Webcam for microfilm?

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Photon713

Webcam for microfilm?

Legg inn av Photon713 » 07 mar 2007 15:42:29

Morning, all...

I am considering a webcam to be used with my laptop for capturing microfilm
and hardcopy images at my state archive. I have not been happy with the
results from my digital camera. I would like to clip the camera to the
overhead lens holder and capture images to my laptop. In some cases
I will need to clip the camera to the desk lamp. Or, I could make a simple
camera holder. I notice there are a wide range of cameras with some
capable of 1.3 megapixel quality for both video and snapshot. Has anyone
had any experience with such a setup connected to their USB port on a
laptop?

I would only be interested in a webcam that gets it's power from the USB
port
and not require a separate power source.

Regards...Bob

--
______________
lvMMMCDLXXIX+1

Hugh Watkins

Re: Webcam for microfilm?

Legg inn av Hugh Watkins » 07 mar 2007 20:46:48

Photon713 wrote:

Morning, all...

I am considering a webcam to be used with my laptop for capturing microfilm
and hardcopy images at my state archive. I have not been happy with the
results from my digital camera. I would like to clip the camera to the
overhead lens holder and capture images to my laptop. In some cases
I will need to clip the camera to the desk lamp. Or, I could make a simple
camera holder. I notice there are a wide range of cameras with some
capable of 1.3 megapixel quality for both video and snapshot. Has anyone
had any experience with such a setup connected to their USB port on a
laptop?

I would only be interested in a webcam that gets it's power from the USB
port
and not require a separate power source.

forget it

you need much higher resolution

3.5 many pixels is barely useable
8 or more is what the experts use

Hugh W


--

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http://www.ingerlisekristoffersen.dk/

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old blogger GENEALOGE
http://hughw36.blogspot.com/ MAIN BLOG

Gordon Thompson

Re: Webcam for microfilm?

Legg inn av Gordon Thompson » 08 mar 2007 04:37:56

I have got good results for a birth record (i.e. a small portion of an image
sheet) with a good (6 megapixel) camera that can focus close and has
anti-shake. For a larger sheet, (index of births from England) the result is
doubtfull. (Better than nothing, but hard to read). I think a census sheet
would push it too much to be much use, but have not yet tried.
The problems, whether regular camera or web-cam, are:
1. to have enough pixel density to see details of what you are trying to
capture. As someone else said, you need lots of pixels
2. to get a good exposure of the film reader image, which can be somewhat
dark relative to a normal photo
3. given (2), to hold the camera still during a perhaps long exposure
4. a lot of film readers are fainter at the outside than the center, making
for a dark outer portion

The advantage is that most photo editors allow you to adjust darkness and
contrast, which helps a great deal.
Also at least some archives have explicit rules about cameras. On the other
hand, Manitoba Archives (Canada) has a special reader to digitize microfilm.
Only onto CD, and only CD's you buy from them. Too bad more places don't
have such. I hate cut and paste of sheets from the printer.

Gordon Thompson


"Photon713" <bobrass@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:pbAHh.278$pi.201@trndny09...
Morning, all...

I am considering a webcam to be used with my laptop for capturing
microfilm
and hardcopy images at my state archive. I have not been happy with the
results from my digital camera. I would like to clip the camera to the
overhead lens holder and capture images to my laptop. In some cases
I will need to clip the camera to the desk lamp. Or, I could make a simple
camera holder. I notice there are a wide range of cameras with some
capable of 1.3 megapixel quality for both video and snapshot. Has anyone
had any experience with such a setup connected to their USB port on a
laptop?

I would only be interested in a webcam that gets it's power from the USB
port
and not require a separate power source.

Regards...Bob

--
______________
lvMMMCDLXXIX+1

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