WCI3 microscope

[OriginalDan]

gday wanting to learn some microsoldering repair so i dove into the microscope rabbithole, that eventually ended with looking at amscopes until i stumbled into a seemingly newish brand WCI3 that i haven't found much information on but might be a cheaper alternative to the amscope range atleast for aussie currency conversion
firstly the aliexpress listing: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004779849979.html only 2 sold with no reviews so nope on that until searching taobao
i found two shops that sell these and appear to have a fair amount of sales (you'll need a taobao account to view those pages but I've attached screenshots)
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21n57.1.0.0.7263523capPahh&id=686491256258&ns=1&abbucket=0#detail
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21n57.1.0.0.559c523cT5ylZi&id=688259654859&ns=1&abbucket=0#detail
the first link you can get the microscope on its own and in other bundles but the 2nd has more sales but fewer options, attached 2 images from the 2nd links customer reviews showing some of it unboxed, i dunno if it's just another rebadge or what and i can't figure out if they're simul focal or not
some of the models mention "同步缩放" which google translates to 'sync zoom' which Might be simul focal? or it might mean the camera port I'm not sure.

they might not be that great quality wise but amscope prices seemed to have ballooned atleast for australia up to $1200aud when i swear they used to be around $600audish for the boomarm type louis rossman uses

but using a proxy like pandabuy would mean i could get a trinocular for about $280aud then proxy shipping would likely be close to aliexpress shipping prices of $140ish id assume, however i recently paid for different items in a package that was 40x31x21cm weighing 9kg via sea packet route which was only $64aud
but i haven't used that shipping method before as i usually use GD-EMS which costs more, so if that shipping method works out and the gear arrives okay it could be around $350aud for a trinocular scope with an arm which on paper sounds like a pretty damn good deal

ideally id love to find a trinocular simul focal for documenting my decent into surface mount madness but i can't see any info indicating if they are simulfocal or not, there's also two main body varients of which i have no idea what the difference would be between them

if anyone has anymore info on these or an alternative budget trinocular simul focal microscope itad be much appreciated

[OriginalDan]

Not much to contribute here; usually you get what you pay for with these scopes. There's a reason people try multiple $200-$400 scopes, give up on em, and buy a more pricy one.

agreed normally i would've gone for the amscope but the insane price hike has put that out of reach for a hobbyist budget so it might be the only other reasonable option

[thm_w]

Why are you thinking the taobao price is $280 for a microscope with arm? Thats just for the head isn't it.
If you are willing to just buy the head, look around on ebay or gumtree, whatever, for microscope heads. You might find something decent. Just beware that there are a lot of different standards for eyepieces/clamps/thread sizes.

There are tons of amscope boom clones in NA on amazon (parco, vision sci, etc.), I'm not convinced amscope is any better than the clones. In Canada I found a reseller with quite reasonable price: https://isaactech.com/index.php/wp-5fz-simul-focal-trinocular-zoom-stereo-microscope-0-7x-4-5x-zoom-range-0-5x-2-0x-auxiliary-lenses.html
Maybe look around if anyone in AUS is importing and reselling.

[OriginalDan]

Why are you thinking the taobao price is $280 for a microscope with arm? Thats just for the head isn't it.
If you are willing to just buy the head, look around on ebay or gumtree, whatever, for microscope heads. You might find something decent. Just beware that there are a lot of different standards for eyepieces/clamps/thread sizes.
There are tons of amscope boom clones in NA on amazon (parco, vision sci, etc.), I'm not convinced amscope is any better than the clones. In Canada I found a reseller with quite reasonable price: https://isaactech.com/index.php/wp-5fz-simul-focal-trinocular-zoom-stereo-microscope-0-7x-4-5x-zoom-range-0-5x-2-0x-auxiliary-lenses.html Maybe look around if anyone in AUS is importing and reselling.

my bad, to clarify theres 4 options for the microscope with the arm on this store (images attached below) https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a21n57.1.0.0.559c523cT5ylZi&id=688259654859&ns=1&abbucket=0#detail
the cheapest with the video port and arm is approx $277aud not including proxy shipping, the 2nd microscope body varient with an arm is $382 with the port but i got not idea what the difference is between them specs wise from the store they appear nearly the same barring a slight zoom length difference

doesn't appear to be any resellers of amscopes gear here and the common ebay/amazon/ali prices have ballooned
there must be something odd going on with Australia specifically at the moment as all microscopes even the once cheaper clones across the board have gone crazy and cost more than the amscopes did when i checked a year or so ago

[thm_w]

Majority of microscope heads are 0.7x to 4.5 or 5x, a ratio of around 6 to 7.
The 6.5 to 65x (10x) ratio they offer is a premium option, its not that common on low end stuff, so a bit of a recent release.

Zoom range wise, IMO, its not important for most electronics. Ergonomically though might be better as the eyepieces are higher up.

Looks like this same as this phonefix model: https://www.diyfixtool.com/products/6-5x-65x-3-25x-130x-3-25x-260x-trinocular-stereo-zoom-microscope-head?variant=41321486221469 (shipping too expensive though).
and this eakins model: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256804559225958.html (free shipping, although one odd review saying they got a bad lens)

Might be worth a shot.

[OriginalDan]

Majority of microscope heads are 0.7x to 4.5 or 5x, a ratio of around 6 to 7.
The 6.5 to 65x (10x) ratio they offer is a premium option, its not that common on low end stuff, so a bit of a recent release.
Zoom range wise, IMO, its not important for most electronics. Ergonomically though might be better as the eyepieces are higher up. I thought you'd get extra working distance but Eakins is listing it as similar, so not sure whats up with that...
Looks like this same as this phonefix model: https://www.diyfixtool.com/products/6-5x-65x-3-25x-130x-3-25x-260x-trinocular-stereo-zoom-microscope-head?variant=41321486221469 (shipping too expensive though).and this eakins model: https://www.aliexpress.com/i/3256804559225958.html (free shipping, although one odd review saying they got a bad lens) Might be worth a shot.

interesting they're both different colours with no branding on it so that 'premium' option must be a recent noname that others are slowly slapping logos on and selling
also whats odd is that aliexpress listing is the only one so far to mention it's simul focal atleast only in the title, but it has a couple reviews you'd think if it wasn't simul then it would be mentioned by a negative review but who knows with aliexpress, appreciate the info I'm waiting on parts for a project so i think ill give the taobao proxy route a shot in a few months and update here

[thm_w]

interesting they're both different colours with no branding on it so that 'premium' option must be a recent noname that others are slowly slapping logos on and selling
also whats odd is that aliexpress listing is the only one so far to mention it's simul focal atleast only in the title, but it has a couple reviews you'd think if it wasn't simul then it would be mentioned by a negative review but who knows with aliexpress, appreciate the info I'm waiting on parts for a project so i think ill give the taobao proxy route a shot in a few months and update here

Yeah, its often one main factory and then they don't sell it directly but these middle-men put their brand on it. Not necessarily a bad thing, but seller may have no idea about the details of the product and could ask the factory for you. edit, this should be the OEM: http://www.zkscope.com/productshow.php?cid=13&id=61

Any recent microscope I would think would be simul-focal. There can be some translation issues with complex terminology, so they say "1. 0.65X-6.5X Zoom Range objective ensures image alignment" that is probably a translation for simul-focal. In the eakins demo vid, you can see them adjust the camera port focus until the unit is in focus at min and max zoom.

To correct what I said about working distance above:
- at 0.5x barlow the working distance is the same (160mm) on both of the microscope models.
- But since you can zoom more on the 65x, you can put in a 0.3x barlow and get almost the same max zoom (19x vs 22x), and increase the working distance to 287mm. Assuming 19x zoom is enough.

Debating trying one as the head is on sale for $275 (non-trinoc) or $300 (trinoc) shipped.

[thm_w]

Received the microscope head, was branded as Eakins.
Build is what you expect for the price (currently $230), plastic wherever it can be used. However, image quality is mostly very good, plenty usable for electronics. Zoom is nice and smooth. Good working distance.

Included eyepiece: 10x/22mm
Included barlow: 0.5x
Barlow thread: M48

Working distance:
  ~260mm with 0.3x barlow (too much).
  210mm with the included 0.5x barlow (good for me)
FOV: 78.5mm at 3.25x zoom, 7.3mm at 32.5x zoom

Complaints:
- Included eyeguards are useless, just flat, I prefer raised ones.
- Image quality blurs once you go past 4x zoom (on the knob 0.65x to 6.5x), this is the point where you can see the optics change direction, so they must be "cheating" the zoom range in some way. This would be a dealbreaker for some. Small chance this is due to shipping damage, but, seems unlikely.
- This specific seller did not pack the item very well

I have another microscope that does 9:1 ratio and does not do this direction change thing that I can see and does not blur, so, I'm not sure why they decided on that technique.

[OriginalDan]

Received the microscope

brilliant thanks, i still haven't ordered one yet as rent and bills got in the way, with limited bench space i was thinking of tracking down an articulating arm and buy the head seperately, only issue is lots of wobble but i think if its mounted to a 2nd desk that 'should' eliminate that. after getting gas arms for my monitors its insanely nice to just push whatever you're not using in or out of the way.
I'll probably try the other body type and see if it ends up with the same blur issue but due to bills/moving that wont be until later this year but when i do ill update
thanks again for the information much appreciated

[thm_w]

There are issues with mounting it to another desk, in that your main desk that the item is on still needs to be rigid. But, it can be a good idea. I was thinking of a wall mount monitor arm.
You should be able to pick up used high quality gas spring monitor arms for cheap locally, the ones built for heavier monitors should be more rigid. Its just the effort of building an adapter to mount the focusing rack to it (a round shaft).

24mm eyepiece increases the FOV at 3.25x to a huge 88mm, but its starting to distort at the edges so the 22mm eyepieces included are a good match.

Oddly the seller is trying to convince me its shipping damage and they might have to send another I'm happy with the performance of this for the price, just want to know if it is actual damage or if its inherent in the design... The blurryness is less in the left eyepiece, so maybe it did get bumped, but I can't see whats adjustable inside, everything has been glued in place. Tried swapping eyepieces, no difference there.

[jfiresto]

Something is definitely not right. It is not just blurry at 32X, but the contrast dies like the devil.

For comparison, I have attached the ca. 10X/21mm view I get out of an old microscope at its 31X maximum zoom. You can see that this ENIG PCB has been stored too long and is starting to noticeably corrode.

[thm_w]

Something is definitely not right. It is not just blurry at 32X, but the contrast dies like the devil.

Ignore any contrast difference as it was taken with a cellphone camera in the eyepiece, and holding the ring light in my hand. Was just trying to demonstrate the difference in blur.

To clarify, I probably would not recommend anyone buy the newer 10:1 head over the old one unless:
- Another review is shown with full zoom in sharp focus
- You specifically want the higher working distance and do not care about the highest zoom ratios (although you could probably just get a 0.44 or 0.3x barlow too? Some are harder to find though).