Anyone use one of these for taking pics?

[Foro Di Mario]

Has anyone used one of these to take shots of your coins? Any thoughts?
[LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN]

[dougsmit]

Before buying something of this sort, check to see what the range of focus produces in terms of the field of view.  Some such units fill the frame at the largest with something smaller than many coins so it might work for obols but not tetradrachms. 

[PeterD]

I've tried one - differently badged but basically looks the same. Don't bother! Pictures are awful. You can get a coin to fill the screen but no more magnification than that.

[SC]

In Europe both Leuchtturm (Lighthouse in North America) and Lindner are offering digital microscopes for 99 Euro.  Has anyone tried using these for photos??

Shawn

[Barabus]

 I have been looking at the one on the following link,it also has macro setting!

http://www.amazon.com/IPEVO-Point-View-USB-Camera/dp/B002UBPBTC/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_ex

[SC]

These are the ones I am speaking of:

http://www.leuchtturm.com/epages/leuchtturm_eu.sf/en_EU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/leuchtturm_eu/Products/313154

and

http://www.lindner-usa.com/shop/lindner-usb-digital-microscope.html?___store=pg5_englisch

They appear to be the same item just sold by two different numismatic supply companies.

It is a digital microscope/camera with 20x-200x and 2.0 megapixels.

It looks great for getting close up views.  However, I would like one that can also get a shot of the entire coin and if these begin at 20X and work up that might not be possible.

Anyone own one of these???

Shawn

[PeterD]

Shawn,

These two look identical to the one I tried, just a different 'badge'. The Lindner write-up claims 2 mega pixel 'optical' resolution, but multiply 1260 x 960 and you get less than 1.3 mega pixels actual resolution. The 'zoom' is the silver bit in the middle of the body, but it's not really a zoom, it's a focus. You can put an object 10 feet away and focus on it and you bring the object right up to the camera and focus on it. That's what they mean by a 'zoom'!

[SC]

Peter,

You are right.  I played with one at the Lindner store yesterday - but they had none for sale.

It has no real zoom just a very wide-ranging focus.  You can stick the end less than 1 cm from a coin and get a very close-up shot or father away.  At max extension on its stand, it would just show an entire AE4 module, but by putting it on a 2" tall book it would show an entire sestertius module.

It has a ring of led lights around the head that provide decent illumination though I am sure you can add your own lighting instead.

As it plugs right into the computer and you take an image by simply clicking the button on the side it does seem like one of the easiest ways to take images - maybe not super quality but certainly better than the junk I have produced hitherto.

I think I will get one when they come in stock here.

Shawn

[SC]

I found a Lindner USB microscope in stock at another shop, bought it and set it up at home last night.  A bit fiddly to use and will take some practice.  Also the LED lights seem to need to be supplemented by other lighting and so my evening work in the living room was not stellar.  Neveretheless here are some quick sample shots of a Julian II Vota from Antioch which I recently picked up.

The first shows the obverse in full frame and required me to set the USB microscope up on a book and view down on the coin to be able to get it all in.  The second is a close-up of Julian's face taken with the micrscope end about 2cm from the coin.

Shawn