NOT happy with Amscope!!

[Guest]

Well as some may know, I ordered an Amscope the week before Christmas. (a christmas present for myself). I ordered the 20x-40x-80x with camera. <---link ... Well, I received the scope the 24th just in time for christmas which was GREAT!

Opened the box, unpacked the scope and got it setup but there was NO CAMERA! So, I checked the packing list and it was backordered... I figured ok, I can wait on camera so I started messing with the scope. Well, at that time I noticed that there was NO way this could go 40x or 80x with the setup it had (10x and 20x eye pieces and 1x and 3x adjustment on the scope)

So I contact Amscope about the camera missing and that I think I got sent the wrong scope. After waiting 4 days, I get a reply back saying they sent wrong scope and would swap for correct one if I wanted and that the camera was not backordered and was being sent 2nd day UPS... THAT was a week ago!

I actually got sent the 10x-20x-30x-60x without camera, I can deal with this but still need camera...

Well, I get the camera TODAY (USPS) and hook it all up and im like, well crap! With the scope set on 1x and NO eye piece in, which is how it fits in hole) I can ONLY get the date on a cent to show! Cant zoom out, cant change magnification of camera, cant change color setting, cant set white balance, cant change ANY of the camera settings! ... the settings are there but they are grayed out and cant change them!

Is this normal for the camera? Its like it has a built in 20x or something... totally frustrated about this WHOLE order with Amscope!

Stepping off soapbox now...

Dave

BTW... My avatar to the left was taken through this scope with my cell phone (EVO 4G) camera to the eyepiece. Turned out pretty good I think and yes, I'm thinking that is a 2001P 1DR-016... was waiting on scope camera to get better pics so I could post it in a regular post... If it is, It's my very first find! ;-)

[jcuve]

I never tried shooting through the empty eyepiece slot for the very reason you're discouraged. The eyepiece is a critical part of the magnification. I just shoot through eyepiece itself. It takes practice. I would imagine there must be a trick or two. Someone on the forum must have a similar setup. Good luck and sorry you're having trouble...

[Antiquity]

I cant be much help, but I can tell you I ordered a amscope camera with my scope and ended up returning the camera because I disliked it and the software it came with.

[Roller]

I used to shoot through the microscope eyepiece using an adapter and my Coolpix 990. Worked fine. From my experience, digital cameras for microscopes are inadequate for good pictures unless they get into the eight to ten meg category and then you are paying $800+ for the camera. Even then you cannot get the whole coin in the frame. I was lucky in picking up a Vivitar Series 1 90-180 flat field macro zoom lens for under $200 on the bay recently. I have not scratched the surface of it's capabilities on the Nikon D5100 but I know it is capable of producing excellent close up images. In my opinion, the digital camera with an appropriate lens is the best and most cost effective way to go. I use the microscope photo port only for extreme close-ups using a 2X adapter made to fit the Nikon.

[liveandievarieties]

I used to be a huge proponent of the company, but since referring several customers to them and hearing stories about all kinds of screw-ups, in nearly every case. Coupled with the fact that their software on models just a couple of years old is obsolete when used on Windows 7, no fix available, just have to buy a new camera...

Needless to say, I've stopped directing friends to Amscope. I still reccommend them to people I don't like... lol.

[Peter]

You need to add an 0.5x auxiliary objective to extend the working distance and allow a wider field of view when using their camera if you want to see more of the entire coin. Their camera can only be used through the eyepiece and is not meant to zoom in or out or set white balance. That is all done in software on your computer. Download the software from the site or that came with the scope in order to get camera settings to adjust.

2.0MP cameras are basically useless and only give you a 640x480 pixel shot. Your cell phone camera is more powerful then this one is. I have the 8MP camera they sell but always prefer my Nikon back up camera with a B & L 2x T mount if I shoot through the scope. I bypass their software and take it into Photoshop or NIK after that.

Optics on anything in this price range are not going to be stellar, but it's still a good tool to have. I'm not sure if I would have gotten a 2.0 camera at all.

[DSallee]

Interesting guys... well, I'm ok with the scope itself, works great!! as far as camera goes, this would do GREAT at just shooting the date or with the scope on 3x just shooting the MM or a single letter/number.

I do have a Canon 10D but Amscope didnt show an adapter for the 10D so didnt think I could use it with the scope. However, as Roller said I could get a macro lens for the 10D and use it for full coin shots... use what I got from Amscope for super close shots... hmmm... heading to the bay to check out some lenses.

[jallengomez]

I have an Amscope that I'm relatively pleased with, but I haven't had to contact them at the customer service level. I've also never tried to use one of their cameras, but instead use my DSLR(the scope is trinocular). The lowest magnification mine will go to is 10X, so I can't get a full coin shot, but I was warned about this before I bought it, so that's my own fault.

[jallengomez]

David,

If you're just looking for a macro to shoot full coin shots, I picked up one of these, and I'm pleased with it. It takes some getting used to, and you'll want to use your tripod(one that will allow you to tilt the camera to the full horizontal plane), but it's must cheaper than a dedicated macro lens.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/58mm-Wide-Angle-Lens-MACRO-For-Canon-Digital-Rebel-XT-XTi-XSi-SX-T1i-350D-/360464704937?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item53ed5ee5a9

[Roller]

I used the 0.5X reduction lens on my microscope for a long time but then decided that the tradeoff (less magnification) for a slightly bigger frame that still did not shoot the whole coin was not worth it.

[BadThad]

I used to shoot through the microscope eyepiece using an adapter and my Coolpix 990. Worked fine. From my experience, digital cameras for microscopes are inadequate for good pictures unless they get into the eight to ten meg category and then you are paying $800+ for the camera. Even then you cannot get the whole coin in the frame. I was lucky in picking up a Vivitar Series 1 90-180 flat field macro zoom lens for under $200 on the bay recently. I have not scratched the surface of it's capabilities on the Nikon D5100 but I know it is capable of producing excellent close up images. In my opinion, the digital camera with an appropriate lens is the best and most cost effective way to go. I use the microscope photo port only for extreme close-ups using a 2X adapter made to fit the Nikon.

I agree, you can get better shots with a camera. My good old Canon SD700IS does pretty well at close ups.

[stoneman227]

I can't advise on a scope, always wanted to try one but never got around to it. I have been using my old Sony A100 with an m42 adapter, extension tubes, a 50mm enlarging lens turned backwards for wider shots and a 35mm copy lens for closer ones. These lenses give great working distances. I was using a 60mm micro lens for everything but when it came to a tight date mmark shot the working distance was a nightmare to light.
My set-up can be had reasonably on the Bay and many digital slr's can adapt to M42 mount ( there are a ton of used older cameras out there too)

[copperlover]

This has been a great discussion which should help a lot of new members.

Lucien

[jcuve]

Moved this discussion to Coin Photography as it has a great deal of relevance there.

[ray_parkhurst]

I got by for years shooting directly into the eyepiece of a B&L StereoZoom microscope using a Nikon 990. Later, I bought a specialized eyepiece (10x) to eliminate the need to line up the camera with the eyepiece, which is a bit tedious. The eyepiece screws onto the camera like an auxiliary lens, and then you can just pull the eyepiece from the scope once you get the shot you want, and replace it with the eyepiece+camera. I think I still have several of those eyepieces laying around, but the 990 died years ago. In fact it was the death of the 990 that forced me to buy my first Nikon DSLR and head down the path I'm now on...