Super-magnifier webcam lamp

This instructable can be accessed at the author's website - http://www.neatinformation.com/. If you link to this instructable from another website, please include a link to the Neat Information website.

If your vision’s not perfect it helps to have a good magnifying glass. I saw a commercial video magnifier – basically a small video camera on a swing arm which you connect to a television set and realized a DIY solution could be far better – using a webcam for far higher resolution than a television set.

Materials –

An adjustable desk lamp which can be aimed down.

A webcam and computer display. It helps to have a large monitor.

A 1/4"-20 bolt, about 1.5 inches long.
A 1/4"-20 nut.
A 1/4"-20 free spinning washer nut.

The hardware is available at any decent hardware store for about $1.50.

This project is very similar to my swing-arm lamp, but fixed in a single position to optimize it for magnifying reading materials.

Step 1 Drill hole

Drill a 1/4 inch hole in the lamp’s light shield. Clean any burrs out the hole.

You’ll want to place the hole in a place where the mounted webcam will face down toward the table.

Comments

[jbiddington]

I commend you for the idea - it's really great and I have been looking for a web cam that doesn't clip onto a screen etc - mainly because we have a house full of desktops and I want a stand that is a bit higher than my screen/s. I have an old lamp that is going to be upcycled - and will make a great stand for it. Just brilliant!

[klimb]

Very simple and effective DIY! Whats even better is that both the webcam and the lamp can still be used for it's original purpose without disassembling everything. This could also be a very good webcam mount for skype or video chat. I have had a hard time finding a webcam with a tripod screw mount on these days. Seems like a lost standard. Microsoft has an HD cam with the tripod mount if anyone is looking.

[philip42]

In at least one case I've found a webcam which pops apart from its base and has a 1/4-20 nut on the camera. At a minimum of the camera has a flat base you can glue on a 1/4-20 free spinning washer nut to add a tripod socket.

[jaxofalltrades]

Very neat, I can think of many applications for this!

[l8nite]

that's a really great idea !