CLPEX Chat Board

Did anyone purchase a CERA LT from Consolite when it was on the market? I recently reached out to them and it seems as this product is no longer on the market.

I was wondering if anyone had success with it and if it was worth trying to track one down used.

Our lab is looking for easier ways to photograph cartridge cases and and stich all the images together. I know Foster and Freeman also sells a add on for their DCS5 that will photograph the cartridges and stich the images together.

Does anyone have any other tricks for photographing cartridges?

Try focus stacking in Photoshop. You can also use the photomerge tool as well - I think George Reis talks about that in his book...Chapter 13.

OR

Journal of Forensic Identification 2014, Vol. 64 Issue 1, p71-83. 13p. - a good article by Brian Dalrymple and Jill Smith on focus stacking.

I've used the focus stacking primarily and have had really good success with it. I've had very limited success with developing latents on casings but that's another thread.

As far as the CERA, I would run in the opposite direction from it. I've never heard anything good about it; at least from anyone in the US. I don't know where you are located but I've heard the results are better in Europe since their ammo is manufactured differently than in the US.

Disclaimer - I have not used it but have heard from those in the labs where it was purchased and it's no longer being used anymore. I can provide you a contact offline if you'd like to reach out to one of them - just PM me.