One of the positive sides of taking a long break from the stamps and collecting and blogging is that it not just gives access to some new perspectives, but also forces to ponder things you might have previously considered self-evident. As I’ve been trying to settle in with my new life in new city, I have painfully acknowledged the reality of there’s so much to do but alas so little time. Or in plain english, I’m feeling that I have been too busy to have time for stamps the same way I had in the past. Before you grab ‘this is the end’ signs, then I can say it’s not.  When there’s a will there’s also a way. Rebooting collecting  will just require just some new approaches and perspectives into how I manage my stamp time and stamp related resources.

Here’s one of the tools I’ve used for few years:a 20x clip-on macro lens that fits pretty much any smartphone.  There are dozens of brands selling similar lenses from 10-40€ price range; mine’s pretty much in the middle price range.  Some stamp brands, such as Lighthouse/Leuchtturm got their own equivalents, but IMHO they seem lower grade and quality than those aimed for ‘general photographers’.  I thought I’d show some photographs of what is possible with stamps using a “cheap” macro lens, as well as talk some of the ups and downs compared to scanner vs. digital microscope vs. traditional magnifier/loupe.