Microscope for smd

[FreeThinker]

Looking for a microscope for rework and assembly of smd components, any ideas as to specs etc?

[Bored@Work]

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=3341.msg44617#msg44617

[DaveW]

The important specs are somewhere between 4-10x magnification and a long enough focal length that you can solder underneath it. Most of the normal rock/scientific microscopes have far too short a focal length to get a soldering iron underneath

[Hypernova]

I just lower my head to desk level.

[allanw]

Is a microscope absolutely necessary? I do 0402 parts without one. For inspection, I use this cheap-ass "microscope"

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/45x-microscope-endoscope-with-2-led-illumination-3-lr927-22831

[comox]

I just purchased a Nikon SMZ645 Stereomicroscope off of eBay for surface-mount inspection.  $990 US, un-used.  A good deal as they tend to go for much more.   The Nikon SMZ45 was recently discontinued, hopefully meaning that more should be on the market for a lower price.  The scope needs illumination though, and I have had to purchase a LED ring light illuminator, which I am still waiting to receive.   Very cool device.     

[FreeThinker]

Is a microscope absolutely necessary? I do 0402 parts without one. For inspection, I use this cheap-ass "microscope"

Unfortunately yes it is necessary  . You young whipper snappers may be able to see 0402 parts but those days are well behind me Lol. I have a range of hand held magnifiers but need something handsfree. Was thinking along the lines of those google headband things but would prefer something a bit more professional (less geeky)

[FreeThinker]

Just won this item less than 5 mins ago http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180661166226&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
From what I've read it is an engineering inspection microscope so hopefully not too high a mag and a good focal length, but hey for £30 I'm willing to take a chance.

[amigo]

Wouldn't a Stereo microscope been better than this monocular one? This one might prove quite difficult to use when you need to look through it with one eye and solder at the same time?

I know it was 15 quids, but still...

[FreeThinker]

Wouldn't a Stereo microscope been better than this monocular one? This one might prove quite difficult to use when you need to look through it with one eye and solder at the same time?

I know it was 15 quids, but still...

Well I've soldered using a magnifier don't see (sic!) it will be a lot different. Never used a microscope before so it's new territory for me. May even try to mount a webcam or suchlike. Nothing to loose really. 

[amigo]

Yeah, you could mount a camera with one of those ocular ring adapters. At least that's what I wanted to do, or will do to - get a video out capable camera and one of those 7-8" LCDs with video input. This way no computer is needed to view the image and would save on space.

Granted, you can't grab images or movies easily, but it's a trade-off...

[Excavatoree]

Is a microscope absolutely necessary? I do 0402 parts without one. For inspection, I use this cheap-ass "microscope"

Unfortunately yes it is necessary  . You young whipper snappers may be able to see 0402 parts but those days are well behind me Lol. I have a range of hand held magnifiers but need something handsfree. Was thinking along the lines of those google headband things but would prefer something a bit more professional (less geeky)

There is nothing more humbling then having to use one of these to read the color codes on a 1/8 (or maybe it was 1/4!!!) watt resistor.  I thought it was out of tolerance, but what I read as a black band was a violet band when seen with some magnification.

[FreeThinker]

Microscope arrived today, very nice! X10 lens in eyepiece 2 object lenses one with 5/0.1  160/- on it, the other has 10/0.25 160/- Not that it means zip to me (even though I worked for a micro film company as a service engineer for 10 years optics were/are a black art). Only played with it for 10 mins, but magnification seems ok but depth of field is short (to be expected I suppose) Built in light is a big bonus. The lens in the eyepiece is etched with a scale for measuring and the stage has vernier scales top and sides. My aim is to mount a camera with av output on the view tube and feed it into a 7'' screen/tv. I've got an old cannon powershot a70 that displays to it's lcd ok but only displays pics as black (memory u/s?) so that may be the way to go if it will output video in monitor mode, if not then I may try a cheap cctv camera. Any one ever done anything like this and have any suggestions? how can I improve the optics? THe turret has 2 spare apertures if required.

[FreeThinker]

Is a microscope absolutely necessary? I do 0402 parts without one. For inspection, I use this cheap-ass "microscope"

Unfortunately yes it is necessary  . You young whipper snappers may be able to see 0402 parts but those days are well behind me Lol. I have a range of hand held magnifiers but need something handsfree. Was thinking along the lines of those google headband things but would prefer something a bit more professional (less geeky)

There is nothing more humbling then having to use one of these to read the color codes on a 1/8 (or maybe it was 1/4!!!) watt resistor.  I thought it was out of tolerance, but what I read as a black band was a violet band when seen with some magnification.

That's nothing, real humiliation is when you have to ask your 6 year old grand daughter to read the printing on an IC!!

[comox]

Here is my Nikon SMZ645 (pic attached).   LED ring illuminator arrived the other day.  The plus of a stereo microscope is that there is a lot of room between the microscope objective and the item under observation.  Specifically, you can actively solder the PCB when looking through the microscope.