Electronics > Beginners
Buying first microscope in Germany, AliExpress, Customs
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Rooster Cogburn:
I've been looking into getting a decent SMD soldering microscope for a while. Main requirements:

- I can't imagine soldering by looking at a display, I want stereo and zero lag
- I frequently work with larger PCBs, so those integrated stand & work surface things won't do it, I need a microscope head on an arm
- Those common / entry level 7X-45X + 0.5X barlow lens setups seem like all I'll ever need
- Don't really need a camera port or even simulfocal, guess iPhone-into-eyepiece is fine if I ever need to snap pic for a question on a forum etc.
- I have very limited bench space and after countless hours of measuring and moving stuff around I think those typical double or single arm boom stands might not be a good fit. It would be very hard to move the microscope out of the way, I'd probably frequently obstruct or bump into other equipment, walls are in the way on all sides and the counterweight etc. would hit them and I'll likely have to position the microscope on the side in a way that leaves the arm fully extended and makes everything prone to tipping over. I think those fully articulated stands are the best compromise for me.

I figured I'd try buying an Amscope unit. That's a bit tricky where I live, though. First, everything is of course quite a bit pricier compared to the prices I see on the US website. Then, Amscope only has a smaller subset of its products available in the UK warehouse. Shipping from UK->GER is >300EUR :o They then only stock an even smaller selection in local Amazon warehouses, so I can't get certain things (articulating arm) and would likely have to buy a more expensive model with features I don't need.

I thought I'd have a look at AliExpress, found these:

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/FREE-SHIPPING-3-5X-45X-STEREO-ZOOM-MICROSCOPE-ARTICULATING-STAND-MICROSCOPE-144A-LED/2100001_32650651761.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/efix-3-5-45X-Binocular-Stereo-Solder-Microscope-Simul-Focuse-Continuous-Zoom-Articulating-Arm-Clamp-Stand/32957436083.html

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Luckyzoom-3-5X-45X-Stereo-Zoom-Trinocular-Microscope-Articulating-Clamp-Stand-144PCS-LED-Light-Microscopio-Accessories/32837796934.html

That looks pretty much perfect! The standard 7-45X stereo microscope head either with a camera port or not (doesn't really matter much to me, I'd take it for 10 bucks or so, though), a 0.5X barlow lens, articulating stand and a LED ring light. That's *exactly* what I feel would be best for my needs and the cheapest offer is <370EUR shipped.

Now my concerns...

- Any general suggestions to a first time microscope buyer :)
- I buy plenty of things from Chinese sellers on Ali, Banggood, eBay, but never anything this expensive. I've heard some positive reports here about Lucky Zoom, I'd like to buy the first offer from  'Micoptical Store' here, if sensible. How risky would you say is all this? How helpful is the buyer protection from Ali if the device doesn't arrive or just has some defect in the optics? I only ever had to use their protection once when I got a heat resistance bench mat that wasn't actually heat resistant.

(guess this is for the Germans only...)

- Customs! So, 99% of my purchases are parts and small stuff <25EUR so I don't have to deal with that. On the few occasions where I bought more expensive items from China/Japan and did not chose some expensive courier like UPS that just deals with all of this for you I had to pick up my stuff at the local customs office. They're mind-numbingly slow but it all worked out fine. Now, here it seems that most sellers basically pick the courier for you (or at least reserve the right to deviate from your choice), might ship the microscope in two packages, even with two different couriers.  I've read plenty about the horrors of dealing with the GDSK, avoiding EMS, rip-off customs fees from TNT and such. I've never had the issue where a package was not transported to the customs office at the destination but stored at Frankfurt airport and I have to fill out this god awful looking mother of all stuffy government websites to get my packages released while fending off angry letters from GDSK, potentially twice if they ship both packages with different couriers. Any advice on how to avoid this? Did anybody just talk to the sellers and asked them to use DHL so you can just pick it up at the local customs office? Does 'China Post Air Parcel' end up with the GDSK in Germany?
- I'll have to pay 19% VAT for sure, but does anybody happen to know if microscopes have a 0% import tax like many electronics items?

Thanks ;)
Jeroen3:
Well Amazon is a thing in Germany. And the AmScope Louis Rossman uses is on Amazon... I should read better
Maybe Amazon can deal with the customs for you?
Qw3rtzuiop:
I was in a similar situation. The 19% didn't bother me that much. The problem is DHL Express and their "service". They will pay the import taxes for you and charge a service fee. And if there are any errors it is a long way to go. Had this situation once.

If you search on aliexpress you can filter the results by the country of origin. Take a look and choose different eu countries and you will probably find a microscope with the desired specs.

I bought this one:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/simul-focal-Continuous-Zoom-7-45X-Trinocular-Stereo-Microscope-HDMI-VGA-microscope-camera-56-LED-Light/32851330647.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.39964c4daTMcL2
Unfortunately it is no longer available from Spain.
Rooster Cogburn:

--- Quote from: Jeroen3 on March 13, 2019, 02:15:45 pm ---Well Amazon is a thing in Germany. And the AmScope Louis Rossman uses is on Amazon...
Maybe Amazon can deal with the customs for you?

--- End quote ---

I know that if I write a question as long as I did I'm bound to get responses where people suggest things I explicitly mentioned and addressed already, but I couldn't make it much briefer, sorry.

- AmScope is quite a bit more expensive in Europe
- AmScope sells on Amazon but has their European warehouse in the UK and shipping to Germany is >300EUR
- They only stock a few models in the local warehouse. None with articulating stands and other things about them that I don't want
- The model Rossmann uses has a double arm boom stand, which is likely problematic on my bench due to space
- On AliExpress options are exactly what I want and way cheaper, even after 19% VAT + 7% import tax (might not even have to pay that one), so I think I'd rather go this route


--- Quote from: Qw3rtzuiop on March 13, 2019, 02:39:47 pm ---I was in a similar situation. The 19% didn't bother me that much. The problem is DHL Express and their "service". They will pay the import taxes for you and charge a service fee. And if there are any errors it is a long way to go. Had this situation once.

If you search on aliexpress you can filter the results by the country of origin. Take a look and choose different eu countries and you will probably find a microscope with the desired specs.

I bought this one:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/simul-focal-Continuous-Zoom-7-45X-Trinocular-Stereo-Microscope-HDMI-VGA-microscope-camera-56-LED-Light/32851330647.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.39964c4daTMcL2
Unfortunately it is no longer available from Spain.

--- End quote ---

But that's only DHL Express, I doubt any of those el-cheapo shipping included sellers use them? I'm aware of those fees, I used UPS' customs processing before. I'd be perfectly happy with the slowest shipping possible if only I can be reasonably sure that I can just pick it up and pay at my local custom's office. I tried finding one shipped from the EU, but i.e. "stereo microscope 3.5X 45X articulating stand" has zero results for the EU locations :/ I can only find a few basic models.

btw, do you remember if you had to pay import tax on top of VAT? Electronics and scientific instruments are often exempt.
Jeroen3:

--- Quote from: Rooster Cogburn on March 13, 2019, 03:19:04 pm ---I know that if I write a question as long as I did I'm bound to get responses where people suggest things I explicitly mentioned and addressed already, but I couldn't make it much briefer, sorry.

--- End quote ---
... I completely missed that, I'm sorry.  |O
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