Can't see WTF you're doing? Thought about trying a MICROSCOPE?

[Popperini 17,856]

@manodeoro asked me if I would review a recent purchase, a trinocular stereo microscope. So, here goes with my first ever mini-review of A THING. Oh, and skip to the penultimate paragraph if all you want to know is, "So, is it any good?"

One of the main issues I’ve struggled with since I started this hobby (apart from being unable to stop buying watches) is being able to see WTF I’m doing, while I'm trying to learn how to mod, and breaking things. I’ve used loupes and other clip-on magnifying lenses, and while they work, it always feels awkward to me (a varifocal glasses wearer), and are hard to get positioned right. In the end I plumped for mainly using an angle-poise lamp-cum-magnifier, with a big plastic lens. It’s sort of okay-ish, but the distortions in the lens are a bit disorientating and I’m always misting it up at critical moments… Not that this makes any difference to whether I break the thing I'm messing with or not - that's a given anyway.

So, not long ago I saw someone on YouTube using a funky microscope for close-up soldering work. Then I saw this thread where DrBritojr was using the same thing, for his watch modding. So I asked about it and he was kind enough to share more details. As you’ll see in the thread, he gave it a glowing report. So off I went to eBay.

I should mention that most other folk around the world will have a lot more buying options than I had… We live on an Island, which means I encounter a lot of "seller doesn't ship to your address" problems on eBay, even though we're classed as mainland UK. And it turned out that the model DrBritojr owns couldn’t be shipped to me. Stupid bloody Solent.

There’s a ton of various configurations of this sort of microscope for sale one eBay, and as far as I can tell most of them are essentially based on the same microscope unit. And in the usual style of eBay selling this means that without doing some research, you could end up paying £700+ for exactly the same item that you can get from another seller for £180 (which is about what they start at). The same scopes also come branded as “Amscope” (this badging being added to the Chinese components by a US company reselling them, to make Americans feel warm and fuzzy about buying “American”. Although Amscope apparently don’t bother to add the badges any more, which is making Americans feel cheated and angry…).

So I carried on searching, and spent some time reading more about these microscopes and the various options available, before finding a suitable one that shipped to the Island. It’s sold by “lapsun_gift” on eBay. The description of the exact model is: “3.5X - 225X Simul-focal Trinocular Stereo Microscope for Digital Eyepiece Camera”. Copy/paste that in eBay to find the item.

Here’s the spec list from eBay:

• An excellent stereo inspection microscope with intensity-adjustable 144-LED ring light
• 3.5X-225X super wide zoom magnification power
• Bright cool light 144-LED illumination system
• High resolution with great flatness and contrast, giving sharp and clear images
• Binocular head with 45 degree inclined 360 degree swiveling eye tubes
• Sharp stereo erect images with a wide field of view
• Crystal clear original true color microscope images
• Dual eye tubes with adjustable diopters
• Large working distance
• Sturdy all-metal table stand
• Accurate alignment reduces eye strain for longer periods of viewing
• Full optical glass elements
• Precise ground glass lenses
• Full metal chrome-plated mechanical components
• Adjustable interpupillary distance
• Rubber eye-guards included

Specification:

• Head: 360 degree rotatable 45 degree inclined binocular
• Eyepieces: 30mm super widefield high-eyepoint WF10X/20MM
• Objective Zoom Range: 0.7X-4.5X
• Working Distance: 4" (100mm)
• Diopter Adjustment: +/- 5dp
• Interpupillary Distance: 2-3/16" - 2-15/16"(55-75mm)
• Round Plate: 3-3/4" (95mm) in diameter
• Stand: 10" x 7-7/8" x 10.75" (254 x 200 x 275mm)
• Illumination: 144-LED Ring Light
• Power Input: 110-240V, 50-60HZ, Automatic Switching
• Accessories: Paired eye-caps

Packing including:

• 1 x Trinocular Stereo Zoom Head
• 1 x Pairs of Super Widefield 10X Eyepieces
• 1 x Pairs of Super Widefield 25X Eyepieces
• 1 x C-mount Adapter
• 1 x Pair of Eye-Guards
• 1 x 144-LED Ring Light with Adapter
• 1 x Pillar Table Stand
• 1 x SZM2.0X WD 30mm Auxiliary objective
• 1 x SZM0.5X WD 165mm Auxiliary objective
• 1 x Dust Cover

What the hell did all that mean? Not a clue. But it was £285 for ALL OF IT, with free shipping. So, keen to make myself even poorer, I ordered it on the 28^th April, and it arrived on the 7^th May. A great turnaround when a lot of shipping was still being affected by Corona lockdown. 

One thing I noticed about the microscope was that the zoom knobs on this one are positioned differently to all the other models on offer. The zoom knobs are near the front of the microscope case, rather than towards the rear as they are on others. This made me slightly uneasy... but remember, I opted for this one mainly because they were one of the only suppliers who would ship to me. Whether this indicates that mine is a newer or older design, I’ve no idea. Fortunately, they work and aren't just a glued-on decoration. However, I will mention that the operation of these knobs is also accompanied by a slightly scratchy sound, as if the zoom mechanism has a bit of grit in its works. It doesn’t affect the zoom operation though, which is nice and smooth. One day I may open up the case and clean/lubricate the mechanism, because it’s the only thing that gives any sense that you’re using a “budget” tool. (You and I know - this will never happen. I'll just let it grind away until the friction causes a groove that the grit can travel in silently, or the whole thing bursts into flames one day as I go to zoom in for a close-up of a thing I just broke.)

Another thing I’d mention regarding construction is that the main outer case of the microscope unit is moulded plastic. I expected it to be metal – but I suppose that’s only because it’s got the same finish as the sturdy metal stand components, which are... metal. It makes no practical difference, and actually means that the head is a bit lighter and thus easier to move up and down on the stand. And once mounted, the whole unit feels solid and good quality.

The optical components all feel very solid, well-made and are glass throughout (well the glass bits are... obviously) – which results in beautifully clear, distortion-free viewing. Look through the lenses on this, and you’d think you were using a multi-thousand-dollar piece of kit. I did have to give all the lenses a good puffing with my rubber bulb blower thing, as when it arrived there was plenty of dust and hairs present when looking through the viewfinders, which was pretty terrifying as I thought a Corona monster had arrived with the kit. But fortunately, the alien detritus was all on the exterior surfaces, with no trapped nasties inside the optical elements. And I'm still alive.

The bundle I got comes with two sets of eyepieces (10x and 20x) and two Barlow lenses which gives a magnification range using the optical zoom function of 3.5x to 225x. Note that I only opted for this high magnification variation on the package because I have granddaughters and thought it'll be fun to study stuff in ultra-high magnification. The range is way more than would ever be needed for working on watches, and you really only need to 10x eyepieces. Using the 10x eyepieces and fitting the 0.5x Barlow lens results in a wide field of view and allows the scope head to be elevated to the top of the stand, giving plenty of room to work under it (up to 20cm or so of clearance).

At the same time as ordering the microscope, I ordered a camera to fit on the c-mount adaptor that’s included in the kit. There’s hundreds of these on eBay, so I found one that boasted huge megapixels and ordered it, without doing much preliminary research. It was sold by friendly Chinese... android “2-36038” straight outta ShenZhen, and is known as the “48MP Microscope Camera 1080P 60FPS HDMI USB Industrial Microscope Digital Camera”. It was just under £100 and took a couple more days to arrive. You can see it in the pics below - it's the square orange thing perched on top of the microscope, like a cubist fruit.

However, having connected the camera it was clear that it requires a set of adaptor lenses in order for the camera view to match the viewfinder view. So I’ve got those on order, and for now the camera shows a close up view that doesn’t match the wider, far less magnified view through the eyepieces. In the pics below, the image on the screen shows a massive close up, while looking through the binocular viewports shows the entire movement and surroundings.

Once I have the lenses for the camera port, I’ll update this thread with better representative pics from its output – as there’s not really any other way I can post shots showing what you see when looking into the microscope - I tried holding my phone, and the cubist fruit cam up to the eyepiece, but that don't work.

And so, to the actual TL:DR bit - what's it like to use? Well, I’ve been using the microscope as my magnifying device for a couple of weeks, and really enjoy the experience. It's a very comfortable way to work (the eyepieces are at exactly the right height for me to lean onto them while fiddling around down below). But the most awesome thing about using this device is how I can rapidly increase/decrease the level of magnification instantly, depending on what I’m doing – which is extraordinarily useful! So far, it’s helped me to dissemble a movement, and put together a GMT-Master project. Okay, so the movement’s still in pieces and the GMT didn’t work once it was assembled… but that’s all down to me being a dangerously inept amateur at this stuff, and not the fault of the ‘scope. 

That’s it for this short review. I hope this might be of some interest to someone out there...  And I might post some more info later, as I remember things that I forgot to say. Feel free to fire any questions at me, and I'll try to answer but always with the caveat, "Well I haven't got an effing clue what I'm doing, but..."

[Swiss_goupil 274]

Wow that is an awesome piece review! Considering myself one of those ‘scope, this is very helpful indeed (I m also on the Island). Thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nikosaldente 630]

WoW!

Awesome mate!

A new world is opening up 

[GingerApple 7,285]

That's cool, but let's have a LOT more mega macro photography!!!! I want to see mega  close-ups of hands, markers, pinions, date fonts, pearls, screw heads, jewels, wheels, pallet forks etc etc........! Very cool.

[wobble44 98]

That's cool, but let's have a LOT more mega macro photography!!!! I want to see mega  close-ups of hands, markers, pinions, date fonts, pearls, screw heads, jewels, wheels, pallet forks etc etc........! Very cool.

I agree. Pops MEGA close ups rule!!! Love being able to see the real detail!! Please remember Pops camera was stolen from outer space and is called the Canon Hubble Scope 2000.


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[GenTLe 1,503]

Cool one, I like it!

[manodeoro 19]

@Popperini ... Thanks a lot !!!
What a great review !!!
I've been on WRT for a while and though it's a technical forum, with specific threads about "magnifying devices", I've never read anything as informative as what you wrote ... so congrats and thanks again ...
As a seasoned member of the "varifocal glasses wearers club", and though I'm presbyopic enough to work on movements without glasses (presbyopia compensate myopia) I'll certainly have the use of such a tool ...
On the had side ... 300€ will soon leave my wallet ...

[Popperini 17,856]

1 hour ago, manodeoro said:

@Popperini ... Thanks a lot !!!
What a great review !!!
I've been on WRT for a while and though it's a technical forum, with specific threads about "magnifying devices", I've never read anything as informative as what you wrote ... so congrats and thanks again ...
As a seasoned member of the "varifocal glasses wearers club", and though I'm presbyopic enough to work on movements without glasses (presbyopia compensate myopia) I'll certainly have the use of such a tool ...
On the had side ... 300€ will soon leave my wallet ...

I'm really happy to have helped, @manodeoro (and anyone else who wasn't previously aware). I was also surprised to find that these devices aren't more widely known about. But it's probably the sort of thing I'd previously have looked at and dismissed, because although not cheap, they don't really seem expensive enough! 

One thing I'd add is that, no matter which configuration of microscope you buy, it's absolutely essential to get the ring-light illumination. If this doesn't come with the kit you're buying, they can be picked up separately from about £20. The optics need a really well-illuminated subject. With the light turned off, it suddenly becomes pitch black through the viewer!

Another little thing I also forgot to mention was that I bought a cheap bench mat from Cousins (under £7), cut it to size and fitted it on the microscope base - just to make it a bit more suitable as a watch-bodging surface. 

When I was searching, I watched a lot of YouTube videos on the subject. Of course, now I own one, I've just found a video that I wish I'd seen while I was doing my research, as it's really informative! Luckily, I independently made exactly the right choices with my purchase without having seen it...  Plus, when the guy demonstrates his zoom knob - it makes exactly the same crunchy gritty sound as mine does. It's A FEATURE.  

 

 

[hasel5 4,798]

I need onec

[BravoDelta 22,461]

6 hours ago, Popperini said:

Well I haven't got an effing clue what I'm doing, but...

I'm not sure that's true 

Nice review!

[Mystery Shopper 5,887]

Really nice review. 

 

'cubist fruit' sounds like a Picasso sketch of Jonathon Phang

[Intresting 21,699]

wow.  Reps will be micromanaged.    Nothing will look good anymore.      Its an impressive toy.  You will have hours of fun.

[Popperini 17,856]

Ah! An update to this thread - as I just mentioned it in a post over on RG, and it reminded me that I haven't posted on this one since I got a replacement camera...

The first digi camera I got was faulty. The colours it rendered were completely off. At first I thought it needed adjustment - but no, it was borked. So I got a refund for that one (but never got asked to return it), and searched for another. I decided to play it safer and not replace like for like, so instead of the claimed "48mp" of the first one, I went for a replacement that was a mere 21mp... Which is still more than my "proper" camera has.

The most important thing is that it's also orange. 

So getting this one plugged in, with one of the accessory lens tubes that I also ordered, I now get a picture that's far closer to what I'm seeing through the eyepieces. Disregard the pinkish colour of the image on the screen - that's the iPhone failing to accurately capture the screen:

And the corresponding image through the eyepiece (the best I can get, pointing my phone camera down one of the lenses):

It's still not precisely the same magnification, and the focus through the eyepieces gets out of sync with the camera during zooming. But it's pretty damn close, and it'll do till I read up more on what the hell I'm playing at, and work out how to get a reliable 1:1 eyepiece/camera relationship going on.

Of course, it's still going to have a complete imbecile attached to the end of it for a very long time to come...

[Chavezzito 121]

From now on I will demand that the QC for my future purchases are sent with a microscope! 

[GingerApple 7,285]

58 minutes ago, Popperini said:

The most important thing is that it's also orange. 

 The countless hours I've been putting into my Jedi mind control practice are obviously paying off.

[Simonix 8,660]

Looks like a fantastic setup!

But I am even more in love with the Ploprof you had in the original photos, just sitting there under the TV screen.......

[Turpentine 1]

I'm just commencing with watch repair, modding and fussing with reps.  I've been toying with the idea of a microscope. I've bought two cheap one, and knew almost immediately it was what I needed and I had to stop being cheap about it. Your review is immensely helpful.

I am hoping I am able to find the same model. Thank you again!

[APjumbo 3,031]

This is freakin amazing. Another thing to add to my santa list. Really appreciate you sharing, looks way more practical than a round plastic thing in my eye.

[fatarms 7,777]

I missed this the first time around.   This is really friggin cool. 

[Popperini 17,856]

8 hours ago, Turpentine said:

I am hoping I am able to find the same model. Thank you again!

As I mentioned in the post, these are very widely sold on eBay. There's a ton of different stand/magnifying lens/camera configurations, but the main unit is probably identical in every bundle. So as long as what you're looking at is in the $200+ ballpark, it's probably the same thing.