PSA: I found a way to get clear photos of tiny finds without a macro lens

I kept getting blurry shots of small pottery shards with my regular camera, even after trying for weeks. Then I read a forum post from a guy in Tucson who said to use a cheap clip-on magnifier from a phone store. I got one for $15 and held it over my phone lens, and it actually worked. The detail on a 2cm piece of painted ceramic from my last dig is crazy clear now. Has anyone else tried this kind of hack for field photography?

3 comments

3 Comments

benlewis10d ago

My phone camera still thinks my thumb is a mountain.

willow_martin9d agoTop Commenter

My friend tried to take a photo of a tiny fossil last week. Her phone kept focusing on her own fingerprint instead of the rock. It looked like a weird landscape.

janac5110d ago

The Tucson tip is solid for still objects. I worry about stability when documenting finds in situ with wind or uneven ground. Have you tried mounting the phone on a small tripod with that clip-on?