Microscopes

[VAB2013]

Need some help picking out a microscope! Many of our members take really awesome photos, most of them are with a camera set up. I don't know anything about cameras or microscopes so I am lost!! I prefer to go the microscope route. What I would like to be able to do is take a full coin photo, be able to take clear photos of mint marks, etc. and not have so much glare from LED lights.

Please let me know if you have a microscope set up that you are happy with that can do all the things above pretty easily.

Forgot one thing... I would like for the camera software to have internal settings for color (gama, saturation, etc.) because I would like a natural looking color to the coin.

[VAB2013]

Dinkyblue (Dan) here is your post from your previous thread. I think your photos are very good! What I don't understand is the Camera you are talking about.
Is it a camera camera, or the camera that you plug into the eyepiece of the microscope? Also, what model number is your AmScope?

Is AmScope repairing it for you? Holy moly the last thing I need is a microscope that produces doubled images... somebody shoot me LOL!~!

I use a regular desk light with a 60 watt bulb, the microscope is a Amscope 10x-20x-30x-60x power. I changed the light in microscope to a 3 bulb LED, the regular light most of the time is sufficient, but sometimes for me, I need to enhance the coin to see more detail, that's when I use the LED it seems to get rid of the shadows. If I need to really see something I change the light to a 100 watt. Be careful not to over magnify or overkill. There are much better setups out there but more expensive also. I'm looking to buy a 0.3 super wide lens to see more of the whole coin, and reduce the power a little. Along with the MU 500 camera it should work fairly well. You sort of have to build your own setup and see what will work good for you. And, yes this site has a lot of information and the good thing is it's fun and free. Thank you for your interest........................Dan

[Maineman750]

Have you searched the coin photography sub-forum yet , Viv ? Lots of good info there. As far as lighting goes, you'll have to learn to deal with lights, or find a place where you can use natural sunlight.....which is my favorite way

[VAB2013]

Have you searched the coin photography sub-forum yet , Viv ? Lots of good info there. As far as lighting goes, you'll have to learn to deal with lights, or find a place where you can use natural sunlight.....which is my favorite way

Maineman, I cannot lie to you. No I haven't this time. I did last time about a year ago and I was just as confused then as I am now. Guess I am being a tad lazy, but I was hoping for some easy, fresh ideas

[Maineman750]

I honestly don't know of any "easy" ideas....it is another process that has to be learned the hard way....and with plenty of practice....drives me crazy too

[VAB2013]

I honestly don't know of any "easy" ideas....it is another process that has to be learned the hard way....and with plenty of practice....drives me crazy too

Thank you Maineman! My goal here was to get members who are specifically using USB Microscopes/Cameras to shout out. I see so many nice photos on the forum and there's no way to know, on most of them, what they are using.

[jfines69]

If not for the image stacking software my pics would still be really bad... I like the camera set up I have because I hook it up to my computer and view the coins... Makes it easier for me anyway... As for lighting I recently started to use my goose neck halogen light set up on full brightness and set the camera to Auto for the ISO and brightness control... Seems to work best for me so far... I still need to adjust the light for shadow effects in order to see some of the items on a coin but I think that is normal!!!