I guess it depends on what you are looking to accomplish. Webcam images will be small and not necessarily the highest resolution. If you need cheap, you probably know that already. I'm not sure that chasing a 35mm SLR lens will help you achieve "cheap." Some of the lenses alone for a dSLR like what Critical_d mentioned are (awesome! but) $400+ and only produce a 1:1 ratio image. There are plenty of actual microscopes on ebay under $100. Or you can even find digital "toy" microscopes that actually work pretty well new for not much more.

Is this the kind of thing you are thinking of building?
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/715240-REG/Avangard_Optics_AN_E500_AN_E500_eScope_500x_USB.html

I was thinking of using the webcam because they are so fast at data transfer, whereas modern cameras have image download rates that are pretty limited.

I found this: http://eosdoc.com/jlcalc/, but I don't really find it intuitive to use.

I am trying to make a cheap microscope with the webcam and macro lens. I know there are USB webcams out there. But the lens quality and field of view are pretty limited. I thought a macro lens might provide an excellent solution.

>> ^Boise_Lib:

Don't laugh so hard you forget to pass it.


Happy 4/20!

Well, one thing she does understand is that for her video to be viewed she must wear a tank top tee shirt and center the webcam on her chest.

>> ^SeesThruYou:

Once again, another fan-made Minecraft video that only further reinforces the blatant fact that fan-made Minecraft videos are the worst... the absolute BOTTOM of the fucking internet video pile. I play Minecraft, but I don't understand ANYTHING portrayed in this video. WTF?? No creativity, no originality, no humor... 100% pointless drivel. I lost IQ points watching this bullshit.
Remember Magibon? The asian-looking girl who did nothing but sit in front of a webcam for 2 minutes, blinking her eyes and then citing some random Japanese phrases?
Yeah, she's a cinematic GENIUS, worthy of winning a Nobel Prize, compared to the morons who make Minecraft videos like this one.


I have more in the unsifted list, waiting for your precious IQ points. Only if you're interested.

Once again, another fan-made Minecraft video that only further reinforces the blatant fact that fan-made Minecraft videos are the worst... the absolute BOTTOM of the fucking internet video pile. I play Minecraft, but I don't understand ANYTHING portrayed in this video. WTF?? No creativity, no originality, no humor... 100% pointless drivel. I lost IQ points watching this bullshit.

Remember Magibon? The asian-looking girl who did nothing but sit in front of a webcam for 2 minutes, blinking her eyes and then citing some random Japanese phrases?

Yeah, she's a cinematic GENIUS, worthy of winning a Nobel Prize, compared to the morons who make Minecraft videos like this one.

>> ^gorillaman:

I spend time and effort taking a dump. I don't expect you to pay me for it.
If you can monetize your creativity, great. Do it without calling in government thugs to extract the tribute you imagine you're owed from anyone who presumes to interact with your imaginary property.
The guy who gets coffee for the director is paid for his work. You're suggesting I owe him, what, his future job security? Come on. Tell him to go home, get a webcam and produce his own content for literally a millionth of the cost of the primitive, bloated, dying industry he leaves behind.
How much are we getting paid to make these posts? Love of the craft, man.


First up, read my original post. I do not, in any way shape or form support SOPA or PIPA. In fact, I abhor them. So you can leave the childish "government thugs" line out of it.

As to the rest of your arguments, I'm not going to pay you to take a dump, because I don't want your dump. If I did want your "output", I would expect to pay you for it.

As for "extracting the tribute I'm owed", I don't believe I'm owed a damn thing, until you use what I've created, in which case, pay me. If you don't want to use it, fine. But it's still my ip that I worked hard on. It's not "imaginary" property, it is intellectual property and the principal has been around for longer than you would believe (look up the story of Colm Cille copying art works in medieval Ireland).

The quality of the work is irrelevant. If Transformers or CoD or whatever is so shit, don't watch/play it.

As for these posts, I'm pretty sure that when you signed up to this site, we agreed that posts were made under creative commons, or are the property of siftbot or whatever. The point is that there is no expectation of remuneration here. I have no problem with people sharing their content or whatever, but it's still their decision to make.

>> ^ChaosEngine:
Wow, I really don't even know where to start with how ridiculous that is. Intellectual property is not "logically and morally absurd". It is the result of peoples time and effort, and thus, has value. This is not about rewarding a studio who invests hundreds of millions in a game or movie, it's about paying a programmer, artist or hell, even the guy who gets coffee for the director.
As for the "gambling" argument, I have no problem with people with make bad products failing. That's fine. But you seem to believe that someone could put years of work into a great product and then still receive no compensation for it. Fine, but then why should you expect them to continue to put that effort into their work? Yeah, love of the craft, whatever, but people still need to eat, pay bills, etc.
You know what? pay the fucking writer.


I spend time and effort taking a dump. I don't expect you to pay me for it.

If you can monetize your creativity, great. Do it without calling in government thugs to extract the tribute you imagine you're owed from anyone who presumes to interact with your imaginary property.

The guy who gets coffee for the director is paid for his work. You're suggesting I owe him, what, his future job security? Come on. Tell him to go home, get a webcam and produce his own content for literally a millionth of the cost of the primitive, bloated, dying industry he leaves behind.

How much are we getting paid to make these posts? Love of the craft, man.

>> ^deathcow:

> shaking their fist with one hand while the either is downloading porn
you pretty much got the method down


Replace "shaking" with "pumping"

Suggested tag change from:
tags: couple, webcam, live, sex, requests

To:
tags: couple, webcam, live, sex, Lisa Ling

I don't see an issue. Granted it's not ideal work, but seems to give them a pretty good income and at least the mother isn't doing "pro" porn and fucking 100 random dudes. They're just a couple having sex with each other on webcam, there's no risk (if they know to say "no" to some requests) and it's all in the safety of their own home with no sleezy producers that literally and figuratively fuck the women over.

There's no need to ever tell their daughter, and if they did that would be YEARS away and by then, if they're smart will have saved up enough to not need to do it anymore.

People are quick to say "Oh my god! That's disgusting!" and shaking their fist with one hand while the either is downloading porn or googling their names to find their porn site.

*falls off of high horse*

Thanks Lucky!

In reply to this comment by lucky760:
What a wonderfully sweet old couple. \^\^

*quality

Tags for this video have been changed from 'seniors, couple, webcam, setting up, learning, funny, sweet' to 'seniors, couple, webcam, setting up, learning, funny, sweet, pretty good monkey' - edited by calvados

Your video, Senior couple learn how to use their webcam, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.