USB Microscopes

[jethro]

G,day all, I'm looking at getting a USB microscope for inspecting mineral composition of quartz / gold ore etc. My eyesight is not what it used to be 20/20 and im finding that a hand lens is getting hard to see with. So I thought if I could enlarge the image & put it on the computer. that would help.

Id like to hear from anyone who has one, good & bad points ease of use etc.

 

[AtomRat]

Most USB microsopes only get up to 400x or somethjng and some can be very blurry. I refuse to buy them and i use a proper microscope. Might be better ones around now though. I was never impressed with the digital zoom. I use microscopes for all sorts

 

[casper]

I use both optical and digital in my work - my digital is a standard DinoLite and it's a ripper.
Here is what a 2 gram alluvial nugget looks like thru the DinoLite - note that the black sand grains are invisible when the nugget is viewed unaided.
As with any closeup viewing of 3D objects depth of field is something that you have to juggle but it can be overcome by recording the viewing focal adjustments as a short video clip

cheers Casper

 

[thedigger]

Hi Jethro
I use one of these for my everyday work,and for looking at mineral samples and gold in stone.
USB microscopes tend to have too much magnifaction,you need no more than 10-20 other wise you do not get a good over all picture of the sample.
The light that comes with it is crap,but I use a lamp on a stand which works great.

This is the one that I bought would recommend.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10X-20X-...192095?hash=item5d3b70939f:g:Pw4AAOSwbdpWYnDh

Regards Frank

 

[TTKooAu]

Hi Jethro,
I got a 1000x cheapy from China, and at $25.00 delivered you get what you pay for.
In hindsight I would probably have spent a bit more, say $200ish and get one with a better stand and a lot less magnification, say 200x.

Having said all of that, if you persevere with them you can get some good results.

the surface of some rose quartz

A tiny crystal on a chip of rose quartz.

An edge view of a speck of flour gold from a bag of Turbopan paydirt. (the whole speck is 0.15mm in length)

Another edge view of the same speck

A surface view of that speck

This is the one I got on eBay, there are heaps of these, but some sellers are ripping off up to $100 for the same unit.

TT

 

[jethro]

Hey all Thanks for the replys I ended up ordering a TLI 5mp High magification. This unit has 10x to 50x variable zoom then steps up to 300x Hasn't arrived as yet. I will post some images when I work it all out.

 

[blisters]

How'd your scope go Jethro? Looking at getting one myself.
Jon

 

[BigWave]

Hi Jethro, That's the same one that I purchased. At $148 ex GST, I think they're pretty good. I rarely use magnification over about 20 on my finds. Casper's DinoLite looks pretty hot, but as he uses it for his work, it's probably up there in cost.

 

[Colmaca]

I just ordered this one wait a week or so I'll post pictures

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301213853460?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[Colmaca]

I got my ebay one my 1st few min a few snaps haven't worked how to zoom but focus on this one smaller than a pin head

picture alone

with my pen end

then a small pin