Santa brought the major item on my list a QX5 Digital Microscope....images (Part 1)

[BarnacleBill]

Even using a magnifying headset & jeweler's loupe, many times I've not been satisfied with being able to see what I'd like to on various items. An example would be a maker's mark on a piece of jewelry which can be tough to decipher.

Enter the QX5 which is an update of the QX3...http://digitalbluecorp.com/qx5/. The following are untouched captured images at one of the three magnification levels 10X, 60X, 200X. The images are exported from the control software as JPEGS at 512x384 24bit color depth. My initial thoughts are that a polarized external light source would be very helpful to minimize glare on shiny pieces.

These are just some resolution and color depth shots, more images in Part 2 post.

Barcode 10X
[attachment 43872 barcode10x.jpg]

Barcode 60X
[attachment 43874 barcode60x.jpg]

US stamp 10X
[attachment 43875 stamp10x.jpg]
US stamp 60X
[attachment 43876 stamp60x.jpg]
US stamp 200x
[attachment 43877 stamp200x.jpg]

A brass leaf pendant 10X

[attachment 43878 leaf10x.jpg]

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[BarnacleBill]

Roosie dime date at 60X
[attachment 43879 dime60x.jpg]

Many times the tiny marks on earring clip\bail can be very tough to pick up. This is at 60X
[attachment 43880 Earring60x.jpg]

A medallion mark at 60X.
[attachment 43881 med1.jpg]
A corroded penny at 10X.
[attachment 43882 Penny10x.jpg]

I've had trouble picking up the makers mark on this ring, can now see it looks like a tree. First at 10X.
[attachment 43883 ring10x.jpg]
Now at 60X.
[attachment 43884 ring60x.jpg]

Hope this provides a little more info about possible magnification solutions, and about this device.

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[rentasquid]

n/t

 

[BarnacleBill]

Basically it is like a webcam with lenses, you don't have to wait as the image is painted on the screen, it is real time. You can capture stills or live video 640 x 480 @15fps and saved as an AVI.

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[Farmercal]

Bill, thanks for the information on the QX5. I might just have to get me one of those. Being 50 years young has left me with the inability to see things up close with any detail and that looks far better than using a magnifying glass. It looks like you can view the image on your computer screen while you are looking/scanning at it, is that the case?

 

[Bavaria Mike]

A friend suggested that I get one since I photo so many macros of finds, mind if I ask how much they are? HH, Mike

 

[BarnacleBill]

Hi Mike,

Here's where it was purchased stateside, cheapest wife could find.
http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/electronic/77aa/

$79.99 USD + S&H

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[BarnacleBill]

Hi Farmer,

Yes it is a real time image so you can see, as you position and focus. Once you have things as you wish, you can take a snapshot which exports as a JPEG, or record a movie which exports as a 640x480 AVI. It will also do a time lapse which I haven't tried. Here's a screenshot of the viewing/control of the scope.
[attachment 43960 ScrShot.jpg]

Here's a movie I took of positioning the Pokemon card in the above screeshot at 10X. Exported it to a 640x480 AVI, re-sampled down to about 25% of original size and converted to a very short animated GIF.
[attachment 43961 duck9.gif]

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[rentasquid]

(I used electron microscopes in college) but the scanning scope that I use at work is not like what everyone thinks of as a "microscope" where you use slides, etc. It is binoculared with a wider zoom range. It also has a camera attachment. I often look at questionable coin dates with it. Nice tool to have around when you need it!!!

J.