Featured Micro Lens for Cell Phone

Try on a Sunday Bing.......You'll do better tomorrow.

Don't forget CBS Sunday Morning.......and pancakes.......

 

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Well as a complete amateur without an expensive camera I am very interested in this thread.
@Bing , if you don't mind posting a link to the Macro lens - I would appreciate it. There are many on Amazon.
Also an idea on how you figured out the best lighting setup would be great.

Photography is of little interest to me generally - but sharing my coins is fun.

 

Hmm, it looks like the cell phone is definitely getting better relief. Based on those results, it looks like the macro lens was a solid buy... especially if it pleases the wife.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9XG8L1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

But, I should say that I have no idea if this is the best lens.

 

I love how the second pic in your OP captures the toning of the coin (that is so hard for me to do!) @Bing , but the overall pic quality is best with the camera pic of your second post.

If the second post of pics were done under the same lighting conditions, then the camera looks nicer!

Caveat: On your second set of comparison pics, did you take several pictures with each camera and then pic the best? Sometimes using the same camera and lighting conditions I'll still have one pic come out much better than another.

 

I watched their video
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P9XG8L1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It strikes me that the problems here are mostly due to the lens having to be so very close to the subject that the only light reaching the coin will come from a harsh angle. I would look for a reasonable bright place to use the camera but not in direct sun. Then I would place their provided light on the side opposite from the main light so it can fill in tose harsh shadows. It might be best to try their weaker light setting but you will have to balance that choice with the brightness of the available light which may differ with place, time and weather. This is a place to try 100 combinations and throw out the 99 bad ones.

 

https://www.amazon.com/XINBAOHONG-R...cro+light&qid=1570397869&s=electronics&sr=1-8
Has anyone tried one of these?

 

I'm doing exactly that. Trying different lighting setups, locations, etc. So far I have not noticed any appreciable differences. But I will keep trying. I wanted to take duplicate images using my camera, but the batteries went dead and I have no more here at the house.
I'll keep trying, and will post the best I get when I've exhausted all the possiblities or myself.

 

Okay, I've played around with my cell phone camera most of the afternoon and evening and I've come to a conclusion of sorts. I hope this helps somewhat with those of you considering buying a macro lens for your cell phones.

1. The micro lens focuses into the minutia of the coin. The problem is that I am able to see the grain of the coin to the detriment of the image. I am also able to see flaws made during the striking. And although interesting, is not conducive to a good image of the coins.

2. Larger coins such as the one posted below, will not fit in the micro image. This coin is fairly large, 33mm. If I pull back so that the coin fits the lens, it blurs.

3. The lens in my S10 seems to take good images w/o the macro lens, at least good enough for my purposes. You can be the judge. The first image was taken with my Olympus camera quite some time ago and is what I have used in my catalog and on-line discussions (I can't take another image today since the batteries are dead). The second image I snapped tonight with my S10.



In conclusion, I do believe I will return the macro lens. The cell phone camera seems sufficient for my purposes.

 

I did, and it didnt work out. It basically made bright spots on the coins corresponding to where the led's were. I also bought a light panel:

https://www.amazon.com/Aputure-AL-M...jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Couldnt make that work well either, but didnt fool around with it much.

 

I also was disappointed in the light panel I bought but could not figure out what it was doing that I could not control.