# Usb Microscope Review



## omni_dilletante (Aug 30, 2016)

A couple of days ago I asked if anyone was using a USB microscope in the shop.  The answer seemed to be that one really needs a stereo microscope.  Well, I am too cheap for that.

The big unknown for me was how close I needed to get to the work and how much magnification I would get.  Well, I went ahead and purchased a $35 unit from amazon.com and if you are curious what you get for this then you can read on...

Using the Windows 10 camera application results in 1280x720 pictures.  This is less than 1 million pixels, and the camera is supposed to be able to take 1600x1200 pixel shots.  Perhaps another application would take higher resolution pictures.

My big question was, how close do I need to get to what I am looking at.

From 4" away the field of view is about 13/16".




From 3" away the field of view is about 21/32" 




From 2" away the field of view is about 1/2"




From 1" away the field of view is 11/32"




With the scope right on top of the rule, the field of view is 5/32".




Here is that came in the box.  

Camera
Flex arm
Suction cup mount
Plastic board/mount
Quick start instructions

Instructions sends you to the website for the driver.  Once installed you can use any webcam application to drive the camera.

The flex arm has 1/4" threads, so it will not be hard to create an adapter to mount the scope on my Noga. 




Here it is looking at a carbide insert from about 1.75" away. 




The chip is hard to see with the naked eye, but pretty clear in this shot.




Looking at the gears from about 1" away...




And they look pretty rough.




Actually, looking at my work this closely has kind of dampened my enthusiasm for just about everything.

The adapter which will allow me to connect this to my phone will not be here for a couple of days.  I will update this with what I learn by using it with my phone.


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## Ed ke6bnl (Aug 30, 2016)

I picked up a stereo microscope at a garage sale for $20  I loved it but there are more things I need for my machining then that and sold it for close to $400 on ebay. will be using the usb microscope like you have  and be able to add some neat tools to the machine shop, want to get a good mount with a rack and pinion to raise and lower the scope.


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## TOOLMASTER (Aug 30, 2016)

nifty little rig


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## woodtickgreg (Aug 30, 2016)

Wow, that thing is pretty cool! I have a camera that gets pretty close, super macro, but that thing is absolutely clear, and from a distance!


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## rwm (Aug 30, 2016)

If that works easily with a phone it will be a great tool. Please keep us posted.
Robert


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## hman (Sep 3, 2016)

omni_dilletante said:


> A couple of days ago I asked if anyone was using a USB microscope in the shop.  The answer seemed to be that one really needs a stereo microscope.  Well, I am too cheap for that.
> 
> The big unknown for me was how close I needed to get to the work and how much magnification I would get.  Well, I went ahead and purchased a $35 unit from amazon.com and if you are curious what you get for this then you can read on...


Many thanks for this review.  On the strength of it, I went ahead and ordered one of my own from Amazon.  It arrived yesterday.  Connection to my Mac was a breeze - just open the system app "Photo Booth" and select the scope.

This photo shows one corner of the triangular carbide insert on a used lathe tool I bought recently.


Interestingly enough, the focal range is wide enough to using the camera as a "normal" imager.  Here's a shot from across the room (flipped horizontally, because the camera inverts the image).  Admittedly, it's a narrow field of view, and right now, resolution isn't too great.  But as omni_dilletante pointed out, the lack of resolution is probably due to the image capture software I'm using.  Photo Booth is meant for use with the built-in camera over the Mac's screen.



UPDATE - I downloaded the Pluggable software, and it allows me to increase the resolution to 1200x1600.  It also activates the capacitive "Take a photo" button on the back of the camera.  Being capacitive, it allows you to take a photo with minimal disturbance of the camera.

PS - While download the software, I checked the website's FAQs.  Turns out there's a way to get "super" magnification (ie, the full, advertised 250X) when the camera's sleeve is against the object.  You keep turning the focus knob, and it goes through a long blurry period, then focuses on a much magnified image.  The first photo below shows millimeter lines on the base plate at "normal" focus.  The second shows "super" magnification.


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## pugslyyy (Sep 10, 2016)

Okay I've been convinced to try one of these out.  Ordered one for $11.11 from banggood.

http://www.banggood.com/USB-8-LED-5...ndoscope-Magnifier-Video-Camera-p-983803.html


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