Homebrew PCBs

How do you get good quality pictures of pcbs? Would a good macro lens 
and ring lighting be best, or is there a better way?

Mark

A scanner, use a flatbed scanner.

ST

On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
> How do you get good quality pictures of pcbs? Would a good macro lens
> and ring lighting be best, or is there a better way?
>
> Mark
>

On 23/03/2010 19:46, Mark Lerman wrote:
> How do you get good quality pictures of pcbs? Would a good macro lens
> and ring lighting be best, or is there a better way?


I get quite good results with my Nikon D80 with the stock zoom lens, 
handheld, with the built-in flash. I have a macro lens, but I usually 
can't be bothered to fit it and set up the tripod, etc. A light tent or 
cube and a couple of suitable lamps is probably the best way to light 
small objects.

Leon
-- 
Leon Heller
G1HSM

I use a macro setting on the camera, with flash, but one unusual trick - 
I put a piece of white paper in front of the flash, angled down to face 
the PCB.  That way, instead of getting flare from point reflections of 
the flash, I get a uniform ambient light.

For unpopulated PCBs, I usually end up using my scanner, although gEDA's 
pcb layout package has a photorealistic output exporter that is a lot 
easier to use.

I tried a scanner, but the image seems out of focus. Any special settings?
Mark

At 03:51 PM 3/23/2010, you wrote:

>A scanner, use a flatbed scanner.
>
>ST
>
>On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
> > How do you get good quality pictures of pcbs? Would a good macro lens
> > and ring lighting be best, or is there a better way?
> >
> > Mark
> >
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

I have a macro setup I use for insect photography - a 200mm Canon 
macro with a two head macro flash with diffusers - that I might try.

Mark

At 03:54 PM 3/23/2010, you wrote:

>On 23/03/2010 19:46, Mark Lerman wrote:
> > How do you get good quality pictures of pcbs? Would a good macro lens
> > and ring lighting be best, or is there a better way?
>
>
>I get quite good results with my Nikon D80 with the stock zoom lens,
>handheld, with the built-in flash. I have a macro lens, but I usually
>can't be bothered to fit it and set up the tripod, etc. A light tent or
>cube and a couple of suitable lamps is probably the best way to light
>small objects.
>
>Leon
>--
>Leon Heller
>G1HSM
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

This is a trick that DJ has shared before, and it really works well. I just wish I had known it long, long ago!

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, DJ Delorie <dj@...> wrote:

>
> I use a macro setting on the camera, with flash, but one unusual trick - 
> I put a piece of white paper in front of the flash, angled down to face 
> the PCB.  That way, instead of getting flare from point reflections of 
> the flash, I get a uniform ambient light.
> 
> For unpopulated PCBs, I usually end up using my scanner, although gEDA's 
> pcb layout package has a photorealistic output exporter that is a lot 
> easier to use.
>

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
>
> I tried a scanner, but the image seems out of focus. Any special settings?
> Mark
> 

All scanners are not equal. I tried one of those new super slim LED flatbed scanners and found it was useless for scanning anything that had any depth. My *ancient* Scanmaker E3 which is the old style with a fluorescent tube does a great job, I can even scan the faceplate of moving coil meters without disassembling the meter

--- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, "James" <jamesrsweet@...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> --- In Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Mark Lerman <mlerman@> wrote:
> >
> > I tried a scanner, but the image seems out of focus. Any special settings?
> > Mark
> > 
> 
> All scanners are not equal. I tried one of those new super slim LED flatbed scanners and found it was useless for scanning anything that had any depth. My *ancient* Scanmaker E3 which is the old style with a fluorescent tube does a great job, I can even scan the faceplate of moving coil meters without disassembling the meter
>

Agreed. I have an old HP 4P SCSI scanner, I can set a stuffed circuit board part side down on it and it is all in focus.

Then I bought an 8 year newer thin scanner, and the -folds- in a letter are out of focus. Horrible.

I now have a newer HP USB scanner, almost as thick as my really old 4P, and it has good depth of field.

And you don't have the worries of the flash or room lights causing highlights that blow out all the details.

Steve Greenfield

I thought you mean a bare PCB! ;-)

Anyway mine does stuffed ones just fine, it is also an old thick
model. But it tends to look strange with high components, maybe
because the perspective is moving.

ST

On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 9:30 PM, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
> I tried a scanner, but the image seems out of focus. Any special settings?
> Mark
>
> At 03:51 PM 3/23/2010, you wrote:
>>A scanner, use a flatbed scanner.
>>
>>ST
>>
>>On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 8:46 PM, Mark Lerman <mlerman@...> wrote:
>> > How do you get good quality pictures of pcbs? Would a good macro lens
>> > and ring lighting be best, or is there a better way?
>> >
>> > Mark
>> >
>>
>>
>>------------------------------------
>>
>>Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
>>http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Be sure to visit the group home and check for new Links, Files, and Photos:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Homebrew_PCBsYahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>