Magnify the small print with ZOOM on your smartphone camera.

Today I went to Lowe's to buy paint.  When I came home, I wanted to review the directions to make sure I allowed enough drying time between coats of paint.

WHEN did print on paint cans (and everything else) become so SMALL?

Now, I don't have poor vision.  I mean, I do have the obligatory middle-age progressive lens, but I can also read without them in a pinch....just too long & I get a headache.

I suspect with more & more regulations requiring manufacturers squeeze more & more onto the same sized label...in at least 2 or 3 languages..... it's only inevitable.  

I keep a magnifying glass in my kitchen drawer and I'll go dig it out when I -really- need it.  But, for heaven's sake!  I just wanted to find out the proper drying/curing time!

Voila!!!!  My camera phone!  I simply took a picture of the label in good lighting, and then I can ZOOM right on my phone, as well as navigate around to the area I want to read (and avoid the languages I don't understand.)

This little trick also works well for recording the model numbers off of those little metal plates conveniently located underneath or behind your favorite large appliance.
  

This is the original picture I took with my smartphone:

And here is the zoom.  Now remember, on my camera, I can move the zoom around to different areas I want to view.

No more squint lines for me!