USB Microscopes for PCB inspection

[Fraser]

Anyone considering the purchase of a USB microscope may be interested in this thread

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=4167.msg55114#msg55114

The discussion extends beyond it's title and provides some sample pictures from my USB microscope.

[ElektroQuark]

I can not find the exact name of your microscope. Any link?

[Fraser]

Sadly mine is a "no name" USB microscope from China. I Can post pictures of it but many looke very similar these days. Details that I noted about mine are as follows:

1. It has the oval snapshot button as opposed to the round ones seen on many units
2. There are 4 LED illuminators in the head
3. The LED's are fixed brightness and there is no brightness control on the unit itself or it's USB lead
4. The all important lens has a metal (brass) shell and a lens of ~3.0mm diameter. Smaller aperture = greater depth of field but sadly also less light capture but I find mine fit for purpose.
5. The magnification is stated as 20X/200X

I believe my model has been superceded now but I wanted to point out that models like the Veho 'Discovery' that I also bought, had inferior mechanical assemblies for the optics and some use what is basically a web cam lens with an ~8mm lens diameter. I will post pictures of my unit for reference later today.

[Fraser]

As promised, pictures of my "no name" USB microscope, its lens and the box it came in.

[ElektroQuark]

Thank you.
I think I will be sirfing the web looking for a device like those, the optical stereo microscope I own is not calibrated and my eyes see different things through it.