EEVblog #282 – DIY Video Soldering Microscope

[pkrobot]

Here are three pics from my DIY soldering microscope that I mentioned in comments for EEVblog #282. I'm using Sony EVI-400 block camera. First pic shows the setup, with the makeshift ring LED light that I've put around the block camera. You can see the circuit board that I'm magnifying, with about 6" of clearance, enough for comfortable soldering. There are a number of 0804 and SOIC-8 packages. In the second picture, I've shown the Windows based software used to control the camera. In the third picture, the actual magnified circuit on my 24" Dell monitor. For comparison, 0.6mm solder has been shown. The writing that I've etched there is smaller than 0.6mm. If that can be done, then you can guess that soldering is not a problem. As you can see, the problem that was mentioned in EEVblog #282: camera focusing on the center, but not on the rest of the circuit is not there. Resolution is not very high, but good enough for soldering. You can read the markings on 0804 packages very easily. The package looks as wide as my thumb on the screen, already large enough for easy soldering. The delay is absent with real-time response (30 frames per second).

Total Cost: $0 (everthing from left-over components that I already had from other projects). Otherwise, new SONY EVI-400 is about $360, but old ones are less than $100 from Ebay. You can also buy cameras from other vendors which are using this camera for $60 to $75. Dell monitor which has S-Video input is about $480 new, smaller, older ones are available cheaper from ebay. 12 volts external supply.

Other effort: Had to make cables and trace down the signals.

TODO:
1. Use diffused light. Try better ring light.
2. Connection and control for two RC servos is available on the controller board. Make an x-y stage to move the circuit board.
3. Already ordered 2x tele lens (37mm to 58mm). If that works, the next step is to order 10x lens. Combined with 12x optical zoom for the camera, this will make it into a powerful microscope.
4. I've already tried out connecting the camera to TI's image processing board that I have, which can convert the video output into digital streaming output. Still need to develop decent software for it.

[T4P]

A little too harsh i'll say but that's nothing really, the harshness increases the distortion and moire in the image, try to tone that down but yeah i noticed you would use diffused lighting,
cheap magnifying lamps produce so much distortion and moire if you use more then 1 eye to view the lens

[Lawsen]

I totally enjoy the ingenuity of Dave Jones and your set ups of video macroscopes.  Some video cameras have a macro mode that can do close up on a stand or tripod.  The Olympus SZ greenough stereo zoom microscope that Dave Jones was made in the 1975 to 1980s.  There was a trinocular version of the SZ, too.  I like the non stereo, made in Switzerland by Wild Heerbrugg M450 macroscope.  I cannot afford the Nikon SMZ-U, modular Galileo stereomicroscope.  High eye point projecting eyepiece on Dave Jones's Olympus SZ will be able to project to the video camera.  It would be much easier with a video camera that has a built in macro mode for closer focusing, thus would be compatible with the Olympus SZ eyepiece.  I use a Zeiss Stemi DR1040 plastic greenough stereo magnifier for electronics.  I use it to solder an amplifier IC in my Sony stereo.  I would like to set up a video macroscope like Dave Jones or yours, but I do not want to hassle with software. 

[RayJones]

There are a few like this on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/170790285141?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Looks the part, but no detail on the external focal length for use in the say x4 to x8 range.
Video lag may also be an issue. (how much lag can a box hold until things just get "lost"!)

Nobody has something similar by any chance to comment?

[r]

What is the name and model of the thing on the right of video 330 it look like a soldering microscope but not 100%

[EEVblog]

What is the name and model of the thing on the right of video 330 it look like a soldering microscope but not 100%

It's a mantis.
Did an unboxing at the end of my 3 hours live 300th show.
Review will come soon.

Dave.