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1887jubilee

USB microscopes

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Has anybody got one of these and is it any good for coins? They cost about £20 on ebay and have magnification up to x500 but that seems too powerful for most of my needs. Can you buy them anywhere else other than ebay?

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This is a (rubbishy) scan and a close-up of a die crack taken with a £20ish USB scope:

ionb-1.jpg

I consider a USB scope to be a useful tool, and none too expensive.

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This is a (rubbishy) scan and a close-up of a die crack taken with a £20ish USB scope:

ionb-1.jpg

I consider a USB scope to be a useful tool, and none too expensive.

Can you use them to take full images of coins, like crowns for example?

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To be honest, I've never tried. I think the focal length would probably be too long. I stick to the aforementioned rubbishy scanner and a DSLR I've nearly mastered (almost, maybe).

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To be honest, I've never tried. I think the focal length would probably be too long. I stick to the aforementioned rubbishy scanner and a DSLR I've nearly mastered (almost, maybe).

I bought one sometime ago and wasn't able to see a whole coin with it.

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I have a cheap one, i only use it to check any annomilies of a coin, mine won't take a full picture either but there are scopes costing up to 200 quid that do the whole job.

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I have a cheap one, i only use it to check any annomilies of a coin, mine won't take a full picture either but there are scopes costing up to 200 quid that do the whole job.

Thanks, Azda! You really will have to forgive me here, as my knowledge of these things are ZERO, but are there any reasons why a camera is better than a scope that could do the full job? Also, was there a particular scope you were referring to? Many thanks for any further info.

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I have a cheap one, i only use it to check any annomilies of a coin, mine won't take a full picture either but there are scopes costing up to 200 quid that do the whole job.

Thanks, Azda! You really will have to forgive me here, as my knowledge of these things are ZERO, but are there any reasons why a camera is better than a scope that could do the full job? Also, was there a particular scope you were referring to? Many thanks for any further info.

Sometimes a scope can get closer than the camera could, this is only to check if a letter or digit is stamped over something else, that's the ONLY reason i use it, camera is for pictures alone. Gollum mentioned a usb scope in another thread somewhere and i gave him another ebay number to which the scope i have relates to which is selling on ebay just now at 20 quid or so

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I have a cheap one, i only use it to check any annomilies of a coin, mine won't take a full picture either but there are scopes costing up to 200 quid that do the whole job.

Thanks, Azda! You really will have to forgive me here, as my knowledge of these things are ZERO, but are there any reasons why a camera is better than a scope that could do the full job? Also, was there a particular scope you were referring to? Many thanks for any further info.

Sometimes a scope can get closer than the camera could, this is only to check if a letter or digit is stamped over something else, that's the ONLY reason i use it, camera is for pictures alone. Gollum mentioned a usb scope in another thread somewhere and i gave him another ebay number to which the scope i have relates to which is selling on ebay just now at 20 quid or so

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-Microscope-1-3-Megapixel-Camera-Traveller-/180797585224?pt=UK_BOI_Medical_Lab_Equipment_Lab_Equipment_ET&hash=item2a18603748

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Just got the cheapest (UK sourced on Ebay) scope for £11.99 delivered.

I will still use loupes,mini microscopes and my glass...but you can't have enough kit :)

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This is a (rubbishy) scan and a close-up of a die crack taken with a £20ish USB scope:

ionb-1.jpg

I consider a USB scope to be a useful tool, and none too expensive.

Thank you all for your help. Which type was this taken with? 1.3mp or 2.0 mp? Is it the x500 or the x400? does it have software for measuring distances as some advertise?

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This is it:

mic.jpg

Whichever one you get ensure that it comes with a stand.

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Damn...I missed that one. ;)

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Damn...I missed that one. ;)

Thats ok Peter, I missed an identical one yesterday for £6.99 All in.. Well I couldn't make my mind up on whether I should or not and lost it.

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The ;) was because that one you refer to is a toy one.

The one I went for I put an offer in,got a counter offer I wasn't prepared to squabble over a couple of £.

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