Tired Of Squinting When Flyspecking?

Here is what I am looking at. A scanner is a cheap alternative but has limits such as movement. I am having trouble sometimes with seeing perforations against a gauge. Unless you have three hands, one to hold the stamp another to hold the magnifier, and finally one to hold and move the gauge the scanner would not work. I am not saying a desk magnifier would not work but just for the pure ease of using one of these would be nice.

As someone previously mentioned, keep an eye out on Craig's List, as they tend to go cheap locally. Also, if you're patient, you might be able to score one on ebay for $400-500.

I can't speak for any of the other brands/models, but the Enhanced Vision Merlin series is what you want, not only based on my experience, but another revenue specialist who pointed me in the direction of these based on his experience searching for varieties. He has the 19" model.

1775mac: Since perfing is your need, perhaps this software would be suitable for you:

http://www.pcvu.com/EzPerf/EzPerf-S...oftware.html

I can't speak to it personally, but Daryl/StampVirgin can. Perhaps you could download and take advantage of the 1-month trial. I plan to do that once I get to doing some serious scanning and perfing.

-- Dave

Is there any benefit to this device over a PC microscope?
It certainly looks impressive.

1. Usability. The field of vision on a USB microscope is very small, whereas this displays a comparatively much larger area, depending on your magnification level.

2. Range of magnification. While a USB microscope is good for examining very small areas at very high magnification, its range is very limited, and you effectively have 2-3 magnification settings. This device covers a much larger range, as shown in the OP.

3. Because you can ONLY view at very high magnification on a PC USB microscope, I find them very difficult to control. A tiny jerk of the hand can shift the entire area out of focus. For anyone with fine motor control issues or just general clumsiness, the document table is going to be MUCH easier to control. With a PC microscope you're moving the optics or trying to keep the optics still while moving the stamp (it's tougher than it sounds to do consistently and easily), whereas with this unit, the optics and lighting always remain stationary. You're only ever moving the stamp/cover/document.

Also, it's easy on this unit to zoom out several levels of magnifcation, move the object, and zoom right back in, if you prefer doing that to panning.

There's nothing that this inherently does that a USB microscope can't do... it just does it better and easier.

I have a USB microscope... I almost never use it, because it's a pain in the ***. This isn't.

Thanks RC. I have not used either so found your feedback useful.

Has anyone tried a HoverCam -- they're marketed to teachers and schools.

http://www.thehovercam.com/store/ho...-t3-1-detail

The T3 is 3 megapixel, the T5 is 5 megapixels. I like the fact they take their power from the USB port and the image goes to your computer monitor -- no additional monitor required.

Never Mind ..... from what I can tell, it really doesn't have a zoom function, so it might not be appropriate for stamps.

1775mac... give it a try it is great software... caused a huge fuss on another website...

is that anything like the hover round?

SV -- yep, it's the same thing

Stampvirgin, yes I am looking at that software but it still would run around $200 to use multiple images to make it worth the trouble of scanning. Right now I can use a freeware program for perf checks but it is one at a time. Still interested in the software though as a very useful tool for arranging and listing stamps to sell.

Rev understand the pains with the site not to be mentioned.Some just don't get it or are just miserable souls. Anyways if I could find the right deal I would snap one up. I just like the idea of effortlessly positioning or switching-out stamps without having to go through each scan. Not saying scanning is bad but with a tool like that we have to remember its uses is real time. Oh well I like it and each to their own.

This is too technical for an old geezer...one of the guys in the club has a microscope he attaches to his laptop...i guess I am limited..but I can not believe how it "blows up" a stamp image..i guess you could find Something wrong with any stamp if you try hard enough !

1775mac.... look at ezperf... it is only around 49.99 ezstamp is the more expensive one.

that commercial cracks me up. The use a free coffee cup as a selling point