The working distance on these things is usually pretty crap.
IMO Lag of the display is not the only issue with video microscopes, working without stereo vision is the real problem. If you are just going to look at things under the scope the video is fine. If you intend to do work under the scope it will drive you crazy. You have no depth perception without stereo vision. Spend your money on the best amscope you can afford.
The working distance on these things is usually pretty crap.
Perhaps so, but there's not much 'equipment' that's in the way to prevent you access with a soldering iron.
Possibly this kind of microscope could be tilted 45deg to get a little more access with an iron.
I'll confess and admit that I have no experience with this type of microscope so I might be missing something.
IMO Lag of the display is not the only issue with video microscopes, working without stereo vision is the real problem. If you are just going to look at things under the scope the video is fine. If you intend to do work under the scope it will drive you crazy. You have no depth perception without stereo vision. Spend your money on the best amscope you can afford.
Yea, I've done a lot of electronics under a stereo microscope and I prefer this method in the first instance, but I also like working with a Mantis and other video microscopes. I'm not too phased about the lack of 'depth perception'.
I will say that a 'good' stereo microscope makes the world of difference and having moved to an inferior stereo microscope after becoming used to a good one had a profound effect on me, such that I would never consider owning a cheepie stereo microscope as they are a waste of time.
Personally I plan to build my own video microscope based on a surplus Olympus EP2 micro four thirds camera with two old macro Canon FD lenses. One lens is a 50mm macro and the other is a 100mm macro. The optics on these lenses is superb and hopefully I'll have good working distance. The camera has a HDMI output that I will feed to a LCD monitor. That is the plan for now.
@ elcomtel
"Yea, I've done a lot of electronics under a stereo microscope and I prefer this method in the first instance"
"a 'good' stereo microscope makes the world of difference"
dear, can you just furnish the model# and the brand that you have worked in the past [ best ones only ]? Is there any other " 'good' " stereo microscope hovering in your mind which may have features like IMO zoom capability, good workable distance [ may be, like some one commented in the blog 0.5 barlow lens ].
Purpose: job of 0402 and below SMD soldering under microscope, hence stereo is also a MUST...
My budget is $4000 USD
Any suggestion or brand/model#... is welcome
Google vision engineering, look at the mantis series for General work
I just use an old-ish "video presenter" that I picked up on ebay for peanuts. It's a Wisdom Digital Visualizer OWv-9500.
It has a motorized zoom lens on a Sony CCD as well as digital zoom. Movable LED side lighting on arms that can be angled, adjustable light intensity, a backlit base panel and digital touch panel for the controls. It does have USB but isn't recognized by Windows 10 and I can't be bothered dual booting to Linux. I just plug it into an old VGA LCD panel I have. it does have dual VGA outputs so I could connect it to a capture device, but as I would be too embarrassed to show anyone my SMD soldering have no need.
It works extremely well all for £15
