What do you call it/where do you get it?

Good point. We looked around and got a scanner with a large depth of field so that it can handle objects up to an inch or two thick. I prefer the camera myself for important photos, but the scanner is excellent for documenting things quickly.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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"it's the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
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innews: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

Aside from weighing nothing, looking cool etc. what are the advantages of an $800 Manfrotto carbon fiber tripod/head over my 30 year old telescoping aluminum Slik tripod?

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

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"it's the network..."                          "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com             Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
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=A0 =A0 ...Jim Thompson

=A0 =A0| =A0 =A0mens =A0 =A0 |

=A0 | =A0 =A0 et =A0 =A0 =A0|

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Sniff around BHPhoto and Adorama in their tripod departments. I'm sure you'll find something. But really, can't you just make something youself? Unless time is money, and all that. Either way, should cost very little. Any horizontal stand with a 1/4-20 bolt will do...

Copy stands are also used in silkscreening, so you might Google those suppliers as well.

As for lenses, a macro lens on a 35mm SLR is probably ideal. A ring light (light or flash that goes around the lens) will provide nice even lighting, but you can get by without, with a little care and attention.

I recently saw what I thought was a pretty cool invention (probably not new?) It was this contraption that fit over your SLR's flash attachment and using either a bunch of fiberoptic strands, or maybe plastic mirrors, would bounce the flash down this "tube" and it would come out in a manner very similar to a ring flash. It probably cost 3-stops worth of light, but it's like a $20 ring light. Pretty cool, if you do a lot of that work and don't want to spend the big bucks.

Someone else mentioned a focusing rail if you find depth of field is a problem for your (existing?) lenses. If so, try

Last time I checked, they carriers some fairly inexpensive focusing rails. But I doubt you would need one for the example image you posted.

Also, when lighting your image, let the light angles bounce away from the lens. Put your lights at 45-degree angles for example, and you won't overexpose. The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection, so always use that fact to your advantage when lighting your subject.

-mpm

Mini tripod $2.30 delivered (taller "mini tripods" available too, no minimum order)

Photo of 44 QFP using tripod cannon powershot A470 (bottom of the range digital) super macro, timer, color balanced and *indoor ambient light* (outdoor light or bigger sensor would have removed the digital noise). Total cost of gear was under $80.

A piece of 2" or wider angle aluminum, or the rectangular aluminum tubing used for screened in porches will make a simple adapter for an existing tripod. Put a solid piece of aluminum over the end to hold the

1/4*20 bolt. The used to sell a wall mounted camera mount for security cameras that had a square end which allowed a camera to be mounted horizontal or vertical.

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Lead free solder is Belgium's version of 'Hold my beer and watch this!'

I just had a gooseneck from a UPC scanner with a 1/4" screw on one end, and a 1/4" socket on the other that accepted a 1/4" screw. Took a peanut tin and a couple of washers (One on either side of the hole you punch on the bottom).

Fill with rice for ballast, or lead if you want really heavy ballast.

In message , Jim Thompson writes

Would it not be easier to move the chip so you can sit the camera in front of it?

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snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

=A0 =A0 =A0 ...Jim Thompson

"The Journey is the reward"

eff.com

I only have one of the ordinary aluminium ones. It was quite expensive, though.

Leon

Duh! I should get out what I have...

before I worry :-)

Looks like all I need to do is make some kind of stand-off so I can get the camera vertical and the field of view free of the tripod legs. ...Jim Thompson

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| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
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is a smaller version of the wall mount I was thinking of.

is $9 and would be very easy to convert, plus there are several stores close to you.

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--- a standoff doesn't buy you much.

How about a bracket to offset the camera by 90 degrees?

+---------------+ CAM | +-------------+ TRIPOD \ | | | | / +--| | +-+-+ | | | | +--| | | | +-+ | | | / \ /|\ COPY

JF

The "head" _will_ rotate a full 90°, but the tripod legs are in the view. But perhaps your approach would be better. I suspect a counter weight will be needed as well.

Or maybe make a stand...

______CAMERA_____ /\ [_______} /\ / \ O / \ / \ / \

;-) ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
      The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy

--
Ugh!

JF

What? You don't like my ASCII "art" ?:-) ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
      The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy

Good advice on using a std tripod for this type of shot.

Hmm, I can't quite tell if it would work with yours but it's slam dunk easy with my tripod. The 'pole' to which the camera mount is attached will slide into the leg assembly either 'normally' (from the top) or upside down (from the bottom). I.E. For a straight down shot, instead of the camera 'on top' I can reverse the pole so the camera is under and between the legs.

Mine doesn't have that lower leg support like yours, though, it's just three legs with a pole down the middle and leg flair is 'stopped' by the central hinge.

Looks sort of like this one

except there's no 'ridge' on the pole end, like it appears that one has, so mine will slide right out the top and then slide 'er back in from the underside.

I've had it forever and couldn't tell you where I bought it to save my life.

Some tripots let you take the central pole out and stick it back in upside down. Then you place the legs straddling the target and ...

If you can't do that, it might work to make one leg (much) longer so the tripod is tipped on its side holding the camera out away from the two close in legs. You would probably have to place a weight on the long leg to keep it from tipping over.

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These are my opinions, not necessarily my employer's.  I hate spam.

For just a tripod with a good swivel/tilt head, I bought a cheap spirit level with laser line projector for £5 in a dicount store, its no more than DIY stores charge for just a spirit level and the screw fitting fits my camera (and webcam). So far I've used the spirit level a few times but the tripod now lives with my camera and I've yet to use the laser projector.

Good suggestion. But the central pole won't come out :-(

But it might work to get another tripod head and figure out how to mount it to the pole slide.

That's a good possibility. ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson, CTO                            |    mens     |
| Analog Innovations, Inc.                         |     et      |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    |
| Phoenix, Arizona  85048    Skype: Contacts Only  |             |
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
             
      The only thing bipartisan in this country is hypocrisy