Zurzul
 I will like to purchase one of those cameras,  I have a pay pal account I just need some instructions on how to do it, I just joint these forum so I'm learning my way around

I see on ebay there is a camera as described in the posts (logitech Type) it is advertised as a glass lens and 6 M Pixel it is more expensive around $30.00. My question is would I gain much by using this type.
Jim

Jim,

It sounds good, I haven't acutally seen this camera, if you post a picture or link I can go look at it. 

The main thing I would be concerned about is the ability to focus up close.  If you take a look at the pictures in this post and the bargain basement of the resolutions you get when focusing up real close, 1/8 to 1/4" that is the key.  The actual pixel count doesn't make as much difference as the focus distance, you can have a great hi res picture, but if you can's get a close up look at the part it is not much use for that real close tolerance positioning.

The other consideration that is equally important is the suitability or difficulty to attach a shaft to it with the ability to adjust it for center.

Arnie

I have foud 2 cameras on ebay that I think fit the bill what do you think.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-3-5-MP-USB-Network-PC-Webcam-Web-Cam-Camera_W0QQitemZ120173227452QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4616QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Brand-New-6-1-MP-PC-Laptop-Vista-Web-Cam-Webcam-MSN-W1_W0QQitemZ160170150348QQihZ006QQcategoryZ4616QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I think the first one is easier to mount and will probibly meet all other requirements.
Jim

Jim,

The first one with the clip on the back, I know this one, I have one sitting on the desk here in front of me.  I too thought it would work good, but have since abandoned trying to convert it.
It has a ball swivel on the back of the camera that is fairly stiff but it can be easily moved.  That part clips into a large clip/stand the clip opens up to clamp on something in the 1/2 to 3/4" range.  I was able to pop the front chrome piece off the face but thats as far as I went to disassemble it, it looks like the rest of it will pop apart but not sure if it will damage the case doing that.  The swivel ball would have been good if there was a way to firmly secure it or fine adjust it, in the end it just looked a little too cheap in the long run.  It will focus very close, and would be good if you built a full enclosure for it.

The second one might be ok, I don't know enough about it to comment though.

Arnie

Jim,

I did a little test, the first one will focus down to 3 mm from the target.  This is with the front cap removed and adjusting the focus ring outward.

Arnie

3mm thats good, I thought if it could be mounted inside a tube with the ball swivel fixed to the back of the tube and 3 or 4 adjustment screws on the side it would be spot on. If it is producing good images then passibly it will work. can you take an image shot and post it?
Jim

so have any of you seen that TV commercial where the car parks itself? Looks like the internal video screen that has a positioning control where you can resize the spot you are trying to fit into.

Does this vid set up do the same thing? So for instance, if you have your raw material on your table can you position using a camera of some sort? even do an overlay of the part you are trying to make and see it on the computer monitor?

Not sure if this is what the video camera is doing or not?

Thanks
Dan