Hi Folks,
I have a Vision Mantis with X2, X4 and X6 lenses. Great for PCB work. Someone I know who does a lot of rework has offered to buy it complete for $AUD 1300. I reckon $1400 is closer to the mark.
However I am in two minds whether to sell it. It is darn good, but you cannot take images from it and it takes up a lot of space.
I see four options:
1. Keep the Mantis
2. Buy an autofocus Eakins camera system, and have about $700 or so left over to buy a programmable load and some other useful test equipment.
3. Buy an Andonstar ADSM302, and have about $1K left over to buy a programmable load and some other useful test equipment
4. Buy some other camera which is better than all of the above for PCB rework that is around $1K that is not featured on the EEVBLOG.
I have looked at the EEVBLOG video #1125.
What is important is ergonomics and fatigue reduction, usability, and clarity (down to 0201 resistors). I do a lot of R & D and some prototyping, but not as much rework and prototyping as the guy who wants to buy the Mantis.
Any opinions from the General Chat crowd?