Boom stereo microscope recommendations please.

[FrankE]

I'm teetering on buying a boom stereo microscope as I'm no longer able to do surface mount with the naked eye or with basic glass (most of which has been nicked anyway).

I'm not finding much from the Leica Microsystems, Nikon, Canon and the top dollar companies second hand so looking at a new Amscope (used would do).

I'm long-sighted, more so in one eye so scope would have to be adjustable for that.
I need a good working distance to get soldering pencils, tools, instruments, probes and my big fat sausage fingers in about to work (Barlow lenses)
I need a video camera mount or one ascope with a video camera so I can work from the screen or sights.
I'll also be using the scope for plant science, histology and general looking-at-small-things geekery. Is it worth getting the high mag in a boom stereo 'scope for those application or might I be cheaper getting different microscope(s)?

I guess they don't travel well? A community electronics / maker group could also make use of it.

What do folks here use?
 
Any recommendations please?
Recommended sellers?

Many thanks.

[KJDS]

Amscope stuff is ok, however it may be worth holding off until something better comes up second hand.

I've got a Bausch & Lomb Stereozoom 7 trinocular, (but not simulfocal) so you can add a camera but only use one eyepiece when the camera is switched in, but I'm halfway through making a stand for it and it won't take a standard 0.5X barlow lens and I can't make an adapter until I've got screw cutting capability on my lathe which is probably a few weeks away.

I've also got a delightful Leica MZ12 with camera and several barlow lenses in excellent working order if you fancy spending a lot of money.

 

[ServoKit]

I've looked into this as well and if you plan to actually work under the scope (rather than only doing inspections) you will need a comfortable distance between the lens and the workpiece, at least 10-15cm / 4-6". Two devices that offer this are the Leica A60 and the Mantis which Dave reviewed some time ago.

Neither let's you easily photograph stuff like the trinocular devices do though: AFAIK, the Mantis can't be use for photos at all, with the Leica you'll have to remove an eyepiece and hold the camera manually against the scope head. (You might be able to fix a very light camera with a DIY adapter to the scope.)

Incidentally, engravers have similar requirements, you might find interesting stuff in their communities (e.g. engraverscafe).

Regards, Axel

[owiecc]

Mantis has a version with a camera now. The 3D wiew is amazing to work with.

[ChunkyPastaSauce]

I have an American Optics 570. Working distance is 4", 5.7" with aux reducing lens. Continuous zoom from 7x-42x, or 3.5 x-21x with aux reducing lens (using 10x eye piece) (Scope can go into the 200x+ range if you need it for some reason with proper eye and aux lens). Same model made from the 70's-90's. Lots of information online as many people like them and are still use in jewelers shops and such.

You can get the head for $100, and fit it to a boom.

[ServoKit]

Ah, hadn't seen that. Have you evaluated other devices before settling on the Mantis?

Regards, Axel

[KJDS]

A 0.5 auxilliary should double the working distance, typically to about 200cm.

I can't get on with Mantis, and I know a few others that can't get on with them, however I also know far more people love them. It's something I'd definitely recommend you try before you buy.

[ServoKit]

They have a booth on the Hanover fair in April; if I find the time, I'll have a look.

Regards, Axel

[ChunkyPastaSauce]

A 0.5 auxilliary should double the working distance, typically to about 200cm.

I'm going off the specification sheet https://mightyohm.com/wiki/_media/resources:aostereostarcatalog.pdf and it's 5.7" rather than doubling to 8".  I think working distance has more than one parameter, in-addition to magnification - focal length. 

[blacksheeplogic]

A 0.5 auxilliary should double the working distance, typically to about 200cm.

I think you have to really consider your application, bench height and be realistic about how much working distance you need. Preferably try out a similar scope with the 0.5x before you commit to make sure the scope is still comfortable to use.

[nctnico]

I can't get on with Mantis, and I know a few others that can't get on with them, however I also know far more people love them. It's something I'd definitely recommend you try before you buy.

You are the first person that doesn't like the Mantis. I wish I had the space for a Mantis because IMHO they are the best option for electronics.

[FrankE]

A 0.5 auxilliary should double the working distance, typically to about 200cm.

I think you have to really consider your application, bench height and be realistic about how much working distance you need. Preferably try out a similar scope with the 0.5x before you commit to make sure the scope is still comfortable to use.

Absolutely.
I'm rather out of the trade show loop where I live and there's only one  trade show every two years but in oil and gas. Despite the focus of the show being grim heavy engineering, hard manual labour and foraging the seas for shit to burn to make this frozen, damp, mossy rock nearly bearable, there's actually some quite interesting tech.  I visited optics stands at the oil exhibition but they were demonstrating scopes for other applications. Leica hit me with a couple of thousand pounds figure c. 3,000 USD , 4,000AUD for what I described (used!), though I've registered for their reconditioned stock list.

I can't justify a couple of grand for low volume.

I don't know anyone locally who both does surface mount and who would be allowed let me go into their workplace hence asking for opinions and what people on this global forum use.

I've asked around in my societies and with researchers in the public engagement with research unit at the uni but no one I've met thus far is using scopes for surface mount. I was hoping to find out what the uni do with old equipment. 
My neighbour is a diamond trader and a jeweller/watchmaker to trade. Perhaps he uses a stereo microscope.

[blacksheeplogic]

A 0.5 auxilliary should double the working distance, typically to about 200cm.

I think you have to really consider your application, bench height and be realistic about how much working distance you need. Preferably try out a similar scope with the 0.5x before you commit to make sure the scope is still comfortable to use.

Absolutely.
I'm rather out of the trade show loop where I live and there's only one  trade show every two years but in oil and gas.
... I visited optics stands at the oil exhibition but they were demonstrating scopes for other applications. Leica hit me with a couple of thousand pounds figure c. 3,000 USD , 4,000AUD for what I described (used!), though I've registered for their reconditioned stock list.

My comment was specifically referring to the 0.5x working distance, not the microscope itself.

One of the lens I have for my microscope is a 0.5x lens and that amount of working distance is too much to work comfortably with. A 0.75x or possibly a 0.63x is a better choice if more working distance is required.

[ChunkyPastaSauce]

It's dependent on the scope your using and how it's setup. Which aux mag lens works is dependent on the eye piece optics and the internal optics of the scope. But your point about more working distance not necessarily better I'm sure is true.

[JGAN]

Just so you know, 0.5x barlow lens gives you a lot of working distance -- too much to be comfortable in my opinion. With the standard 10x eyepieces and 0.5-5x objective zoom, you will get a good 8" of working distance. For me personally, that means I have to stretch my neck a good deal and sit pretty high up.


For my setup I use a 0.75x barlow lens. That gives me about 6", which I find ideal for getting a hot air rework want underneath, tweezers, iron, etc. without making me sit in odd positions.


As for a microscope recommendation, I have used Amscope in the past and they are fine for the money. While I really wouldn't go back after having gotten my Nikon SMZ-2B, the Amscope SM-4TPZ head will be perfectly fine for soldering. It also features a trinocular simulfocal port for using both a camera and the eyepieces at once.

[LabSpokane]

Look at microscope.com. I have an Omano 99 series on a boom stand from them and am very happy with it.

[G0HZU]

I can't get on with Mantis, and I know a few others that can't get on with them, however I also know far more people love them. It's something I'd definitely recommend you try before you buy.

You are the first person that doesn't like the Mantis. I wish I had the space for a Mantis because IMHO they are the best option for electronics.

We have several Mantis units at work and I don't like using them very much either. The illumination and clarity is excellent but the showstoppers for me are the wobbly operation, the restricted field of view and the fact that (with my eyes at least) you do have to be careful how you set it up because it can give a strange and distorted view otherwise. Also there is no zoom and you have to select lenses manually.

Also, looking 'forwards' whilst the hands are actually working 'underneath' is something I find a bit weird with the Mantis. Maybe I'd get used to it in time but the restricted field of view and the wobbly nature of the Mantis mean that I simply don't want to use it for SMD work. Maybe it would be different if I regularly needed to spend hours at a time doing SMD work as the Mantis may prove less tiring to use.

[FrankE]

Just so you know, 0.5x barlow lens gives you a lot of working distance -- too much to be comfortable in my opinion. With the standard 10x eyepieces and 0.5-5x objective zoom, you will get a good 8" of working distance. For me personally, that means I have to stretch my neck a good deal and sit pretty high up.


For my setup I use a 0.75x barlow lens. That gives me about 6", which I find ideal for getting a hot air rework want underneath, tweezers, iron, etc. without making me sit in odd positions.


As for a microscope recommendation, I have used Amscope in the past and they are fine for the money. While I really wouldn't go back after having gotten my Nikon SMZ-2B, the Amscope SM-4TPZ head will be perfectly fine for soldering. It also features a trinocular simulfocal port for using both a camera and the eyepieces at once.

Nice. I never see Nikon SMZ-2T used on ebay with the boom in the UK.

[KL27x]

I'm going off the specification sheet https://mightyohm.com/wiki/_media/resources:aostereostarcatalog.pdf and it's 5.7" rather than doubling to 8".  I think working distance has more than one parameter, in-addition to magnification - focal length. 

Perhaps the 0.5 barlow doubles the focal distance, but this is as measured from the main objective? Since the barlow gets tacked onto the bottom, this takes up some of this extra room? 

I use a double boom Amscope with a 0.5 Barlow. No, they don't travel well. I occasionally move it to clear space on my bench, but it wouldn't be much fun carrying this in and out of a building to a car. I estimate it weighs over 50 lbs and it's rather bulky and awkward. I suppose it wouldn't be too bad if you separate it into two parts and make two separate carrying cases with good handles. The base probably accounts for 2/3 the weight. If you could get a separate base on eBay to permanently locate, it would be a lot easier to move.

[ChunkyPastaSauce]

I'm going off the specification sheet https://mightyohm.com/wiki/_media/resources:aostereostarcatalog.pdf and it's 5.7" rather than doubling to 8".  I think working distance has more than one parameter, in-addition to magnification - focal length. 

Perhaps the 0.5 barlow doubles the focal distance, but this is as measured from the main objective? Since the barlow gets tacked onto the bottom, this takes up some of this extra room? 

That is totally possible