I bought a new toy for Zoom

Against my better judgement I took one coin with the webcam that started this thread. I attach the combined result from both sides. I have five cameras that are better and easier to use. None of them will be accepted by Zoom for live feeds which is why I bought this one. I do not recommend it for photo use but it does what I want on Zoom. Click to enlarge.

 

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Is the top one or the bottom one better?

 

Has anyone tried using their phone as a webcam for this purpose? I understand there are quite a few apps for this, like this one (EpocCam):

https://apps.apple.com/app/epoccam-webcam-for-mac-and-pc/id449133483

Seems like it might be a good option, and cheap too. (Free for the basic version, and 8 bucks to upgrade to HD, and so you can turn on your phone light.)

 

I like pic 1 better. I like using colors for my background.

My camera normally takes better pics. The examples shown above are exceptions.

Seller's pic.

Microscope pics. It is hard to see the incuse face with a naked eye. A loop did not help much. Light had to fins all of the shapes in the face hold to pick up the details. I could not do that with my camera.

 

Picture 1 is just my phone camera. Picture 2 is the Plugable microscope I just bought, which I may return. I'm not impressed.

 

I wrote to Plugable customer service about the issue of moving the microscope further away from the object in order to get a picture of a full larger coin. Their response, below, confirms my feeling about using my camera instead.

We can get around this limitation by moving the microscope away from the object. Keep in mind that this device was designed for microscopic viewing (viewing tiny details not visible to the naked eye), and what you're trying to do is use it as a macroscopic device (take a picture of a large subject). A cell phone camera or a webcam is far better suited to this task.

Plugable response:
"The microscope stand was designed with modularity in mind, all threads are 1/4"-20, which is the same as all camera mounts. This means that the microscope can be attached to nearly any tripod or camera mount out there, or modified to fit a custom mount. You can also try something like placing the suction cup on a piece of glass, such as a window, and placing your subject below that.
I encourage you to experiment and find out what works best for you!
Cheers,
Sam Morgan
Plugable Technologies"

 

So since the Plugable isn't really meant for this kind of thing, how about this toy?!

https://smile.amazon.com/AmScope-SE...Digital+Eyepiece+Camera&qid=1597768607&sr=8-1

 

not even close in my view: top one gets my vote with a long lead. Out of curiosity - which of the pluggables did you use?

Thanks @dougsmit - looks like it has all the same focus, exposure and resolution issues that I have seen with others, and in this case I know that I can't blame the photographer.

 

There is only one that I know of, and I even asked Plugable and they said the same.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XNYXQHE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

This is a far better response that we usually get from 'technical support' folks. The important one here is, "I encourage you to experiment and find out what works best for you!" The problem I see is that lenses are designed to cover a certain format sensor. Most lenses cover a much larger sensor when focused closely than when at distance. Most lenses are better in the middle and not as good toward the edges but some fall off faster than others. If a lens is designed to cover a certain sensor at really close distances, it is likely that it will be very unsharp and darker in the corners if focused on infinity. Many of these problems can be fixed to some extent with fancy designs using many elements or expensive rare earth glass. For what they are intended to do, it is unlikely that a manufacturer won't spend the money on design and materials. It is more likely that you will get a piece of molded plastic not even glass. Add to that, some units may be assembled better than others so two units may perform differently. There will be less difference with $1000 lenses that $10 ones. If you already own something, it makes sense to try it; if not, don't buy expecting miracles. Yesterday, I was playing taking photos with my microscope which is older than I am. I can't expect the same results I might get from a new scope but I am not spending the money to upgrade
. Click to enlarge.

I love my stereo microscope which is one step cheaper than this one. However, I would suggest those interested in photography might want to consider the models from the same manufacturer that has a third tube to accept a camera mount.
This is for people who buy slabbed aurei:
https://www.amscope.com/stereo-micr...ope-with-led-ring-light-and-1080p-camera.html

This one is for people like me who have cameras and lights or would rather put one together from pieces.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AmScope-3-...=401057891420ea1b5a2ea9764d9a822f41be0231d3c5

As with coins, at best, you get what you pay for (in cash or hard work) if you are lucky.

 

How about this one?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Perfo...-Lighthouse-/113053705160?hash=item1a5286a3c8

 

I have no first hand experience with that model but it says '10x - 300x magnification' which could give problems with coins larger than Greek fractional silver unless you were using it to view mintmarks etc. I have no idea if the $150 one is better than the $30 kind but cameras of that type tend to be for microscopic use rather than wide field/large coin use. If it were 1x-30x, I would be more hopeful.

 

See, I don't know squat about photography. So it seems odd that they say it's for coins specifically.

 

Excuse my ignorance, but are you saying 10x is too much magnification for photographing whole coins, like a dollar size?

 

Yes, I believe most units of this type are meant for mintmarks rather than dollars. Each model might vary so that is a question to ask the seller. Of course that would make a difference on which stand you buy but if the camera and lens will not focus on large fields, the stand will not matter. Ask the seller and see what they say.

 

For a higher quality alternative to a webcam for both photos and webconferencing, I have been playing today with a Sigma EX 105mm Macro Lens and a Nikon D750 tethered to a Windows 10 PC, with Nikon's Camera Control Pro software. I am pleased to find all of the convenience of controlling the camera from the PC and going straight to editor and "real camera" quality.

Both Canon and Nikon offer beta versions of Webcam utilities which in theory should let a DSLR camera be used as a webcam - I couldn't get the Nikon beta webcam software to work. I had better luck with the third-party Spark-o-Cam software which let me use the D750 as a webcam with Zoom. Here are my first two coin photos:

Illyria, Dyrrhachion AR Drachm, circa 200-45 92-60 BC, Exephron and Zopuro, magistrates.
Obv: Cow standing right, looking back at suckling calf standing left below; head of Helios right and EXEΦΠΩN above, owl before
Rev: Double stellate pattern within slightly curved double linear square; ΔYP ZΩΠYPOY around
Edit: using these two articles from Gyula Petranyi (2007) & (2010), the date I had seems to be wrong. For more information, see the website of Gyula Petranyi
Dyrrhachium (cow always to right)

Class 4. Various obverse names with the same reverse,multiple symbols on the obverse​

Egypt, Alexandria, Julia Mamaea, Augusta, AD 222-235, Potin Tetradrachm, dated RY 11 of Severus Alexander (AD 231/232)
Obv: IOV MAMAIA CЄB MHTЄ CЄB K CT, draped bust right, wearing stephane
Rev: Tyche standing left, holding rudder and cornucopia; palm frond to right; L IA (date) to upper left
Ref: Dattari (Savio) 4521

and this one a Lysimachos drachm 301-299 B.C. taken with the coin tipped ~20 degrees to experiment with depth of focus (a big step up from my USB microscope).
more experimentation needed...and any advice welcome.