Author Topic: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!  (Read 71195 times)

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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« on: September 26, 2018, 01:56:24 am »
This Eakins microscope from Aliexpress seems identical to the new AU$1800 Suba Engineering microscope for 1/3 the cost.
And can it out perform the $4500 Tagarno?

http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/eN3Ec5a
http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/bHSXalzm
http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/cMimkzYc

 
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Offline BravoV

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2018, 02:05:28 am »
So basically Suba Engineering is just another Aliexpress/Alibaba merchandise "repackager/relabeller" company ?  :-//

Offline orion242

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2018, 02:50:08 am »
Price is going up, surprise Dave factor.

Bought one with the link in the video and its $522.99 freedom bucks now.  Maybe its the Trump tariffs.

Funny enough, the camera looks identical to the one Louis Rossman uses.

What are you using for HDMI capture on the PC Dave?
« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 02:56:19 am by orion242 »
 

Offline LapTop006

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2018, 03:11:33 am »
I ordered one from an eBay seller a few weeks back after the previous thread, and it arrived today.

For those trawling ebay the magic search terms seem to be "hdmi microscope imx290", I got mine for ~US$520 including Australian GST, with the 180x lens and a ring light.

The search terms for the standalone less-magnification lens would be appreciated if anyone knows them.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2018, 03:29:52 am »
 

Offline TheDefpom

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2018, 04:47:53 am »
I picked up a set, the cam, mount, led ring light etc. and also purchased a 120x lens... don’t tell my wife.
Cheers Scott

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Offline BravoV

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2018, 05:40:00 am »
I picked up a set, the cam, mount, led ring light etc. and also purchased a 120x lens... don’t tell my wife.

Please share the captured image at 120x ... or I will tell ...  >:D ... j/k ... TIA

Offline TheDefpom

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #7 on: September 26, 2018, 05:53:42 am »

Please share the captured image at 120x ... or I will tell ...  >:D ... j/k ... TIA

Once it arrives I will do a review video on it.
Cheers Scott

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Offline taemun

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #8 on: September 26, 2018, 07:41:11 am »
What happened to "don't turn it on, take it apart!"?

Tear it down, Dave!  :)
 

Offline Spragnut

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #9 on: September 26, 2018, 07:44:16 am »
Does this look the same but a fair bit cheaper if bought as separate parts as opposed to the bundle?

Camera Module - ckambiselis worked out this doesn't have autofocus which explains the price difference
Lens
Stand

Today's exchange rate puts the bundle at £441.88 with the 180x lens and stand

Bought separately it works out at £310.85 with the 120x lens (or 180x) and the same stand
« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 08:31:04 am by Spragnut »
 

Offline ckambiselis

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #10 on: September 26, 2018, 08:15:44 am »
Dave could you check if the top part of the lens screws off, from the lens option pictures it seems like its 2 lenses screw back to back from the 120x to the 180x.

@Spragnut
It seems the same but the seller also has another one with autofocus mentioned at 309 pounds.


Oscar
 
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Offline Spragnut

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #11 on: September 26, 2018, 08:29:54 am »
Dave could you check if the top part of the lens screws off, from the lens option pictures it seems like its 2 lenses screw back to back from the 120x to the 180x.

@Spragnut
It seems the same but the seller also has another one with autofocus mentioned at 309 pounds.


Oscar

Well spotted! If it's too good to be true and all that! You've just saved me wasting my money on something inferior.
 

Offline mrpackethead

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #12 on: September 26, 2018, 09:42:59 am »
So basically Suba Engineering is just another Aliexpress/Alibaba merchandise "repackager/relabeller" company ?  :-//

Not the only ones.  The Chinese Germany SMT company thing also claimed to have one as well. ( they claim a special high quality lenses )..  Seriously..    Looking forward to going and finding one of these at the next trip to the SEG.    If you are going to just blanetly copy stuff, you will get just get busted.  Esp on this forum where cynicism is normal.
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Offline Thetatronics

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2018, 10:20:27 am »
Seems to be quite a few autofocus versions available on the Eakins store on Ali-express  https://eakins.aliexpress.com/store/610200?spm=2114.10010108.100005.2.1ada5242PhIYhQ    some come with stands and some offer different shipping rates...   looks like I'm going to have to put all this into a spreadsheet to work out the cheapest option

 

Offline mrpackethead

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2018, 10:28:12 am »
Eakins is just another brand.  theres several others simialr.
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Offline LapTop006

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #15 on: September 26, 2018, 10:44:52 am »
Dave could you check if the top part of the lens screws off, from the lens option pictures it seems like its 2 lenses screw back to back from the 120x to the 180x.

Mine arrived today, I was hoping that was the case, as it certainly looks like it, but no such luck with reasonable force. Wouldln't surprise me if it's loktite, but I'm not willing to use enough force to find out.

Edit: I'm an idiot, missed the obvious set-screw holding the extension in place.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 01:28:38 pm by LapTop006 »
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #16 on: September 26, 2018, 10:49:42 am »
Dave could you check if the top part of the lens screws off, from the lens option pictures it seems like its 2 lenses screw back to back from the 120x to the 180x.

Yes, the barlow lens just screws off. So it should just be a matter of changing that.
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #17 on: September 26, 2018, 10:51:13 am »
Not the only ones.  The Chinese Germany SMT company thing also claimed to have one as well. ( they claim a special high quality lenses )..  Seriously..    Looking forward to going and finding one of these at the next trip to the SEG.    If you are going to just blanetly copy stuff, you will get just get busted.  Esp on this forum where cynicism is normal.

Someone could make a good business reselling this camera with a kick arse lens and a good stand.
 

Offline taydin

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #18 on: September 26, 2018, 12:12:04 pm »
I had bought the following HDMI camera from aliexpress, which is also 1080P, 60Hz

http://aliexpress.com/item/Professional-Digital-video-HD-1080p-high-frame-rate-HDMI-and-USB-microscope-camera-with-SONY-sensor/32464609452.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.3da24c4dx7SIBP

I did attach this to a LuckyZoom microscope, but the field of view was very narrow, and the edges of the images were all washed out. I wasn't sure if it's the camera or the microscope. But Dave's camera seems to be very similar to the one I have (except mine doesn't have autofocus), so it seems the camera is OK, it must be the microscope's camera port optics ...

Here is a sample image:



« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 12:13:57 pm by taydin »
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Offline taydin

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #19 on: September 26, 2018, 12:15:19 pm »
Heck, if I stuck my Canon IXUS 800 into the viewfinder, that picture was much better  ;D

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Offline screwbreaker

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #20 on: September 26, 2018, 01:05:22 pm »
Does the stand allow to turn the microscope to the side?

I'm looking for something to use with a system like this:


A preheater and an hot air gun on a stand.

I want something to help me to check when the solder start to melt.
 

Offline Herby

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #21 on: September 26, 2018, 05:56:09 pm »
The search terms for the standalone less-magnification lens would be appreciated if anyone knows them.
Try "barlow lens".

In the case of the Eakins microscope Dave has bought, there is a thread at the bottom to mount an additional barlow lens on the sample side of the objective. A 0.5x barlow lens, for example, halves the magnification and doubles the working distance, which I really like for soldering with my stereo microscope. Eakins offers compatible barlow lenses at the link below. Make sure that whatever you buy for your microscope can be mounted properly to your optics. 

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/0-5X-2-0X-0-35X-Barlow-Auxiliary-Objective-Glass-Lens-For-XDC-10A-180X-300X/3200040_32845571497.html
 

Online BrianHG

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #22 on: September 26, 2018, 07:48:33 pm »
Price is going up, surprise Dave factor.

Bought one with the link in the video and its $522.99 freedom bucks now.  Maybe its the Trump tariffs.

Must be Trump.  I just went to Aliexpress and it says 455$US.
Did you go to Aliexpress in 'Private Browsing' mode so you don't get the occasional higher fees, or, try using a VPN remote proxy connection through a different country like Canada?

I recently saw that if I use a VPN set to my destination location instead of where I live, when I book a return flight ticket from where I live to there and back, (yes, to the booking agent, it looks like I'm traveling backwards), browsing in a private window, I save 50-150$ per flight.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 08:02:52 pm by BrianHG »
 

Online BrianHG

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #23 on: September 26, 2018, 07:53:52 pm »
Cheaper, 400$ with 120x lens: Cheaper 400$usd, 120x lens

This one is a steal which has the stand AND lamp and a 180x, or 300x lens for 429$ : With stand and circular LED lamp for 429$
« Last Edit: September 26, 2018, 08:09:45 pm by BrianHG »
 

Offline mikeselectricstuff

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Re: EEVblog #1125 - Amazing $500 Soldering/Inspection Microscope!
« Reply #24 on: September 26, 2018, 07:54:24 pm »
What happened to "don't turn it on, take it apart!"?

Tear it down, Dave!  :)
+1
Would be interested to see what hardware the AF stuff is based on and if there are any options on the board - a simple AF enable/disable switch would be handy, maybe as a foot-switch.
 
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