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 Replies: 15 / Views: 3,599 |
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
am about to buy a USB microscope for taking photos of coins. most models say they can go up to 250x magnification, but is that really needed for coin photos?
Just a question to those with the equipment, what would be the usual maximum magnification for taking coin pictures? thanks
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2605 Posts |
Hey, Nic, haven't seen you on board for a while!
First of all the claim of 250X magnification oftentimes is unjustified. One usually regulates the mag. by the distance to the object. To get high one you pretty much need to place the lens on the coin - and see only little bit of it.
Second, make sure you get a big enough scope, otherwise you won't be able to take decent pics of even midsize coins in the whole.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Anything involving optics is "you get what you pay for." Quality optics are not cheap. Further, there is a compromise to be made between how much of the coin you can cover, and how clear the details will be. A "microscope" which can achieve full-face pictures of coins is neither as good as a typical digital camera at doing that same thing, nor as good as a microscope which can achieve quality images of smal areas of coins.
60x, maybe 90x max, is enough to illustrate the most obscure of features on any coin. If they advertise "capabilities" exceeding that, compromises are being made which will limit the instrument's capabilities in the sweet spot where you want quality images.
Max magnification for coin images? 40-60x. Minimum money for a quality microscopic imaging system which will not force you to learn image processing to make up for the optics' limitations? Brunel MX-1, which will set you back $US130 plus digicam attachments and higher-power lenses.
I don't know your goal. Do not expect results which will satisfy you for very long, unless you spend the price of a very nice coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
744 Posts |
Do you want a digital microscope for less that $50.00 that not only takes images but video at 35X.......this is all I use and I'll post a image with it.   |
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Valued Member
United States
313 Posts |
Wild Bill
That looks like a good piece of equipment for the price.I was thinking about a Dino Light?Can the zOrb take full pic's of Morgans?Is it simple to operate?I see on there web sight they have different models are any better then others?I have poor vision I have to find something better then magnifying glasses.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
744 Posts |
sorry I havn't gotten back so soon
i can only take an full quality image of about a quarter
i penny and nickel roll search and it works great for me
i hope this helps you out...WildBill
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Valued Member
United States
313 Posts |
Wild Bill
Thanks for the info,is it easy to use and take pic's with?
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Pillar of the Community
 Philippines
1156 Posts |
Thanks all, Thanks too Superdave, my objective really is just to get a whole picture of the coin suitable for sending to CCF or elsewhere via internet. Now I use my iPhone or a Nokia e63 cellphone that requires a steady hand, and too much procedures to get the image in my computer. A friend told me a USB microscope solves it all at less than a $100. So if a USB microscope can take a whole picture of a Morgan dollar, I'll go for it   Thanks again for the great info! |
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
Thanks svslav! the whole picture thing got me stuck up now and probably think about what you mentioned for another day before moving to buy one.  Yes, been busy repairing the house, had to move out in meantime, now living with lots of big carton boxes and coins and miscl all over the place or rather coins missplaced!  so not that well organized yet to log in at CCF regularly |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
744 Posts |
with the software that it comes with, its easy
you open the software, then it initializes the camera
you can either push the little button on top of the camera to take an image, or click on the video drop down menu that starts the video capture
it is almost idiot proof, so even I can use it
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
OK, Nic, then your primary objective is to get something which offers at least a 40mm field of view, big enough for a whole Morgan dollar at once. I'm guessing these small handhelds are not going to be able to achieve that. None of the DinoLites can come close, for instance. Not to mention the end product is likely going to be only 640x480, so the maximum coin image size will be 480 pixels, not really large enough to attempt grading from. Depending on what you really want for a result, it might be worth your while to consider a scanner. Less than $100 will buy one more than sufficient to image coins in absolutely stupid detail. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1374 Posts |
If you are looking at pen type "microscope" cameras, I wouldn't get the Celestron. Lighting is bad, even if you block all but one light... and pretty horrible optics.
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
I use a Celestron 44302 and it's OK for the money. A Dino-Lite is the way to go but it cost a lot more. If all your looking for is to take a whole pic of large coins why not get a regular digital camera?
John1 
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1374 Posts |
True, the Celestron is good for the money. I was spoiled using my jerry rigged 10MP camera with a loupe taped over the lense. That seems to be the real way to go.
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Valued Member
United States
313 Posts |
WildBill Ordered my zOrb today ,Thanks for the info. Fatboy |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
9163 Posts |
Will get mine tomorrow, might have to get WildBill to do a for dummies lesson.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 3,599 |
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Posted 01/28/2011 9:49 pm
