This is hard to explain but a totally serious question...
I need to take many photos of products for ebay listings. All our
products have a SKU number that we use to track them as inventory. We
need to get these numbers visible in our photographs in order to
quickly attach them on the computer to the correct listing. I'm
envisioning a little LED display box that has a keypad attached and
allows you to quickly punch in numbers that will show up on the
display. The box could then be placed by the item where it would be
clearly visible.
I would think that somewhere this already exists for pro photography
but have not been able to find anything like it anywhere. Perhaps high
end digital cameras have the ability to tag sequences into the image
digitally, but there are technical reasons we have to stay with the
cameras we currently have.

Of course, the simple answer to this would be to get a magic marker
and a piece of paper, write the number and stick it in the photo, but
I am looking for a more elegant solution for a high speed photo
station we are building. Speed and efficienty in the process are
critical.
Ideally this device would be a few inches in size, battery powered and
under $100. Does such a device exist?

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Clarification of Question by triptych-ga on 25 Jul 2004 14:37 PDT

re the pedometer: Thanks for your input! But to clarify, the SKU
numbers for the item have allready been determined.. this is why we
have to be able to key in any number we need randomly

Hmm, I know what your looking for and I've been pondering a bit...
other than consulting an electrical engineer to build one for you
(which can be done with a programmable chip like the Parallax Inc.
Basic Stamp 2 and an LED display and keypad)  your cheapest
alternative would have to be buying a nice Pedometer at a fitness
store that features a bright, high visibility counter so you can lay
it in your pictures and when your ready for the next shoot, just shake
it to increase the number, or reset it to lower it.

-Paul