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camera detail

updated tue 30 apr 02

 

Eric Suchman on sat 27 apr 02


I know it isn't 75.00 , but check out what the dentists are using now. X-ray
cameras tied directly to a PC for exquisite on the spot shots.

> From: SAM YANCY
> Organization: Sam/Mary Jean
> Reply-To: Ceramic Arts Discussion List
> Date: Sat, 27 Apr 2002 20:06:09 -0700
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: camera detail
>
> Seems like a few months ago. there was a discussion in Clayart about a
> microscope type electronic camera that could be hooked up to a PC to
> "take pictures" in relatively fine detail. I don't remembr much, but now
> am very interested in getting one. Believe it was found in some "toy
> stores" for abut $75. Would appreciate help on this - info and how to
> buy one or more. Perhaps the messages were saved, but I don't know how
> to search the archives. Help on that too please. Thank you, Sam
>
>
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Carl Finch on sat 27 apr 02


Intel Corp. marketed such a camera about two or three years ago. It didn't
sell too well and got rather mixed reviews (poor image quality--as one
might expect from such an inexpensive microscope). At the time I was in
the process of buying a used stereo microscope (a lifelong dream come
true!) and saw a REAL computer-connected electronic microscope
demonstrated. It was fantastic! But not cheap--somewhere in the $1200
range. (This was at a scientific instruments company in Sunnyvale,
California, not far from you, as I recall!) Off hand I don't recall their
name, but lemme know if you're interested and I can find it for you.

Within the last year I believe I read that Intel has sold off that
particular consumer products division. But you might find one on
eBay. Lots of microscopes, etc., available on http://www.labx.com also.

--Carl

At 08:06 PM 4/27/02 -0700, SAM YANCY wrote:
>Seems like a few months ago. there was a discussion in Clayart about a
>microscope type electronic camera that could be hooked up to a PC to
>"take pictures" in relatively fine detail. I don't remembr much, but now
>am very interested in getting one. Believe it was found in some "toy
>stores" for abut $75. Would appreciate help on this - info and how to
>buy one or more. Perhaps the messages were saved, but I don't know how
>to search the archives. Help on that too please. Thank you, Sam

SAM YANCY on sat 27 apr 02


Seems like a few months ago. there was a discussion in Clayart about a
microscope type electronic camera that could be hooked up to a PC to
"take pictures" in relatively fine detail. I don't remembr much, but now
am very interested in getting one. Believe it was found in some "toy
stores" for abut $75. Would appreciate help on this - info and how to
buy one or more. Perhaps the messages were saved, but I don't know how
to search the archives. Help on that too please. Thank you, Sam

Brant Palley NMCLAY.com on sun 28 apr 02


it is made by Intel, they dabbled in some cool toys. No longer made but
perhaps still available.
http://support.intel.com/support/intelplay/qx3/topquestions.htm


Brant Palley

www.nmclay.com

george koller on sun 28 apr 02


I kept a few postings on this subject. Have collected two of what
may be "key" ones here. I used "intel" in the subject to find them.

=============== FIRST===
Snail Scott wrote:

>My husband the scientist bought a terrific new toy
>last year. It's a microscope that hooks up
>directly to the computer. It has 10x, 60x, and 200x
>magnification, and...you buy it at the toy store!

This is wonderful news!

For so many years microscopes have been marketed to parents based on high
magnifying power. But a high power microscope requires excellent optics
(which makes it impossible to produce at a low cost), is difficult to adjust
properly (even more difficult with poor optics), and gives you no sense of
scale to the object being observed.

What is really needed, and apparently what Intel has delivered, is a low
power microscope that is easy to use. Molded (inexpensive) lenses can
produce a good image at low magnification. When you put a leaf or a bug
under a microscope at 10x you can still tell that it's a leaf or a bug and
can even figure out what part your looking at - not true at 100x, the usual
_minimum_ magnification of the science toy microscopes.

For kids' sakes, I hope that this "toy" is a success.

Bruce "science should be fun" Girrell

When buying homeowners insurance the agent normally asks you if there are
any unusually valuable items that you want to insure such as jewelry. Well,
the only piece of jewelry that I own is my wedding ring, but believe me, my
microscope is listed on our homeowners insurance. It's one of my favorite
toys.

===========SECOND========


For those who might be interested, my husband found this microscope
at a great price at:

http://www.suncoast.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/Suncoast/GearProd
uctPage.mac/report?gearId=M000643727&prodCode=07


or, at Suncoast.com if that's easier. Their price is $59 plus
shipping. Usual disclaimers apply.

I know that some of you bought this microscope around Christmas - so,
what is your opinion of it now, and what uses do you find for it?
TIA,

Joyce Rogers
Blairsville, GA

Earl Brunner on sun 28 apr 02


I think you might be thinking about the Intel computer Microscope. It
is a cool think, but I don't think that they still make it.

Earl Brunner
mailto:bruec@anv.net
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec


-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On
Behalf Of SAM YANCY
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 8:06 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: camera detail

Seems like a few months ago. there was a discussion in Clayart about a
microscope type electronic camera that could be hooked up to a PC to
"take pictures" in relatively fine detail. I don't remembr much, but now
am very interested in getting one. Believe it was found in some "toy
stores" for abut $75. Would appreciate help on this - info and how to
buy one or more. Perhaps the messages were saved, but I don't know how
to search the archives. Help on that too please. Thank you, Sam

Cindi Anderson on sun 28 apr 02


www.computergeeks.com has them on sale for $42.
Cindi

----- Original Message ----- > -----Original Message-----
>
> Seems like a few months ago. there was a discussion in Clayart about a
> microscope type electronic camera that could be hooked up to a PC to
> "take pictures" in relatively fine detail. I don't remembr much, but now
> am very interested in getting one. Believe it was found in some "toy
> stores" for abut $75.

Bruce Girrell on sun 28 apr 02


One word of warning regarding the Mattel/Intel QX3 microscope: The software
for this device was written for Windows 98 _only_. Not Windows 98 or later;
Windows 98... period. Not surprisingly from Intel - no Mac support either.

I also subscribe to the Microscopy Society of America listserv and the QX3
is discussed there regularly. As of yet, no one has found a way to marry a
reasonable quality, yet low cost microscope with a reasonable quality, yet
low cost image capture sysytem. A lot depends on your intended usage and
exactly what level of quality of image you need.

If you are still interested, email me directly and I will send you some
images made with the QX3. Please be patient though, because Lynne and I will
be gone for the next two weeks to attend a pottery workshop in Mexico.

Bruce Girrell
in snowy/rainy northern Michigan
who thinks that Intel gave up way too soon on that project. A couple tweaks
of the design and they could have sold millions of those things to schools
and individuals. It could have become the de facto standard kid's microscope
instead of those damnable Tasco pieces of crap.

Leslie Sobel on sun 28 apr 02


>Intel Corp. marketed such a camera about two or three years ago.

I looked into this in some detail recently - wanting to attach my
digital camera to a microscope. I was told by the experts at Olympus
that the best/cheapest way to get good images was to use a T adapter
with an SLR camera shooting slow slide film and having a supplier
made a photo cd rather than trying to shoot digital or scan prints
myself - simplest and cheapest way to get high resolution microscopic
images. The T adapters aren't cheap new but can be found on ebay
among other places. Of course all this presupposes that you have a
microscope in the first place. Getting good results requires quite a
bit of fiddling - you shoot without the camera's lens, using the
microscope objective as a lens.

Leslie

__________________________________________________________________________
Leslie Sobel artist

las@lesliesobel.com
http://www.lesliesobel.com
http://www.artalchemists.com
http://www.wsg-art.com/
__________________________________________________________________________

george koller on sun 28 apr 02


Sam,

If you are not in a hurry you may be able to find a quality
digital Microscope at one of the used laboratory equipment
sites. I have used, with good results, this site:

http://labx.com/

(the usual disclaimers).

My Story: About one year ago we needed a precision syringe
pump that would have been about $3000 new. I purchased two
of them from this site for $300, and one missing a few parts
for $50. We received glitch free quality and service on both
counts... buying used is always tricky and involves trust but
this site has a ranking service by the folks that buy regarding the
folks that sell. The auction system was also just plain fun for
me....

Hope this might help,

george koller


back in wisconsin awaiting word that our electronics issues
have been resolved. thinking about "keeping it simple" but as
determined as ever to "get this thing done" and then show you
wonderful folks, finally, what we can do.

Janet Kaiser on mon 29 apr 02


See http://www.clayart.fsnet.co.uk/technical01.html for Bruce
Girrell's great "test page" of the Intel microscope.

Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art / Capel Celfyddyd
Home of The International Potters' Path
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales
URL: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
postbox@the-coa.org.uk
----- Original Message -----

> One word of warning regarding the Mattel/Intel QX3 microscope: The
software
> for this device was written for Windows 98 _only_. Not Windows 98 or
later;
> Windows 98... period. Not surprisingly from Intel - no Mac support
either.

> Bruce Girrell
> in snowy/rainy northern Michigan
> who thinks that Intel gave up way too soon on that project. A couple
tweaks
> of the design and they could have sold millions of those things to
schools
> and individuals. It could have become the de facto standard kid's
microscope
> instead of those damnable Tasco pieces of crap.