Microscopes for SMD Soldering || $15 VS $45 VS $189

6 років тому

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In this VS episode we will compare three different microscopes for SMD soldering and find out whether it is necessary to spend a lot of money to get decent magnification or whether the cheapie microscope does the job just fine.
Music:
2011 Lookalike by Bartlebeats
Killing Time, Kevin MacLeod
(incompetech.com)

КОМЕНТАРІ: 965

@gdukofficial 5 років тому

Pro-tip for the $15 Microscope! Open the bottom part (Where the lens is) and twist the focal lens into place properly, when I did it with mine it actually improved the image quality a heck of a lot!

@gentle285 Рік тому

Hello! Can you elaborate please? I'm not sure what I suppose to do :(

@mrrobotto3321 9 місяців тому

It appears he left the lens cover on during his test of the $15 version. Removing it will improve the image quality a lot!

@robertojustus8567 9 місяців тому

@@mrrobotto3321LMAO thats kinda funny

@theplaidgamer1653 9 місяців тому

This just helped me so much 😆. I had no idea there was a lens cap. I thought I got a bad unit

@ChadAF_YT 6 місяців тому

I thought the same thing for like 2seconds but realized there was a cap on. I paid 25 for it

@nigeljohnson9820 6 років тому

It is interesting that the hand shake often experienced by those soldering SMD parts, disappears when a microscope is used. I have concluded that the hand shaking is due to a limited amplification in the human control loop. Human muscle control is adequate for the task, the limitation is in the optical feedback. In other words higher optical magnification improves the gain in the human feed back path and reduces the tendency for the system to go into involuntary oscillation. I use an long reach optical microscope, which works very well. It is important to use an extractor fan to remove the solder fumes. If this is not done, it will not be long before the object lens is covered in a translucent layer of condensed solder flux.

@satrah101 6 років тому

Hello Nigel, that is a great observation, i studied Occupational therapy. If that is true then it may also benefit people with Parkinson disease. Help with fine motor skills in simple tasks shirt buttons, hobbies. war veterans with PTSD. best degree in the world.

@UpLateGeek 6 років тому

That's really interesting; I've been (unsuccessfully) avoiding working with SMD for years because of hand shake, so if a $50 LCD microscope can improve it that much, might be a worthwhile investment!

@satrah101 6 років тому

can you let me know how it goes.

@nigeljohnson9820 6 років тому

wayne hart I think my observation applies to these who have a healthy nervous system and not suffering from muscle degeneration. There may well be a inherent weakness in the human optical system that results in problem close to the limit of optical resolution. Certainly small involuntary eye movements associated with perception maybe the real source of the problem. The magnified image may make these small movement insignificant. What ever the reason, the shake in the tip of the soldering iron is greatly reduced when the user can clearly see the work area. Working with out a microscope, results in eye strain and muscle tiredness. The latter the result of attempting to lock the hands and arms in a particular position. With practice, both become more relaxed when the user is not forced to concentrate and strain to see the parts being soldered.

@nigeljohnson9820 6 років тому

The Up Late Geek I think you will be very pleased with the result of using magnification. It is important to chose a solution that is comfortable to use and provides a high quality image. Magnifying glasses work, but they are difficult to position and suffer from distracting image distortion at the edges. My long reach binocular microscope allows the microscope objective to be some distance from the the work area, giving lots of room to manoeuvre the soldering iron and solder. The microscope is also equipped with a very bright white light, providing excellent illumination of the work area. This is particularly important as the magnification reduces the area illuminated and thus the light reaching the eyes.

@JohnEdwa 6 років тому

That $190 microscope has been built from an off-the-shelf dashcam (mine looks almost identical), and it seems to be running the stock firmware as well. That's why it has the screensaver, and it's supposed to have a lipo inside that would keep the settings. You can most likely pop it open an add the lipo yourself, or even better, a suitable supercap. Could be an interesting video opportunity.

@BoomBrush 6 років тому

The operating system on the $45 and $189 microscope look exactly like a dashcam. I think it's literally just a rebranded dashcam's recording circuit with a screen slapped on them. This explains the 2 minute screensaver.

@TrollFaceTheMan 6 років тому

I agree, I recognize the exact menu.

@matneu27 6 років тому

Yes I recognize the crapy alpha vapoware of my dashcam 😵

@BillAnt 5 років тому

The use of "mini-usb" connectors is a straight giveaway suggesting an older design.

@steveholvoet6058 5 років тому

They are indeed repurposed dascams, where they slapped on a zoom lens. They didn't even remove the battery indicator form the gui, which is no longer present in the device, making it usb powered only. But hey, it does the job. As long as the lens and the sensor is up to the task, why not?

@lawrencebillson6224 4 роки тому

They have an internal battery - I have one; also see the last few seconds of video.

@benjaminramsey4695 4 роки тому

I just received the $15 one a few days ago, haven't used it for soldering yet (I have a project on the way - my first, building a cheap $20 oscilloscope), but my son and I had fun using the microscope very close up on things. The zoom seems to have two focus ranges, one medium and one VERY zoomed in but must be almost touching the front lens area. This is the level we were playing with (you couldn't do any soldering at this zoom level), and we could see quite amazing detail of the tiny threads of clothing, the shiny ink of a tiny letter printed on paper, fascinating skin detail around the edge of my fingernail, etc. After a half-hour of just wonder and fun, I said out loud that the microscope already paid for itself!

@dans381 6 років тому

The first $15 microscope has a small plastic lens cap (dust cover) that comes off that'll give you a clearer image. I noticed in you close-up shots you still had that cover on.

@mutantgenepool 2 роки тому

🤣🤣 Woops

@fatherloz2800 2 роки тому

Yup, also noticed this. The cap needs to be removed, seems it was never removed. Once done the image on my monitor was really good !

@ngrader 2 роки тому

Biggest thing I noticed with my cheapo chinesium was the base. Cheaper electronics didn't autofocus well, and everytime you focus you move it just a little from where it was. So it was a real trick to hold it steady while focusing so it would fall back to a different position after focus. But, for $15 was still pretty impressed. I would get a nicer one if I were rich, but if $ is the limiting factor, $15 was acceptable for the price.

@dans381 2 роки тому

@@ngrader A trick I do to help the focus is I mount the camera more permanent so it can't move then I move the object around under the camera. I use mine mainly for electronics so I slide the circuit board around while the camera stays in one place.

@j.w.8663 Рік тому

@@dans381 Doesn't everyone?

@AxelMontini 6 років тому

A microscope to solder the DNA inside cells

@mr_tea866 6 років тому

That's how they make GMO

@ArtDesignHobby 4 роки тому

OMG I want that one.

@brandontechnerd 4 роки тому

starsheep9000 and Art Design Hobby, OMG is GMO backwards.

@ArtDesignHobby 4 роки тому

@@brandontechnerd like human evolution :D

@eltonis 4 роки тому

ill solder some dna cells to mines

@danieldollive4660 2 роки тому

This guy is a true legend when it comes to electronics and explanations. A true joy to watch the tutorials.

@budandbean1 6 років тому

Love this, I have the middle one. At 57 my eyes are not good enough anymore and I have to have something. Magnifying glasses don’t work very well unless they are good glass and cost a lot so you need to do something. This was nice for everyone to see although a lot of younger people don’t understand but one day you will.

@cojones8518 6 років тому

Get a pair of those small, compact binoculars, find a lens that's the same size as the objective of the binoculars. I found an old lens from a gunscope. Hold the lens in front of the binocular's objective and you've got a field microscope. The lens I keep in my binocular's case gives about a 4mm field of view at 4cm. Tape the lens in place (I lucked out and mine can slip over the bino's and stay in place by friction), tie it to a branch and work two handed.

@leozendo3500 6 років тому

Highly recommend to use a cell phone, a microscope lens for phones and a cheap eBay metal base to hold your phone. Much cheaper and better quality after all.

@stefane.r.r.6032 4 роки тому

Would you please make the video or just video article about it? I'm sure many will appreciate your works and subscribe!

@silenthill4 4 роки тому

MPNs?

@inskamanesoksunuo-ypinchne2855 3 роки тому

inskam.com/products/rleezi-315-12mp-2000x-stereo-lcd-microscope-support-camera-and-video

@isettech 5 років тому

I made a huge improvement to mine. Added a pendant switch to the OK button. No more camera shakes in video or pictures for recording. I found the height too low so I normally use mine on a 4 inch elevated platform. At the greater distance, another light source is very helpful.

@jffqnn 5 років тому

You have become one of my UKposts Favorites because of One Specific Reason out of many, Your Honesty! I have just started trying to learn Electronics and have ordered parts online, one of the things I have decided to look into is the Microscope, I was pleasantly Surprised to see that you had done a comparison video on the different Microscopes and found this to be of Great Help!! Thank You for Your Videos!!!

@ELECTROHAXZ 6 років тому

Try taking apart the $180 one and see if there are battery contacts that you can solder a lipo battery so the settings are not lost on reboot

@RandomHacks 6 років тому

I did that on mine, the contacts are there. There are also 2 pads for serial communication and you can change some settings that way.

@ELECTROHAXZ 6 років тому

Oh very nice! I don't need one since I really never do SMD but that would make an interesting new video for GreatScott, the settings part especially, what kind of settings are there to change?

@victorclausson4039 Рік тому

@@RandomHacks What type of battery did you use?

@joemanfred5738 6 років тому

You should do a video upgrading one of your microscopes

@josephtannenbaum8696 2 роки тому

After watching this, bought an Andonstar AD206S. I did not have digital zoom, but works great for me. It also had the blinking battery light so I opened it and found it had a battery compartment for a 18650 battery, but no terminals. Also PCB had a JB with + and - marked. Put terminals from a 18650 battery holder and wired it to the + and _ on JB. Now it works on battery! It shows how much battery is left and when it is charging. I am a happy camper.

@icenesiswayons9962 5 років тому

I have the LCD type like the second example you tested. I could have different firmware or image sensor 16mp but seems to work very well. Mine has a stiffer adjustable tubular base that is weighted. However there are several different companies producing these things. I may have just received one where all the components were working at their optimum performance ratings. My screensaver could be changed from 5, 30min to off. But works more like an auto shut off. Thanks for the video!

@BEdmonson85 6 років тому

9 times out of 10 I personally just use a 10X magnification jewler's loupe for my SMD soldering. It is plenty good enough for most applications and can be had very cheaply. I got mine from Harbor Freight. The package also came with 3X, 5X and 7X loupes.

@comcelcomcelcomcel 4 місяці тому

Podría poner el link...dela lupa para comprarla. Saludos desde Colombia 🇨🇴 GRACIAS 👍

@firstpersonvideoable6026 5 років тому

Great video. To me the first two microscopes looked like they had finger-grease on the lens. That blur around white is the giveaway to me. I think if there became a good way to make another lens for a specific webcam we could possibly make our own microscopes. The Microsoft Studio series of webcams are especially good quality, many of them are FHD (or better) and have superior CCD's in them - if only I could find a way to mount a lens to magnify what I want, and then hold that 2nd lens stable and shift it higher and lower in small increments (to pull focus) then someone could make a seriously kickass and affordable SMD microscope.

@keithking1985 4 роки тому

I use my phone as one to read chips, thinking of a project with an old phone or tablet in its own adjustable frame. It works great👌 used to carry a small lens off a disposable camera which was good to (in a way)

@guygamespc 6 років тому

Thank you for sharing your experience

@daque1960 4 роки тому

The newer versions of the $45 one come with a much improved metal base.

@LazerLord10 6 років тому

If you have a DSLR, macro extension tubes can get you in pretty close. Hook up the live-view output to a monitor of some sort and it works pretty well!

@JanCiger 6 років тому

LazerLord10 you probably wouldn't want to expose your $800+ DSLR lens to solder and flux splatter and fumes ...

@LazerLord10 6 років тому

I use a pretty cheap DSLR, and because of the nature of the lenses I use, the camera body itself is about 2ft away from the solder, and the front of the lens (which has a protective filter) is maybe a foot away.

@tevinabeysekera6038 6 років тому

They are very big. You wouldn't want a DSLR to get in the way of your soldering work.

@LazerLord10 6 років тому

I have over a foot of working distance. It's up high and out of the way most of the time.

@NoName-bt3oy 6 років тому

Live view puts the sensor in continuous scan, might lower the life of the camera.

@HaroldJohnson 2 роки тому

Great review of these microscopes! Just bought the cheap one for my first IC replacement and discovered your video while waiting for the parts and tools I need to arrive. Wish me luck, I’ll need it…

@canlelola 6 років тому

I picked myself up one of the $45 units and tossed out the charger as soon as a looked at it, as for the stand that came with it, I use it for a quick setup, but I picked up a universal long arm tablet mount, one that can be fixed into place. Its just not that good when you bump the table, but I have found it's okay when wanting to check things out. I do agree with everything you have said.

@mat.phillips 6 років тому

I've been considering getting that $45 one for a while now and this video was very helpful - I'll buy something else! Thanks !

@ceneblock 6 років тому

Get a "cheap" amscope stereo microscope.

@SebastianDaberdaku 6 років тому

I have a similar 15$ microscope and I've noticed that the image quality gets quite better if you remove the small plastic cap covering the camera chip. I think it is mostly used to prevent dust from going on the chip, but since the microscope is pointed downwards I don't think this is an issue when using it. Once I'm done using it I put the cap back on.

@snowdaysrule2 6 років тому

Finally a usefull video sponsor! I'd love to get some pcb's made for me so will definitly be giving them a try

@Jeanpierre0071 6 років тому

Great review Scott! Luckily I am still a newb, so I only do through-hole soldering. If I need one I will definitively save up for quality. As the saying goes, "Buying cheap ends up expensive"

@TrasteIAm 6 років тому

I have started using my iphones magnifier feature, it works great if you have a holder for it. Enable it under Settings / General / Accessibility / Magnifier and push the home button three times to activate it. I have modded a case for my phone by adding a jewelers loupe for even better magnification.

@jimglidewell 4 роки тому

Björn Persson - great suggestion. I was a bit bummed about the results with the $45 scope, which I had considered in the past. One huge benefit of the iPhone as a scope is subtle - auto-focus! 🧐 Need to search out a good clamp setup for my desk...

@jw11432 2 роки тому

I got the $15 one, but with the separate aluminum stand for stability that works fantastic. I also use the Windows native Camera app for it which works better than amcap, in my opinion. Also, someone else noted the protective cap was still on covering the lens, so removing it will improve the image.

@luqmanmohd2737 Рік тому

hi there, interested to know more. was the aluminum stand bought new, or is it something you just have laying around? if you bought it, do you mind sharing what kind of stand it is?

@graegoles8382 2 місяці тому

@@luqmanmohd2737ever found the stand?

@AdrianBan04 5 років тому

After watching this video I've understand why I should buy Andonstar ADSM201. Thanks GreatScott!!

@johnbrandolini2915 3 роки тому

During my career in the aerospace industry I have used optical binocular microscopes, and highly expensive digital microscopes. When you get down to 0805 size devices and smaller a microscope is the only way you can competently build or rework boards that use them. Since I am an amateur radio electronic enthusiast I design and build a lot of projects with smd devices. So after researching different microscopes available I settled on the Mustool microscope for the very reason that it had its own display. I also purchased an adjustable metal "jack stand" which allows me to vary the magnification range of the device. The only time I notice jitter is on high magnification with the objective close to the camera which when you come to think of it makes it impractical to solder. I set the stand so the camera is about 4" away from the objective which gives just the right of magnification and plenty of clearance to solder under. As for image sharpness it is finely sharp so I don't know why the one in the video has a problem with it. The suction cup wants to be attached to a smooth clean surface so I usually clean the cup and the surface with isopropanol before attaching and it holds very well. Since I am very nearsighted and wear thick lenses I have always had issues with optical binocular microscopes but the Mustool scope is the easiest tool I've ever used for smd work.

@HakobBazoyan 6 років тому

for the 15 dollar one I have noticed that you did not remove transparent protective cap when working - remove the cap and quality will be better :)

@tonymasse3887 6 років тому

I was going to say the same. I bought the same a few years back, and the picture quality is actually rather good. *Once you remove the plastic lid*

@bertondroid 6 років тому

true!!!

@ronnymerinogonzalez7897 6 років тому

I'm not the only one seeing this...

@hugore293 5 років тому

I have that microscope (1600x version) and i cant see anything if i dont remove them

@boognishz 5 років тому

I have this one too. The picture is actually pretty good with the lens cap removed.

@tonymasse3887 6 років тому

Hey Scott, *you need to remove the lid/cover on the cheap one*. I had it for some time now, and the quality is way better without the protective lid/cover :)

@wettuga2762 4 роки тому

Thank you for the nice review! I was looking for a cheap microscope for soldering very small things, so I'm going for the cheaper one since I'm not going to use it very often and I don't mind connecting it to a notebook or android phone ;)

@KennethScharf 6 років тому

I have a purely optical binocular microscope that I found in the dumpster at work. I had to rig up a stand for it as all I recovered from the trash was the 'head' that contained the focus rack and optics. I made that out of some 1/2 pipe fittings. Disadvantage is that you have to look into the eyepieces as there is no camera, which means some coordination between getting the soldering iron and solder in the right position before you can look into the microscope. I can't take pictures or video though it (maybe I could rig up a RPi camera to an eyepiece with a 3d printed adapter?). Still it does give VERY sharp images, and is good for inspecting my work, looking for solder shorts and poor joints.

@rancorjoy5412 4 роки тому

Am I the only one who notices the breath at the end of every clip? Anyway, thank you for all your videos, best sub this year :)

@dalejones4186 6 років тому

Hi. Great video comparison. I do a lot of metal lathe and mill work. In this field I see a lot of people take cheap tools and modify them and make them better. With these microscopes is there anything you would hack and make better. I would love to see what you could to make these better. Thanks.

@danielgonzalez4079 Рік тому

Scott, as many others have mentioned, the software on these is used for cheap Chinese dashcams. After completing a tear down of my own dashcam with the same operating system and experimenting, you need to add a small 3.7v battery inside to retain settings. In the dashcam this is also used for the parking monitor function. There is likely a spot on the board for it. Mine was a 3.7v 200mAh LiPo. I’m sure a supercap would work also. My dashcam records 1080p native and has micro hdmi out so I am trying to find a lens that will give me the correct magnification for SMD soldering.

@FishmanEricRussell 6 років тому

Thanks for the comparison. Very helpful.

@cosmo1494 4 роки тому

I own one of those microscopes, and you never took the lens cap off!

@ufohunter3688 6 років тому

Blurry image? @2:28 and @2:85, you have to take the transparent cap off (the flat disk)!

@redoverdrivetheunstoppable4637 5 років тому

yeah, that makes the picture worse, but it avoids the fumes going inside the optics (mostly)... i received that some days ago, it's "nice", the only problem is that it starts lagging after a pair of minutes, and it's worse with focused images (lucky uh?!), i use VLC instead of the software (no drivers needed, sometimes(?)) and it's the same (lagging included), you have to close the software, unplug the scope, kill a cache process in windows and restart the hooking up but i like a thing out of that, you can put it sideways... so if you want to see something not well seen from above it's the thing... and it makes a decent picture at the end, for like human solderable components

@BillAnt 5 років тому

You can see the small plastic tab on the right side by his finger at 2:03 However it really shouldn't affect the picture too much, maybe just slightly.

@dimitrijekrstic7567 3 роки тому

@@BillAnt if it's low quality finish plastic, then it can affect it quite a lot. It's obviously not optically clear

@yiannisefthymiou4192 Рік тому

Thanks so much for your detailed video!

@beakytwitch7905 3 роки тому

I use the metal stand type, and a movable stage made for microscopes. The stage has a spring loaded clip to hold a glass slide, and I fitted a piece of protoboard in place of a slide, and marked the boundaries that could be seen. I mount my circuit boards using Blue Tack.

@HipsterBot2000 6 років тому

@ 5:08 Great Scott, have you made a video about that current display? I'd like to see that video link.

@DexterKDC 6 років тому

I might as well use the last microscope for general video recording 😜 its so sharp

@greatscottlab 6 років тому

Haha true

@ronnymerinogonzalez7897 6 років тому

Just pull off the lensecap and the cheap one is strangely more sharp...

@BillAnt 5 років тому

Hey GreatScott, at 7:37 as you've mentioned that the battery icon hints to a built in battery, do you think it might be possible that they've simply forgot to solder in a settings backup battery in your particular unit (as a production error)? Perhaps you can open it up and see if there's room for a small LiPo battery you can solder in yourself to retain settings or even operate the unit from it?! If that's not possible, you could connect the camera to a cheap power bank (which of course you would charge from the mains) and would never disconnect the camera from that in order to retain its settings. ;)

@rcninjastudio 6 років тому

I'm quite impressed with the cheap one, didn't expect it to be as good as it is

@markharrisllb 2 роки тому

I have an 8.5” like yours that was £120 when I bought it a few weeks ago and they are already creeping up in price. It’s very clear, works off a battery (apart from the extra lights), opens up on its previous settings and the wires going to the screen, lights and power are all connected to one switch. For an old fogey like myself, where the eyes aren’t what they once were, it’s brilliant for the soldering and using wick but tweezers are a skill all by themselves. I do believe the binocular ones give a far better sense of depth. The other 'fault' is the magnification goes between 50 and 1300 which can make panning a board a bit difficult but it is doable on the boards I work on. Also, leave the clips off that come with it all they do is restrict movement. Like with any tool, get the one that gives you as an individual the best value. I wouldn’t go out and buy a top Weller Soldering Station and a multi thousand pound microscope if I just want to solder a battery wire back on to my child's toy.

@RandomHacks 6 років тому

I have two of those andonstar adsm201 what I really don't like about them is the fact that you can't record when connected to a monitor, I really hate that... If you open them up you can add a battery (it is based on a dashcam) and there are also serial connections that allow you to make some settings adjustments. I secured mine to a microphone boom arm with a tripod screw, this allows me to move it freely on my bench.

@RandomHacks 6 років тому

I soldered this tiny battery to it... could be bigger but it was the only one I had. photos.app.goo.gl/X6A1aWH6DIvfqCSF3

@SeifEddineB 3 роки тому

3:27 I believe the dust cover is still installed on the microscope, this should be removed during operation.

@ronniepirtlejr2606 6 років тому

Nice video, thank you for the video. I had no idea the cameras were like that.

@BrianPhillipsRC 6 років тому

Another great video! Thanks for the review!!!

@maxb6859 6 років тому

I use my iPhone 8+ on a stand to be a 10x zoom and it works nicely. Could be better, but hey, it’s free (ish)

@zombielinkinpark 6 років тому

Max B I had my unused LG G5 mounted on a tripod with a small magnifying lens in front of it. It had all the functions of those microscope and what’s more: 4K,OIS and EIS. AND ITS FREE lol

@paulzaim7900 6 років тому

A Pixel 2 or a U11/+ would a be a little bit better, i think. Anyway, great idea.

@pistonsjem 6 років тому

How much stuff is in your todo list?

@kardeef33317 6 років тому

I have the 45 dollar one. I changed the base to something very solid and it worked alot better. Also you can control the magnifying by the distance of it from what you are soldering. I also own the 15 dollar one and its was a lot more blurry. Also if you plug the 45 one to a computer it disables its screen while you use the computer.

@peterfielden-weston7560 6 років тому

I use the $45 microscope and love it. It's great not only for SMD soldering but also circuit board inspection as well. I find the internal battery a great space saver, no wires, nor do I have to look away from the work area to look at a computer monitor. This microscope does everything I need.

@fuzzs8970 3 місяці тому

Hi. What is the microscope that you use? Make and type. Thanks

@FlameSoulis 6 років тому

For the cheaper one, maybe you can use a cheap Raspberry Pi Zero and a mini LCD screen to give yourself a screen on the actual microscope. Assuming it does work, you could then maybe use the GPIO to record and take snapshots, which could be made as a separate panel as to not shake the microscope like what happens with the other two.

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

The Pi camera is actually nicely high-res so it might just need an appropriate lens.

@timjackson3954 5 років тому

Chaos Corner I tried a Pi camera but apart from the lens focal length being quite unsuitable, for some reason it also flickered a lot. So it went back onto the to-do list.

@Yonatan24 6 років тому

Looks like I will stick with using a regular old magnifying glass... Hey, it's cordless!

@JakeN482 6 років тому

I'd even go so far as to say the magnifying glass is better, as long as you have a third hand of some sort. The electronic microscope workflow fundamentally requires the camera-to-screen and then screen-to-camera angle changes. This would have a negative effect on a dexterity based activity like soldering, because humans are just better at coordinating movements when reflections aren't involved. The only way the microscope would be better is if you had one of those robotic surgery stations. Actually, that would make for a very interesting DIY or Buy episode. I imagine a lot of non electronics enthusiasts would be interested in that, like amateur biologists and teachers.

@Yonatan24 6 років тому

I agree. By the way I recently took apart a rear projection TV, and am now, after a few modifications, I'd using one of the projector lenses as a magnifying glass. I can see basically every speck of dust that's on a PCB! I might make a video on this in the future.

@maximo1590 6 років тому

Yonatan24 I prefer using my eyes.. works fine for me

@Yonatan24 6 років тому

Where did you get those eyes are they corded or cordless?

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

JakeN482 If you get one of the jeweler's lens which mounts to your head with a spring steel band, you can dispense with the third hand. You also get to look like a badass space bandit (or so I tell myself).

@sklefenz 5 років тому

I bought the $45 one. The main problem it had was that the knob wouldn't stay in place, a pain to focus it. I fixed it by putting a 2.5 mm heatshrink piece on the axle of the knob to increase friction. I also ground some burrs on the rack piece that moves the lens.

@Leif_YT 6 років тому

For things that aren't too small I use the phone. Samsung phones for example have a very nice magnifying app that is a bit hidden - it can only be accessed through it's widget. The digital magnification is decent enough for many tasks and the led light is pretty bright.

@MoisesCaster 6 років тому

Try to make your own microscope. Would be awesome.

@meanxmeanx1763 6 років тому

You can use pretty much any software you want with the cheap 15$ scope, it is a standard USB cam, any software will work. (Webcamoid on linux is fine)

@Jono6671 6 років тому

meanX meanX yeah I've used it on my android phone too no probs

@electronJarvs 6 років тому

awesome was wondering if I could use one with a pi zero. Guess I can :D

@funkynerd_com 2 роки тому

Just got my Andonstar ADSM201 this morning on your recommendation. Pretty happy with the build and image quality. Even happier that I found that I don't have any of the issus you described here with the screensaver and it turning off. Latest firmware must have fixed this as I don't even have a screensaver option. Also, a bit of tessa tape and my cable problems are gone. ;) Thanks for the recommendation.

@demolishedman50 6 років тому

I have one of those $15 USB microscopes. Works well for my needs - looking at circuit boards, checking component values. Nice resolution. I don't need the video recording so never tried it

@Flyingdiablo 6 років тому

At the cheap microscope you forgot to remove the dust cover ;) it makes it some better

@AshleyJColeman 6 років тому

Now I would like to see you upgrade your microscope with a lipo battery. Hopefully there are pads Inside you can hook into.

@furrane 6 років тому

That's a cool idea actually =) With his knowledge I'm sure he can at least find where to hookup a CMOS battery so he cn save his presets =)

@allantateossian967 2 роки тому

I love the commentary, had me laughing in good way. keep up the good work.

@sumantamajumdar6505 2 роки тому

super liked ..for selecting the subject

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

You could always use a jeweler's loupe. Microscopes are great for making videos and for a few other applications but a lens attached to your head has some flexibility benefits. It's a lot cheaper too. I'm not down on microscopes but consider the lower-tech options too.

@Ruhrohraggy7 Рік тому

I can’t hold solder, an iron, and a loupe at the same time!

@chaos.corner Рік тому

@@Ruhrohraggy7 You can get them with a thing which holds them to your head.

@Ruhrohraggy7 Рік тому

@@chaos.corner didn’t know that! thanks!

@chaos.corner Рік тому

@@Ruhrohraggy7 I actually like to use a binocular magnifier which has two magnifications and an extra lens for one eye for really close-up work. Especially since my eyes aren't what they once were.

@Tuetuopay 6 років тому

Interesting review. However, what about image lag? A common issue on cheap microscopes (especially usb ones) is the lag beetween the real movement and the image on the screen.

@simontay4851 6 років тому

Yes. That is why I bought a microscope with composite output. It connects directly to my LG 23inch TV that I also use as for my PC in my electronics work room.

@simontay4851 6 років тому

No lag at all.

@timjackson3954 5 років тому

My experience was that image lag was due to inadequate light making the shutter speed slower than the frame rate. I needed 'task light' or 'outdoor' light levels.

@johnfrancisdoe1563 4 роки тому

Tuetuopay A purely optical solution provides much less total lag between PCB and eyes. Cheapest version is a head mounted magnifier with LED light and 3 amplification levels (flip down lens combinations). More expensive solutions include the Mantis used by EEVblog and the AmScope used by Louis Rossman.

@therealmephistopheles84 6 років тому

Hey! Since you've done videos about SMD-Soldering, developing your own circuit boards and using an Atmega without an Arduino, it would be really cool if you could combine all these topics! E.g developing a smd-soldered circuit board with a usb port for programming, Pins for Li-Po batteries and so on and so forth. I'd really like to put some of my latest portable projects in the smallest possible box, but I'm not sure about the SMD-soldered Atmega-Chip concerning the bootloader and FTDI converter.

@Aerox90 4 роки тому

Haha I didn't realize that I had muted the audio and enabled subtitles until several minutes into the video 😂 I've watched so many of your videos that I "heard" the intro-music playing in my head and read the captions in your voice! xD

@BraveSteelDragon 6 років тому

And now to do a "DIY or buy" video for this :P Seriously, it'd be interesting to see if a homemade microscope/camera can be better worth than some of the cheapest commercial microscopes.

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

A decent lens and sensor are the main parts. Then you can play with autofocus.

@alexrivera.churchpianist 6 років тому

You didn't remove the protector from the $15 cheap microscope... The image should be more clear after remove that...

@England91 6 років тому

Alex Rivera it's only outside the lens focus and it's only so you don't go too close

@ronnymerinogonzalez7897 6 років тому

Good, you see it too :)

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

Caleb Begly Can you point me to a diagram that explains how this works contrary to standard understandings of optical pathways? Feel free to use MSPaint. Though don't be scared to get technical, my physics degree included an optics course. Just to be fair, I'll start you with one that fits my understanding cdn.photographylife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/lens_dof.png

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

Caleb Begly Apologies for any rudeness, that wasn't my intention. I am a little tired today and am not too eloquent. I did look into it a little and there are some lens-less techniques out there. Some use software deconvolution and some involve some kind of grating in front of the lens (there are also pinholes too, of course but those don't really apply). Now I am home, I am able to look at my own device and it has a small lens in a conical housing which screws into the moving zoom part. If I unscrew it, you can see the (small) CCD behind. It appears that the CCD is stationary while the lens moves up and down with the zoom control. It might be interesting to drop a decent 1080p CCD in there. It should be noted that people aren't talking about the standoff ring but about the round flat piece that inserts into it which is in the way of the optics. It isn't immediately noticeable as it's not in the focal plane but it definitely affects picture quality.

@hoekiepoekie5232 5 років тому

@@chaos.corner r/iamverysmart

@einars899 6 років тому

I use a headband loupe and it works fine for me. I can keep my prescription glasses on, while with my microscope I have to take them off, then on again when not using it. That of course is a stereo microscope, not an electronic type. I also tried a Mantis microscope. But feel my eye hand coordination does not work as well as when looking straight at the point of interest as done through a headband loupe. Which iis also stereo vision, meaning distance can be judged.

@rensbakker7710 6 років тому

Thanx for putting my comment in the video😁0:24 keep up the good work!

@bepstein111 6 років тому

i actually own the first one, and you forgot to remove the lens cap, it's clear lol

@rickschrager 6 років тому

I have the $45 dollar model. I like it. I mount the suction base on a tin can (beans I think) which is solid enough and puts distance between the lens and the work. Mine focuses perfectly and the image stays sharp. I have never used it for recording so I cannot speak to the quality.

@barrymayson2492 6 років тому

I have one of the £45 microscope but also bought a metal stand with the adjustment up and down it has made it more stable and so much easier to use. It cost about €17 from banggood and looks similar to the more expensive microscope you have. I agree the one supplied is rubbish to use.

@maacharya 6 років тому

you should try to make your own microscope

@nathansteed1891 6 років тому

Can you show how to make a soldering microscope maybe it is possible with a raspberry pi

@hrshovon 6 років тому

I was thinking the same. A raspberry pi Zero would be an excellent choice.coupled with a 5 inch lcd from waveshare, it would be cheap. If you want to do a bit of automation, u may want to add a servo for lense autofocussing.

@TheSliderW 6 років тому

I've repurposed an old webcam for that. 640*480 is good as long as you have a clear picture with good lighting. To get a decent focus, you'll probably have to dismantle yours to get to the focussing ring. Then it's just a matter of sticking it to a small tripod ( a few glued together chopsticks that I trimmed to get the best ratio between height and image quality ) It's also possible to attach zooming lenses by recovering pieces from old disposable cameras but that's another story. That being said, i guess you could also attach lenses to an old smartphone and stick it on a tripod as well... That would give you the benefit of having a screen + battery on site.

@TopDedCenter 6 років тому

I find that the magnifying glasses that have the flip down lenses work really well.

@navorski7660 6 років тому

Build a battery pack for your microscope.

@andrewwilson8317 6 років тому

I would like the snap button to be on the illumination control rather than on the scope body to take pictures without touching it.

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

I couldn't get the snap button to work. Installed the appropriate driver and everything.

@M7XCB 6 років тому

Thanks for the tips

@ZZtop-gg3lu 6 років тому

I use the cheap microscope with the LCD with an upgraded aluminium stand similar to the andonstar so you can use the front knob to coarse focus and the height knob to fine focus. Also search on eBay for "PCB Holder For Mobile Phone Board", this a very useful pcb holder for soldering under the microscope.

@Tarbard 6 років тому

Luckily your lens cap was very clear! Amazon reviews are plagued by people with poor picture quality who forgot to remove the lens cap.

@ljprep6250 5 років тому

Don't forget hand-held-by-Parkinsons-sufferers Videographers!

@filipra5644 6 років тому

try to diy one(make your own)

@tzimmermann 6 років тому

I have the cheaper one and motorized it, now I can make it move up and down by pressing buttons and that saves a lot of hassle.

@cheetahkid 2 роки тому

Hi, I have the high end similar the one you got. I put HDMI into my tv 55", kinda cool close up. I had a bent pins on my Ryzen 9 3900X and manage to bent the pins straight. I can say it is good use better than cheap one.

@bummers 3 роки тому

Best tip from this video: Use electric tape to hold down circuit boards and items while soldering!!!

@BuzZ. 6 років тому

Open that last one and look if you can't connect a lipo to into it. :)

@greatscottlab 6 років тому

Might try this someday

@BuzZ. 6 років тому

GreatScott! Just frustrating open it and look for pads. If there are it will be easy ;)

@ceneblock 6 років тому

Especially considering what he was soldering. :)

@BuzZ. 6 років тому

ce neblock do you know what sucks ? If you need your soldering iron to fix your soldering iron 😂😂😂

@ceneblock 6 років тому

BuzzCola 3 oh I've been there. Luckily for my station, new irons aren't that expensive. I made a temp fix with solder paste and how air reflow.

@takismail 6 років тому

for your next project try making smd laser soldering iron, would do it myself but did not work with lasers that much, hope to see you do that, keep the nice Vid's.

@CircsC 2 роки тому

You should consider revisiting this as it seems the low end has improved a lot.

@moewoi2867 6 років тому

The lid of the cheapest microscope is still on! this results in too bright pictures. If you remove the lid, the image quality should improve.

@sorin0187 6 років тому

I can confirm. I have this microscope and I made the same mistake the first time I used it.

@meanxmeanx1763 6 років тому

Same here, without the lid the quality is actually pretty good

@KrotowX 4 роки тому

Indeed. Did the same mistake when borrowed that cheap one from my coworker and forgot about cover :)

@FlamJongUn 6 років тому

You forgot to take the plastic cover off of the cheapest microscope, that's why the image was not so clear.

@greatscottlab 6 років тому

True, but it was still pretty decent

@amicklich6729 6 років тому

GreatScott! I was thinking that was a nice image! Surprised to hear it's even better?

@chaos.corner 5 років тому

GreatScott! It's not in the focal plane which helps some. I can confirm it is much better with it removed though.

@DirkDulfer 6 років тому

Thanks for making this video and bringing these scopes to my attention. I can solder those 0805 without real issues, but some more comfort would be nice. So after watching this video I decided to by myself the $45 scope, but with an aluminium alloy stand, which is offered at another Chinese marketplace. I think this stand solves some of the issues you had with fine focussing and creates some extra space between the board and the camera. Still not perfect, but a pretty darn good bang for the buck.

@RoySATX Рік тому

I tossed the stand on mine altogether and attached the camera to a bendy-arm 3rd hand, made a big difference.

@gopronomad4381 5 років тому

Great! I'd probably get one of those 15.00 one of these days... because I dont microsolder a lot. right now I am using a makeshift magnifying station made from a broken SLR lens...