Dirt Cheap Coin Microscope Build - Amazing Results - Video

I made the setup at instructables.com awhile ago. it worked OK, but I wanted to make it even more simple. I eliminated the need for a slide that has to be inserted into the mechanism.

Following is a documentation of my first experimental setup


http://goccf.com/t/243488

When I saw this way worked, I took another piece of plexi from a picture frame, carefully cut it out to look nicer, made the hole for the lens again, and then glued the plexi-with-lens to the bottom of an iphone 4s case.

The bottle caps and CD were just to get the phone high enough to focus.

And right now I find all I need to do is find a thin book of the correct height (trial and error) for the system to be focused when the iphone is laid on top of the book with the coin in position to be photographed.

The lighting is amazingly not as crucial as the iphone can make ambient light work pretty well. I use a desk lamp at night.

I defer to your better education on the subject. Thank you for this. I do not even know what an MFT camera is without using google (though I do understand the concept of the larger sensor)!

I do not remember now (been a long time), if I had copy/pasted the pics as they were, or if I read the instructable and labeled the pics from the text there.

My only use for this build is to photograph Morgan dollars (slabs). What would be your recommendations eliminating parts? Thanks, Ham.

Thanks Earle42. I am not interested in magnification, just good photos of the slabbed coin. The remote shutter button you suggest for $.99 is from China, right. U.S. has them for around $4 or $5. I have all the parts for the original design suggested here. I think I'll eliminate the parts used for magnification. Would I need the light then?

I can't believe that I never saw this before.
I went to the dollar store on my lunch break and picked up a laser pointer for $1.06. I did not have the other necessary supplies, but I couldn't wait. I improvised

And was amazed at what could be done.
A Canadian 1859/8 large cent

An 1840 Seated dime just to show my wife.

I will be improving my setup.
This is awesome and it cost almost nothing!

@BigSilver - this is great! It looks looks like the top from a red pepper or other spice jar is jolding you lens. Was it a snug fit? If not, how did you get it to hold the lens?

Also, I cannot make out what the blue thing is on top?

Good improv with that spice jar lid! I wish I had thought of this before cutting/drilling the plastic. There are just so many things we ave in our modern society that it seems something better can always be found if we just think outside the box. This is why my wife does not like to be with me in a store. I don't see what is front of me for the purpose its being offered. To me its a like a game to figure out new uses.

I assume you know of instructables.com? If not, be ready to spend a lot of time at the website.

I check there now before I start every project. In fact you can even find out how to simple-fix a dead car battery (providing all cells are OK). My battery "died" 2.5 years ago. But it was repaired and is till going strong... that's 100.00 I saved that can be put into coins