Thread: Digital Microscope under $100?

ThinkGeek :: USB Digital & Optical Microscope

Aside from this being one of the coolest websites on the planet (a close second to SRP, of course), it was offered me what seems to be a suh-weet deal on a digital microscope! Just wanted to get your (collective) expert opinions on it and what you think! My reservation is that it's plastic, but it does say it has up to 50x optical zoom, and up to 200x digital zoom. Seems like a decent grab, for the price, but I'm unsure if it's worth it. Any opinions or experience with similar products?

I don't know the item and I also have a prejudice against plastic but nowadays even handguns and rifles are made of the stuff and it is bomb proof. So I guess it depends on the plastic.

Don't look at the "digital zoom" - that's completely useless, all that does is stretch the image giving you quite a bit of quality loss, rendering the resulting image to be worthless.

from what I can gather from the description, if you use the optical eyepiece, you'll get 50x magnification, and if you use the digital one, you'll get an optical magnification of 40x without digitally enhancing it. (which is what the 200x does)

That said, a lot more digital microscopes exist out there on sites like amazon or similar.
but the one you've picked on thinkgeek appears to be one of the better ones

There's no problem with it beeing made of plastic, however there is a problem with the focus point, will you be able to use it to look at the edge of your razor without accidentally bumping into it?

I think it was Larry Andro who once told me that using play-doh to prop the razor/magnifier works well. I've used it countless times with my pocket-microscope, too, to much avail. Works wonders, and I've got plenty around the house, already, thanks to the kids!

For the resolution of that microscope, you can find something at a fraction of the price.

If you have that much budget for a microscope, I encourage you to look at this one: Sharp Stereo Microscope 20X-40X
Yeah... It's not digital. But... a stereo microscope gives you depth perception, which lets you see things SOOO much better. I have gotten to play with the Amscope - the optics are really good for the price. With a stereo microscope, I can tell more about the bevel on a razor at 40x than I can with a regular lab microscope at 400x.
If you want digital pictures you can get USB cameras that go in one of the eyepieces, or adapters to attach your regular digital camera.

If you just want a USB microscope to get some pictures and whatnot, I use the Red Ant: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-Ant-DM-3...-/320562483436
The resolution of the Red and is 640 x 480, the one you linked is 1280x1024, I think. For posting pics on the internet 640x480 is good enough. If you want higher image resolution, there are other digitals that have it for less money.
The pictures in the following posts were all taken with that microscope:
Williams through history - the great shootout!
More on high passes - with pics
Bevel Setting Under the Microscope

i've got an old B&L stereo scope that I bought used for checking tattooing needles before and after soldering them into groups. It does double duty as a bevel checker. It was 30X and I bought new/used lenses on the bay bringing it up to 40x. I have never used any other scope, except the hand held gizmos, and I don't have much luck with that. I agree with HNSB that 40x is plenty good if the optics are quality. I've noticed that the less powerful the lenses the better my honing looks.

Celestron makes a quality digital microscope. I actually think I saw it on the Cistco on-line site. It was more but is a real quality piece.

HNSB - would you recommend one of the stereo microscopes that has a turret with the usual microscope objectives on it, or one of those with the single lens?

thanks!

Neil

Neil - definitely one with two objectives. A binocular microscope is different than a stereomicroscope - two eyepieves looking at the same objective don't give depth perception. It's the depth perception that makes such a difference, IMO.

A few months ago I bought a high quality lab microscope. It is better than the cheap optics of course, but still a disappointment when compared to a stereo microscope.

Edit: To be clear, the one I linked above is one with two objectives. You can't see them as they are housed inside the black piece. One with a traditional type of turret does not give the same depth perception.