sharpen image for barcode scanning

[kapauldo]

Hi, I capture images from a webcam which does not have "flower" mode built in (cant't zoom in on close objects). I am trying to figure out how to sharpen an image that looks like this:

https://i.imgur.com/DT5Vwb5.jpg

So that zbar can scan the barcode. The scanning code works great on mobile devices, but it's failing with webcams.

I'd like to try to solve this using the command line first, and then I'll convert my findings to programmatic. I've tried sharpen with no luck. Anyone have any pointers on what to try?

[snibgo]

Why do you need to scan the barcode? Isn't the number "36800 08177" sufficient?


That's a terrible image. I suggest you buy a magnifying glass with a suitable focal length and attach it to your camera. This will massively increase the quality.

Or use one lens from simple reading glasses.

A more expensive solution, but possibly giving better results, is to buy a camera "close-up" lens, also know as "supplementary lens". One might be available for your camera, or use a generic lens.