I bought this specifically to do soldering work on PCBs and it sorta works for that, but you have to zoom in really close to see useful details...but at that point it can be tough to maneuver the soldering iron in that space. And at that zoom the field of view isn't the best, as you have to move the board a lot for things to stay in focus.
BUT for the price this thing is awesome. My kids love it because they can take the microscope out of the stand and run around the house and yard magnifying stuff to incredible levels of detail. And it works well for some of my other hobbies that don't require as high a zoom.
I haven't been able to get video on my PC but I have on my Surface Pro. So clearly it works but the software/drivers are finicky, and the included program is basically useless.
BUT for the price this thing is awesome. My kids love it because they can take the microscope out of the stand and run around the house and yard magnifying stuff to incredible levels of detail. And it works well for some of my other hobbies that don't require as high a zoom.
I haven't been able to get video on my PC but I have on my Surface Pro. So clearly it works but the software/drivers are finicky, and the included program is basically useless.
18/09/2022
The build of the microscope is sturdy, functional and easy to use. The software in the microscope is basic and navigating it with the buttons on the front of the screen can be a bit awkward, but I got used to it after a while. It is a breeze to connect up to the Windows 10 camera app and use that instead of their "amcap" software. (I tried the amcap software and it would not take pictures, it would take videos.) The view on the digital screen is good! and the lights for lighting up the object under the scope are good and bright. Adjustment of the light is easy. I used this to classify macro invertebrates and could not be happier. When connected up to the windows 10 camera app, it is easy peasy to take pictures or videos. And when connected up to a computer, the battery in the microscope is continually charged (so the microscope and light will always work)! I put in some pictures of my critters. Hope you enjoy this scope as much as I do. Love it.
12/09/2022
was satisfied assembling and using this little scope. I've been using a small stereo dissector scope for years but needed a camera so I tried this small digital scope. It's fine for the low magnification I need, it's not as good at the extreme 1200x it claims, but it's serviceable at the higher magnification. It can be an advantage that the device has a rechargeable battery that will power the lights and display for at least an hour without being plugged in. The focus is a bit finicky to use, isn't a rack and pinion knob like on an ordinary scope, it's a knurled ring that is turned directly. And it's not a true "zoom" scope as advertised, as it needs to be refocused when the head is moved up or down to adjust the magnification. But it can be sharply focused and it has adjustable magnification. I think it's excellent value for someone who wants to get good videos or photos of biological specimens or the coins in the headline.
05/08/2022
Bought 2 of these for me and a non-CPU friend who is starting coin collection. UPDATE We have looked at more expensive microscopes and made this decision because of the ease of use and this one did. Found quite a few flaws that we missed with traditional wearable vision amplifiers.
30/12/2021
This exceeded expectations - I bought this to study coins - if your kids are interested in science they will have loads of fun with this - definitely worth it
18/10/2021
I was pleased when I assembled and used this small scope. I have been using a small stereo dissecting scope for years, but needed a camera, so I tried this small digital scope. It is fine for the low magnification I need, it is not as good at the extreme 1200x it claims, but it is usable at the higher magnification. It may be an advantage that it has a rechargeable battery that will power the lights and display for at least an hour without being plugged in.
The focus is a bit finicky to use, isn't a rack and pinion knob like on an ordinary scope, it's a knurled ring that is turned directly. And it's not a true "zoom" scope as advertised, as it needs to be refocused when the head is moved up or down to adjust the magnification.
But it can be sharply focused and it has adjustable magnification. I think it's excellent value for someone who wants to get good videos or photos of biological specimens or the coins in the headline.
The focus is a bit finicky to use, isn't a rack and pinion knob like on an ordinary scope, it's a knurled ring that is turned directly. And it's not a true "zoom" scope as advertised, as it needs to be refocused when the head is moved up or down to adjust the magnification.
But it can be sharply focused and it has adjustable magnification. I think it's excellent value for someone who wants to get good videos or photos of biological specimens or the coins in the headline.
13/07/2021
Works great alone or with the computer!
Good build quality 8 out of 10. Worth the money! We use an index card to make it easier to move the coins and keep the equipment clean.
The device came charged and ready to play.
Good build quality 8 out of 10. Worth the money! We use an index card to make it easier to move the coins and keep the equipment clean.
The device came charged and ready to play.
26/05/2021
So cool to see things up close that you can't see with the naked eye. Looking at all the hairs on a yarrow frond I even found this little bug! You can take photos and videos on this device - it's not very intuitive, you have to long press the menu button to switch between photo, video and play and then press the OK button to start/stop recording or on take picture. But it's a lot of fun!
08/04/2020
So cool to see things close up that you can't see with the naked eye. While looking at all the hairs on a yarrow frond, I even found this little bug! You can take photos and videos on this machine - it's not super intuitive, you have to long press the Menu button to switch between Photo, Video, and Playback, and then push the OK button to start/stop recording or take a pic. But it's a lot of fun!
22/03/2020