QuoteNancy, Did you ever try the modified, el cheapo, mini stand? It is rather flimsy and, I suspect, better light distribution with a tupperware type enclosure (maybe that is where a cut down milk bottle could be an advantage).
I found the stand, and have trialled it. It does what's required, but in just the short time and the 3 images I've taken. I sort of prefer my old Set-up. Possibly a bit too fiddly, but I'll stick with it and at least give it a fair trial before I make a final decidion on it. Quite a bit of time spent adjusting the settings switching from coin to coin.
The Korean coin is in a holder and I had to tilt it a fair way to get rid of all the reflection, (which I have to do with my old set-up anyway), just explaining why part of the image is slightly out of focus.
Ireland 2 E. Cents 2004 Rev
(http://i39.tinypic.com/2dt0k2a.jpg)
Sth Korea 50 Hwan 1961 Duo
(http://i43.tinypic.com/inec7o.jpg)
This is what we are talking about.
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/Scope_1.JPG)(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/Scope_2.JPG)
It started life as one of these Portable Digital USB Microscope Adjustable Stand (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Portable-Digital-USB-Microscope-Endoscope-Otoscope-Adjustable-Stand-Station-TE13-/200977150898?pt=AU_Business_Industrial_Medical_Scientific_Equipment2&hash=item2ecb2bf3b2)
I have thought of fitting a diffuser to the 'scope to shield direct light from the LED lamps onto the coin. This should eliminate (or at least substantially reduce) the reflection problem.
If and when I get time to experiment, I will report here.
Jeff
I think the diffuser is worth a try.
I stuck a little cylinder of paper up the centre of the scope so the view of the lens was through the paper tube.
Here is a shot without
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/No_diffuser.jpg)
and here is a shot with the tube
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/Diffuser_1.jpg)
Nothing else changed between the two shots.
For a (literally) two minute experiment it shows some promise of good results with something dedicated to the purpose.
That is definitely on my list to try later.
PS. the variation of focus is a shortcoming of the 'scope. With good focus in the centre of the shot the side edges tend to be poorly focused. For these shots the coin was off-centre in the field of view and I cropped the right hand side of the shots.