethered shooting with compatible DSLRs such as Adobe Lightroom, Capture One and Apple's Aperture 2. These are programs mostly used in a studio setting where the client gets to view, select, and purchase their photos immediately, but they work wonderfully for macro photography. (I recently started shooting all my coin photos tethered.)

Another recent advancement in the photography world is wireless tethering with some newer model cameras having built in wireless capabilities, or at least having an optional wireless attachment.

Even though prices are dropping, and some of the less expensive DSLR camera models are offering tethered shooting capabilities, it is still a costly to purchase the equipment and software needed, and there is no inexpensive alternative to my knowledge (for now). If anyone knows of an inexpensive way to shoot tethered, please illumine me.

Respectfully,
Danny

[Andrew McCabe]

... tethered shooting. .... several high end digital SLR cameras that can ... Live View function ... able to connect with your computer with ... Digital Photo Professional, to ... allows complete manual control .... fine tune the focus at magnifications up to 200%. Aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and exposure compensation ... Nikon's Camera Control Pro... third party programs on the market .... tethered shooting with compatible DSLRs such as Adobe Lightroom, Capture One and Apple's Aperture 2.... mostly used in a studio setting ... client gets to view, select, and purchase their photos immediately ... work wonderfully for macro photography.... wireless tethering ... wireless capabilities, or ... optional wireless attachment. .... costly to purchase the equipment and software needed,...  no inexpensive alternative to my knowledge....

I hope someone other than myself can see the amusing side of Danny's post coming straight after my appeal that we don't answer Barbarus with a post of this nature.

I know Danny means to help!

[areich]

These are standard cables, regular USB on one side, Mini-USB on the other.
At least that was the case for all the cameras I have used, 5 different ones.

[Andrew McCabe]

These are standard cables, regular USB on one side, Mini-USB on the other.
At least that was the case for all the cameras I have used, 5 different ones.

I've not had this happy experience. Mini-USBs seem to come in a variety of shaped connectors. The last time I tried to battle with finding a camera cable (and I don't ever intend to again) I found that my mini-USB in home A matched my camera which was in home B. I'd say "and vica-versa" except that I never found the other cable. These were recently built cameras.

What adds to the complexity is that blackberry's and mobile phones also use these small, and easily lost, black wires with mini-USBs at one end that are incompatible with other devices. At least phones will be standardised from 2011 onwards. My eyesight is a little poor and tiny cable connections are generally a nightmare for me.

[areich]

Luckily I got 2 of both the cable and the charger from when my last camera was stolen. 

[PeterD]

Indeed, but if you carefully read Barabus' posts you can see that Barabus is looking for exceptionally simple technology-related advice.

Actually Barabus did ask that very question:

My question is will the program let me view the image of the coin before a picture is taken and can I capture this image straight to my computer without having to take photo without having to take the picture with the camera and then transferring to my computer.

In any case, Danny's answer was helpful to me if not to Barabus.

[Danny S. Jones]

I hope someone other than myself can see the amusing side of Danny's post coming straight after my appeal that we don't answer Barbarus with a post of this nature.

I know Danny means to help!

Andrew,
I obviously missed reading your previous post before I posted my own. Regardless, my response was directed towards Peter's statement, and others here who might be interested in this type of setup. I understand that Barbarus probably isn't. The technology that is off-putting and fearful to you is a passion and hobby for others.

I must admit however that proper lighting and angle are the most important factors in coin photography, regardless of the equipment. Your simple and cheap approach to photography can produce perfectly adequate pictures, as demonstrated by your own coin photos. Good photos come from good photographers, not necessarily good cameras. I myself, for instance, have an entire portrait studio full of equipment on which I have spent more than I care to say. Still, I have yet to perfect a simple coin photo.

Happy to oblige in the amusement of FORVM members,
Danny

[Barabus]

 I believe all of your comments help me to understand my confusion with my camera,especially the fact that my windows 7 will accomodate my cameras program. My camera is a SVP 8368,xthinn with 0.0 mp max digitl camera,3x opticl zoom,4x digital zoom with a macro setting. I think what I need to do now is try to download the program and see what happens! By the way the camera costs $100.00 new.
 
 Thank you all so very much for trying to help an old man understand new technology!

[areich]

You may not need the program at all, often these are not very good.
Just plug it in, turn it on and Windows should recognize it as a removable drive.

[Sosius]

Thank you! I have a SVP digital now for about a year,but have not used it or downloaded it's program.The booklet of instructions is very hard to understand for this 65 year old and I can't find anyone personally who can help. I am trying to find a used tripod to use because my hands shake so much,then I will try to use it.

  My question is will the program let me view the image of the coin before a picture is taken and can I capture this image straight to my computer without having to take photo without having to take the picture with the camera and then transferring to my computer. Not only am I ignorant about digital cameras,but have very limited knowledge about computers.

  Thank you!

Hi Barabus,

If you want to view the image on-screen before you snap the picture, you should check out the Celestron 44302 Handheld Digital Microscope (see Amazon.com).  Using your webcam software, it allows you to view your coin on-screen before  you snap the picture.  The pictures are not as good as with a nice DSLR, but I think they are adequate for a hobbyist.  It also comes in handy when trying to ID a coin.  I recently used it to blow up a 12MM coin to about 10" x 10" on my computer screen.  My only complaint is that the LED lights that it uses create glare on the coin.  If you used the microscope in a room with plenty of daylighting, this probably would not a problem, but I have only used mine at night so far. 

Good luck, and let me know if I can get you any additional info.

Regards,
Cliff

[Barabus]

 That sounds nice,but why isn't there a program that lets you see the coin on your computer and capture the screen image? Surely its not that hard to do for a smart programmer!

[James Anderson]

I had such such a contraption once. I can't remember what it was called, but it was sold by Edmund Scientific. It was very difficult to focus and I think it has now been discontinued. I have a Sunpak 7001DX tripod which I have found to be sturdy and quite adequate for my purposes. Current equivalent apparently is the 8001UT, available from Amazon and many camera stores for less than $20. A hand tremor from early childhood makes it difficult for me to use a hand held camera, and age hasn't helped (I'll be 72 next week). With a two second delay and a wireless remote I can make sharp images with no blurring. Strongly recommended if your camera supports these features. Jim A

I missed the comment about the Celestron 44302. It sounds like a better equivalent of what I had. While there are programs that let you control some cameras from a computer, the many different types of cameras and computers would probably make an image preview on the computer impractical.

[Barabus]

 I have found a digital cam that is ajustable and has a macro setting for $69.00 that I willl purchase.Thanks every one for your help!