Linder Magnicam

[PunkReaper]

I haven't had much success photographing my coins with my ordinary camera. I probably could do with a macro lens and a ring flash. However I saw this Linder Magnicam for sale I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this product?

[Peter]

I have a digital SLR and a USB microscope.I'm sure a normal compact can do the job and the USB microscopes are dirt cheap.I have tried to use my scanner but it is hassel.Daylight on the window cill is now my main method.

[Chris Perkins]

And I sell those for £156.50!

http://www.predecimal.com/lindner-magni-lindner-9115-p-16801.html

[PunkReaper]

But are they any good to use?

[Gary D]

But are they any good to use?

Looks good, what is the biggest coin you can get under it and see the whole coin?. The built in ruler sound useful, shame about the price though. £40-50 would have been more realisic by the looks of it.

[azda]

And I sell those for £156.50!

http://www.predecimal.com/lindner-magni-lindner-9115-p-16801.html

Product not found.....

[Chris Perkins]

And I sell those for £156.50!

http://www.predecimal.com/lindner-magni-lindner-9115-p-16801.html

Product not found.....

Sorry! Try this:

http://www.predecimal.com/lindner-magni-lindner-9115-p-18578.html

[Accumulator]

Have you got any examples of coin photos taken with the camera?

[Chris Perkins]

I've never used one of those. New to Lindner....not yet had to order one.

There are some pictures of coin letters here, that I did with a very cheap microscope and camera:

http://www.predecimal.com/safe-microscope-60100x-p-577.html

[PunkReaper]

I've never used one of those. New to Lindner....not yet had to order one.

There are some pictures of coin letters here, that I did with a very cheap microscope and camera:

http://www.predecimal.com/safe-microscope-60100x-p-577.html

Time to open the box and put up your photos here for us all to see to encourage us to purchase a Magncam from you. You know you want to.

[davidrj]

I haven't had much success photographing my coins with my ordinary camera. I probably could do with a macro lens and a ring flash. However I saw this Linder Magnicam for sale I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this product?

Not seen this one before.

Googling failed to find any reviews, but did find a copy of the brochure which gives a bit more info

[PunkReaper]

I haven't had much success photographing my coins with my ordinary camera. I probably could do with a macro lens and a ring flash. However I saw this Linder Magnicam for sale I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this product?

Not seen this one before.

Googling failed to find any reviews, but did find a copy of the brochure which gives a bit more info

Thanks, good find. Could be a handy product.

[Chris Perkins]

Ok, I'll get one in and 'review' it!

[PunkReaper]

Ok, I'll get one in and 'review' it!

The power of Internet peer pressure. There is a newer version available now if your interested.

[coin watch]

Ok, I'll get one in and 'review' it!

I'm hoping there maybe one to examine at the Prinz publications table at the London fair on Saturday. If any good then Chris's price seems more attractive!

[Gary D]

Ok, I'll get one in and 'review' it!

I'm hoping there maybe one to examine at the Prinz publications table at the London fair on Saturday. If any good then Chris's price seems more attractive!

I see they are readily available on the bay for about £180. What I haven't see is the nice cradle that appears on Chris's link, don't know if that included.

[coin watch]

Ok, I'll get one in and 'review' it!

I'm hoping there maybe one to examine at the Prinz publications table at the London fair on Saturday. If any good then Chris's price seems more attractive!

I see they are readily available on the bay for about £180. What I haven't see is the nice cradle that appears on Chris's link, don't know if that included.

I'm hoping this might be an easy and more improved way of gaining a good close up coin image. At the moment I still hold a coin under a good light and use my camera which takes a good close up but then I'm left with all the surroundings to crop, too time consuming plus I have a crap scanner, so this might be the answer though a tad expensive!

[PunkReaper]

Ok, I'll get one in and 'review' it!

I'm hoping there maybe one to examine at the Prinz publications table at the London fair on Saturday. If any good then Chris's price seems more attractive!

I see they are readily available on the bay for about £180. What I haven't see is the nice cradle that appears on Chris's link, don't know if that included.

I'm hoping this might be an easy and more improved way of gaining a good close up coin image. At the moment I still hold a coin under a good light and use my camera which takes a good close up but then I'm left with all the surroundings to crop, too time consuming plus I have a crap scanner, so this might be the answer though a tad expensive!

ditto

[Chris Perkins]

I've got my Magicam. Not even had a chance to take it out of the box yet, but I will hopefully test it out at the weekend.

[coin watch]

I've got my Magicam. Not even had a chance to take it out of the box yet, but I will hopefully test it out at the weekend.

Had a good look at one at the London fair last Saturday...........But I look forward to what your honest thoughts are on it

[Chris Perkins]

I've had a play with the Lindner Magnicam device.

Can I first point out that it is a re-branded Taiwanese made device called a VT101, or a Vitiny VT101! These are available (mainly from outside Europe for a similar price to what I offer them for - beware taxes). On Chinese wholesale websites the full spec is listed and easy to google.

The build quality isn't awful, but it's certainly not top-end either.

It's pretty easy to use and quick to get the hang of. The printed instructions are pretty clear (in English translated from the Chinese) but I must say that the english text in the software provided does leave a lot of room for improvement.

The device provides x7 optical magnification and x27 optical magnification. All magnifications between x7 and x27, and above x27 (up to x108) are digitally enhanced magnifications, which basically means that the pixels are simply made larger. At x7 the view area is 2 or 3 legend characters of a coin and at x27 it's just one legend character, or actually it's so large that on larger coins x27 magnification means that all you see is a part of a single legend character! Potentially useful for looking for overdates etc.

It's fine, it certainly magnifies and the images produced aren't bad....but, like with a lot of these things the focal display area is so small that you only get to see very small sections of the coin.

The biggest drawback though is that you have to be touching the item with the device (a clear plastic part protrudes from the lens and this needs to be placed on whatever you want to magnify due to it's very short focal length). This is perfectly fine for stamps and other paper items, and it's also fine for worn old coins, but I certainly wouldn't want to examine choice/expensive coins with it because they are going to get marked!

So there you are: Ok for overdates and looking for minute details, but not much good for producing large pictures of whole coins. Keep it well away from your proofs!

This tested but 'as new' Magnicam can be purchased for £98 if anyone wants it.

[coin watch]

Interesting, thanks for that Chris.

What I am trying to do is find a decent way of gaining a full image of a coin on a plain white background, I have thought of upgrading to a better scanner or maybe find a good camera to do the job. I'm not really that bothered about the extra zoom so maybe this one device is not for me.

Some of the coin images on this forum are great, how do you get them done? at the moment I hold my coin under a desk lamp and use a digital camera with the close up function, though this takes a good true photo I would like a better way of getting the same done but on a plain background...Any suggestions?

[declanwmagee]

Use software to change the background, Coin Watch.

I use Serif Photoplus starter edition - free to download, not a trial. It has an elliptical select tool, so it will draw a smooth circle round the coin, cut out your background, then fill it with whatever colour you like.

[coin watch]

Use software to change the background, Coin Watch.

I use Serif Photoplus starter edition - free to download, not a trial. It has an elliptical select tool, so it will draw a smooth circle round the coin, cut out your background, then fill it with whatever colour you like.

Thanks for that advice, I'll give it a try.

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the test Chris. Unfortunately it seems as though I'm best sticking with my relatively cheap Canon digital camera, using the macro setting. The resolution is easily good enough for overdates etc. My website photos have been taken with this setup.