Hey guys I was wondering if anyone has used a webcam to view your coins as you inspect them with your monitor. The eyes are getting worse and I was thinking that with this HD monitor that it might be possible to get a good enlarged image with a webcam ? But I don't want to buy one if it wont help of course. Thanks, Gary
I can't see this possibly helpful as most web cams are stumped by the crappiest of digital cameras. My sisters Hello Kitty digital camera takes far better pictures then my web cam. If you are eye balls are not as MS67 as they use to be , maybe you should opt for a 5X loupe or even a 10x triplet. I do sometimes use my scanner bed to study bank notes and various coins as they appear nicely on my monitor as you mentioned.
Do a search for USB microscopes. Most display the image on the screen and you can take stills from them to post. I'm looking into getting one but haven't decided which one would be best yet.
A binocular stereomicroscope or even a trinocular stereomicroscope with zoom capability and a flexcam (gooseneck) is the best way to go if you can afford it. With the trinocular, you have a dedicated eyepiece for the camera. If you go this route, try to find one that has a low magnification which allows you to view nearly all of the coin. The zoom should allow at least 60x viewing. With mine set at the lowest power, onscreen viewing falls just short of seeing an entire dime. The image below of a Buffalo nickel mintmark shows the maximum zoom capability of mine. Chris
I can get a decent image capture with my camera and my scanner is 2400 dpi, so I can take a pic, if I can get the focus right. I was hoping to view coins for errors, etc. Hoped I could hold the coin up to the cam and see it magnified on the monitor and get a better view than using the loupe ? I have seen the flatbed magnifiers with large monitors (dad has one) with the moveable bed for reading. They are very adjustable for focus and magnification, but they are just a bit beyond the budget right now.
Two problems with stereo microscopes : the cheap ones suck big time , and the expensive ones are way too expensive and do not take an entire coin image. But if you are not fussy my friend gave me a 200x stereo microscope scope which he only paid 7 USD for , it mirrors the image and has a tiny LED for lighting. It works but it's junk ... Got it off a Hong Kong website called dealextreams .
I don't recommend buying the Chinese knock-offs either. I paid $850 for my Pac-Sci stereomicroscope about 5 years ago, and that included the flexcam, software and shipping. I use it practically every day for errors and varieties, particularly VAM's. I even use it for examining proof sets and business strikes before submitting them, and it has more than paid for itself as a result. Chris
Chris, that is a budget breaker right now. My wife starts benefits in about a year, then maybe ? But I do understand for optics, quality equipment performs much better. Right now, I just need to expand the images, so I can compare them. I can't even tell the difference in the 1982 small & large date right now with the coins on a tray. LOL Thanks, Gary
Obviously , I would never pay 850 to check for errors or variations , I can see perfectly with my 30X triplet. You have to be a bawler to shell out that sort of money for something that "in this case" a 25 to 50 $ device would do the job... If I was playing around with other stuff such as bugs or cultures , then I would go with the real deal stereo microscopes.
Heck, if your eyes get to bad you could always retire from coin collecting and become a Referee or Umpire for one of the major sporting events...
My trinocular stereo microscope, 2-90X, 5 Mpixel USB camera in the port, and LED ringlight allow me to view live video in hi-res on my laptop. Definitely more valuable and important to me than any coin I own. I also use a B&L 5X packette. I don't use loupes...I don't like holding things right up to my eye and breathing on them. Only a stereo microscope can allow you to view 3D images of your coins, as long as you have two working eyes and a semi-working brain. lol
That would be a great idea, but since I am a bit busted up the only sport I could move around enough to ref might be as a Tennis Line Judge. LOL I couldn't get out of the way fast enough for the other stuff.
Guys, I just got the idea, because, like I said, my dad has a magnifier he got from the Braile Institute. It has a flat bed that moves in 4 directions under a viewer. The image is seen on the vertical monitor and he can dial in focus and magnification. I do not know how much magnification it has, but you can fill the 22" monitor with a couple of words of newsprint. But it is absolutely unaffordable. I am coming up with a few more ideas that might work. I may try to build a cam/viewer rig next week, if I am able. LOL
"bawler"?????????????? Wait until your eyesight gets to be like mine! I never liked the Yugo, either! Chris
At Walmart a year ago or so around Christmas time they had a thing you hooked up to your computer and you could scan items and see them on the monitor. It was a 300X magnification if I remember correctly. Was in the toy section for about $29.00 I've seen those in other stores not to long ago too. Not sure how great they work but thinking of getting one if they have them this year. For that price not much to loose.
Someone was telling me about something like that on QVC. She said they had a demonstration and it seemed to be pretty clear. What it cost or if it works well with coins I don't know...
Maybe he meant "Brawler"? Someone ready, willing and able to fight for their stuff and willing to go all in ?
Bawler is a guy with a lot of money or a high status , I was referring to the former... I wish I was a bawler
Thanks for the compliment! Actually, I'm on a very low, fixed-income drawing a small pittance from Social Security so the Feds can give the bulk of SS away to people who didn't pay one dime into it. Fortunately, I was able to buy most of my equipment when I was still working. Chris
Heard that Chris. I worked 37 years before becoming disabled. My disability claim was processed right away and went straight through. However, my dependent is not eligible for anything until she turns 62, yet people who never worked get medical care and payments which denies medical to the rest of us. Don't seem right ?
