The Poor Man's Super-Macro Lens
visitors since August 21, 1998 visitors since August 21, 1998
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Here is a cheap way to add super macro capabilities to the Epson PhotoPC 600, (and probably any digital camera)...Use a loupe. The picture here shows the loupe I bought from my local camera store for $6.95. It is a cheap plastic 8x loupe (Brand: Samigon, Model #: GSA029), but it takes surprisingly good pictures. Using the loupe the camera can focus on images at a distance of one inch, and it produces considerable magnification. Images appear 12 times larger on my computer screen (15 inch monitor at 800x600) than actual size.
One problem is that its design does not allow it to be placed close enough to the camera to avoid vignetting -- just like the monoculcar/super zoom arrangement. However, by sanding down the top of the loupe (removing about 5mm of plastic) I was able to get it to rest sufficiently close to the camera and avoid almost all vignetting. Using the camera's digital zoom function (set to 1.3x or 1.6x) all vignetting can be eliminated. Sanding the edges as shown in the picture produces another advantage...it allows the Tiffen lens adapter that comes with the camera to be used as a guide for accurate positioning of the loupe. Perhaps someone can figure out how to carve threads into the plastic casing around the top of the loupe so it will screw into the adapter, but I've found that it is very easy to hold the loupe in exactly the right position when it is resting in the Tiffen lens adapter. Here are some sample pictures. Send any comments to [email protected] |
 Five dollar bill |
 Watch |
 Self portrait -- eye |
 Floppy disk |
 Circuit board |
 Flower |
 Self portrait -- thumb |
 Flower |