Decent but cheap Trinocular stereo microscopes for soldering - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: Vir1dis
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 23, 2024, 09:38:37 am
content: Hello everyone,I have been googling for a trinocular stereo microscope for soldering, and so far I have spend most of the time looking at AmScope and Parco, yet would like to spend even less for the same product.I have read about rebranded ones like Aomekie and Vevo, yet the links either don't work or the product is no longer sold.Are there caps that can be placed on a trinocular microscope when there isn't a camera attached? As I don't plan to get a camera yet but want to be able to use the stereo microscope side of it now.Without camera I would like to keep the budget for everything else, lenses, adapters, stand, trinoculars,shipping etc under $800 AUD ($515 USD), and definitely no more than $1200 AUD ($775 USD).I do like the look of the double arm boom stand style, ideally I want a stand that isn't too expensive yet one that can keep the microscope from sagging yet can still have some reach.I would like not only learn SMD soldering with it, but also do through hole whist seated in a more upright position as I tend to hunch right over whilst soldering.Anyway thanks in advance.

author: Sensorcat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2024, 10:33:08 pm
content: Since we are on opposite sides of the planet, I do not know your purchasing options, but I can give a few hints, assuming that you are about to buy your first microscope:A stereo microscope is a game changer for soldering with precision on small components. Once you have it, you wonder how you survived without.Microscopes are long-living, and the innovation rate is low. At your budget, buying a used one could be the solution.A cap for every window not in use is a must-have and will belong to any serious new offer. If it is missing on a used offer, put adhesive tape on it as soon as you can, and then find a permanent solution (3D print?). Also, get a plastic cover for the whole instrument. Dust is one of the worst problems!You don't need large magnifications for soldering work. A typical value will be 15-20, and you want to have approx. 5 to have an overview, perhaps 40 for inspection of problems.Do you really need a trinocular microscope? It depends on your priorities. Historically, the reason for developing such microscopes is this: For decades, almost all decent cameras used 135 film. The lens of these cameras are necessarily quite large, resulting in a poor match with the eyepieces of optical instruments. So there had to be a completely different optical path for the camera. You still need that if you want to use a DSLR, for best results. But today, we have good cameras on our smartphones, with very small lens, resulting in a much better match. The attachment will be a bit tricky, and you certainly loose productivity, but for a documentation photo here and there, using a smartphone can be an option. If you want to do so, you get a much wider selection of microscopes to choose from, but you won't find one to predict if your microscope model and your eyepiece work together well with your smartphone model. So the decision for a stereo microscope is a bit like gambling. However, getting a DSLR just for the microscope is above your budget anyway.Just holding a smartphone in front of the eyepiece does not work. You have to have a device to place the camera precisely on the optical axis and in the right distance, with very little tolerance.HTH

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2024, 12:28:56 am
content: I bought an Amscope (clone?) from Ali a few years ago, Price including shipping was around (below?) EUR400.If you are cost sensitive, but can make things yourself, then I recommend to buy the microscope head only and make the rest yourself. Accessories are relatively expensive, and not of very good quality. Just the Z-adjustment for example costs around EUR65, a simple stand (which I bought) around EUR100, and the big boom thing itself is a few hundred EUR. Just have a look at what the parts cost on Ali. They are also sold separately.Handy parts to have are a 0.7x Barlow lens (I have a 0.5x, but now the eye pieces are quite high above my desk. Also get yourself a ring light with an integrated glass plate. This protects the lenses from solder fumes and spatter. When you use a (replaceable) Barlow lens, this is not very important, but if you want to use it without a Barlow lens the underside of the microscope is open (or at least add a piece of glass / filter there.)I bought the simple stand "to get started", and with the Idea to make a more luxurious stand myself, probably with MGN12 rails, and very likely some stepper motors. If you put stepper motors on both the Z-distance and zoom, then you can write a simple microcontroller program that takes two potentiometer inputs. One for zoom, and one for focus, and then when you change the zoom, the uC keeps your object in focus by also adjusting the Z-height. Uc also can adjust the light. There is a very big difference in brightness between zoomed in and zoomed out. The difference is big enough to be (slightly) annoying, and I tend to adjust the brightness when adjusting the zoom level.When you DIY, a built in fume extractor is also nice t have.

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 28, 2024, 01:03:43 am
content: While I no longer sell scopes, this is a page from my site that will give you some hints on what to look for. It is targeted toward watchmaking, but the details apply to all scope buyers.https://www.historictimekeepers.com/Watchmaker%20Microscopes%20for%20Sale.htm