Coin Scopes?

joeykoins

Hi guys,
I'm quite sure this topic was posted many times?
It's about what kind of Scope do you guys have?
I just got through ordering two of them.
I prefer the very inexpensive Jiusion. The handheld type. I use it like holding a pencil. Very workable. 1000x Power!
Cheap but very sufficient. I ordered the 2 for under $40. After shipping, tax, etc...
$40! You can't go wrong. Mine usually last a good 2 years. Than the wire becomes frail and the light starts to flicker. But so what. Under $20?
What kind do you guys have and how much?
Oh, I bought mine from the Walmart site.

Here are a few examples,

yosclimber

I use a regular stereo microscope when I want to get a good look at a die crack or RPD.

For photos I use a DSLR and macro lens. It has important things like white balance.

pmh1nic

I have a 25 year old National Optical & Scientific stereoscope I use to take a closer look at coins. Much overdue for an upgrade. Does the unit you have plug right into a computer via a USB connection?

spyglassdesign

I'm cheap. I use a 40x loupe and a slr camera with macro lens for taking my photos (many I've shared here).

Mr_Spud

I used to just use this antique one with my camera lens up to the eyepiece. It’s a measuring microscope that was used to measure the seal thickness of softgel capsules from the original company that invented softgels. I used to work at that company and they let me keep that and an old scale that they had in a storage room where stuff from the original softgel factory was kept.

The blue tape is so I can attach my iphone to the microscope with an adapter. That microscope was used for these images

But I recently started using this where the different strength lenses are built into the phone case. I use it more at work to image capsule defects, but sometimes for coins too

I use it by putting the phone on one of these scissors jacks and I use the screw on the jack to raise and lower the phone in order to focus it like you would with a stage microscope

Here’s some examples of close up pictures made using that

291fifth

You can't beat an electron microscope!

amwldcoin

The only 1 I've ever used was one of those rectangular shaped ones Radio Shack used to sell. Seems like it was only 30x but did what I needed it to do. I bought one for a computer and it's sitting in the box it came in and has never been opened!

Fairfaxthunder

I got the one below and have mixed feelings about it, but in fairness I use it for other things and it has been a lifesaver at least 2 times with non-coin related matters. I got it around Prime day for just over $60 and think it is a decent value. It does not however take whole coin pics. that cost me another $10 to buy an extension to do so. The images and ease (and speed) are amazing though.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BCBK6WX?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

joeykoins

@pmh1nic said:
I have a 25 year old National Optical & Scientific stereoscope I use to take a closer look at coins. Much overdue for an upgrade. Does the unit you have plug right into a computer via a USB connection?

Yes, mine plugs into my laptop.
USB.
Thanks

LanceNewmanOCC

@rmpsrpms

for anyone ever wanting to go pro, should look into extension tubes and a dedicated micro lens. i @ rmp to help with the tech lingo as i am rusty to the actual terms. i saw someone mention them in a thread recently but not sure which one.

here are some results from when i used to use them. to give you an idea, the images you will see in the link below aren't even and A+ effort!!!

it can be hard to determine what you are looking at once you get so close but this coin was especially important for a study that was being done and i happen to find one of the extremely rare son of a guns and had the equip, so i uploaded the images to help untangle the mysteries.

ear, hair, eye, cracks, clashes, lips etc of a morgan dollar. you really start to run into lighting issues and depth of field issues w/o top-level preparation, settings, etc. if the setup isn't really tight, you can see the translation of your heart beating through the lens! that is why remote shutter releases are recommended and inexpensive too.

http://ec2-13-58-222-16.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/wiki/81-O_V33B_Hi-Res_Photos

joeykoins

These scopes are real child entertainers for the little guys, meaning 5-10 year olds.
They really get a kick out of the magnification of a body hair, carpet, bugs,etc.

amwldcoin

@joeykoins said:
These scopes are real child entertainers for the little guys, meaning 5-10 year olds.
They really get a kick out of the magnification of a body hair, carpet, bugs,etc.

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

PapiNE

I have the Juison too but the base is pretty useless. After approx. 2 months, the LEDs went out. Then about 1 month later, they came back. Good ever since. It does the job but I sure would like to get an entire Morgan in frame.

Steven59

Remember we are coin collectors - not sientists. Keep the Blurry Mag pics from making you look foolish and just
show a nice close up -

jmlanzaf

@amwldcoin said:

@joeykoins said:
These scopes are real child entertainers for the little guys, meaning 5-10 year olds.
They really get a kick out of the magnification of a body hair, carpet,

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

Nothing?

joeykoins

@PapiNE said:
I have the Juison too but the base is pretty useless. After approx. 2 months, the LEDs went out. Then about 1 month later, they came back. Good ever since. It does the job but I sure would like to get an entire Morgan in frame.

Hmm?
For one, I don't use the base. You're right, useless. I just hold the scope like holding a pencil. Very flexible this way.
My scopes last long periods. And I use it quite frequently.

joeykoins

@jmlanzaf said:

@amwldcoin said:

@joeykoins said:
These scopes are real child entertainers for the little guys, meaning 5-10 year olds.
They really get a kick out of the magnification of a body hair, carpet,

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

Nothing?

Yes, it's nothing like a magnifying glass where you can burn.

amwldcoin

@jmlanzaf said:

@amwldcoin said:

@joeykoins said:
These scopes are real child entertainers for the little guys, meaning 5-10 year olds.
They really get a kick out of the magnification of a body hair, carpet,

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

Nothing?

Let me test it on your forehead and then listen to your answer!

messydesk

This is what I use for all my close-ups. Not as good from an image quality standpoint as a camera mounted a scope, but best for my workflow. I just got the light on Saturday -- 144 LEDs and you can control the brightness and turn sections on and off. The magic smoke got out of the fluorescent tube ring light I had been using.

Steven59

@jmlanzaf said:

@amwldcoin said:

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

Nothing?

Or on a bunch of ants!

rec78

I bought a dino-lite a long time ago -right after they just came out- ($600-way back when) and it still works well. About two years ago I got a Tomlov (about $150). A cheap Chinese import model. There are lots of cheap Chinese models that will do the job. I love them both. The full coin images that I use are usually from the dino-light and the close-ups are from the Tomlov scope.

joeykoins

Yep, the old Dyno!
Great quality, ouch on the price!

ricko

I use a Sirchie magnifier and do not take pictures through it. However, after seeing the unit @JoeyCoins posted, I might get one. Plug right into my computer, no need for camera. Cheers, RickO

jmlanzaf

@amwldcoin said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@amwldcoin said:

@joeykoins said:
These scopes are real child entertainers for the little guys, meaning 5-10 year olds.
They really get a kick out of the magnification of a body hair, carpet,

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

Nothing?

Let me test it on your forehead and then listen to your answer!

These are digital scopes not magnifying glasses. You can use it on my forehead as much as you want. They will NOT burn anything.

jmlanzaf

@Steven59 said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@amwldcoin said:

Just don't let them know what it will do to a piece of paper in the sun!

Nothing?

Or on a bunch of ants!

Still nothing...

jafo50

I have a dino-lite that's about three years old and it can't even come close to my DSLR setup that I purchased from @rmpsrpms. I feel the issue with the dino-lite has always been the white balance which is not automatic on my scope and external lighting is a must as well.

Personally if I had to do it over I'd purchase a much cheaper scope then the dino-lite especially because the cheaper scopes seem to produce very good pictures for hundreds of dollars less.

messydesk

20, count 'em, 20 years ago, before the Dino-light, there was the Intel Play QX3 microscope. They were so popular that the intended audience (kids) weren't getting them. There were hacks published online on how to improve the action and lighting. I had one and used it for my earliest VAMSlabs. Worked surprisingly well if you used the 60x magnification, captured in black and white, and used a flashlight as an external light source. Who else had one?

joeykoins

@messydesk said:
20, count 'em, 20 years ago, before the Dino-light, there was the Intel Play QX3 microscope. They were so popular that the intended audience (kids) weren't getting them. There were hacks published online on how to improve the action and lighting. I had one and used it for my earliest VAMSlabs. Worked surprisingly well if you used the 60x magnification, captured in black and white, and used a flashlight as an external light source. Who else had one?

WoW!
Everything made back then is KING!

vplite99

I got mine a couple of years ago based on joeykoins recommendation. It is interesting, but I'm working on fixing it to a decent stand; there is too much movement in my hand for good photos.

joeykoins

Glad you like it.
Not bad for the money, huh?

Namvet69

My Plugable unit attached to my S9 has been working great for several years. I recall it was like $35 on Amazon.

joeykoins

Hey! Look what I got in the mail today.lol
Cheap but very effective.

My old beaten up one. Still gonna keep for emergencies, it still WORKS!

Barberian

I use a zoom Meiji or Wild M5 dissecting scope for looking at coins when I'm not looking at insects. To photograph, I hold a camera up to an ocular lens. It works OK. Not good for low magnification pictures though. I need to work on photographing coins for selling down the road. I may get one of these digital microscopes for ease of use.

This is a closeup of the date on an 1843 WB35 "Triple punched 43" half dollar.

messydesk

@Barberian said:
I use a zoom Meiji or Wild M5 dissecting scope for looking at coins when I'm not looking at insects. To photograph, I hold a camera up to an ocular lens. It works OK. Not good for low magnification pictures though. I need to work on photographing coins for selling down the road. I may get one of these digital microscopes for ease of use.

This is a closeup of the date on an 1843 WB35 "Triple punched 43" half dollar.

Back the camera away from the eyepiece a little and you'll get rid of some of the vignetting.

joeykoins

@Barberian said:
I use a zoom Meiji or Wild M5 dissecting scope for looking at coins when I'm not looking at insects. To photograph, I hold a camera up to an ocular lens. It works OK. Not good for low magnification pictures though. I need to work on photographing coins for selling down the road. I may get one of these digital microscopes for ease of use.

This is a closeup of the date on an 1843 WB35 "Triple punched 43" half dollar.

Beautifully taken photos!

Barberian

@messydesk said:

Back the camera away from the eyepiece a little and you'll get rid of some of the vignetting.

OK. I'll give it a try the next time I take some pictures through an ocular.

LanceNewmanOCC

the term finally came to me:

microscopic objective. haven't seen anything that can compete with them yet that doesn't cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.

the are pretty sensitive to depth of field, so images can start to blur a bit towards the edges and/or outside the focal point.

they require some extensions and a modified connector to mount to a nikon/canon etc but those were quite inexpensive.

rmpsrpms

Microscope objectives can be very inexpensive, yet very high quality. One of the very popular ones for coins and bugs and such is the 4x made by Amscope. They are only ~$20 yet will produce world-class image quality. You need an adapter and some extension tubes, adding another ~$20 or so.