Stereo Microscope

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, Knebo said:

I can't say that I'm overly happy with the overall image quality, but I think it may be primarily an issue of top-down lighting which causes reflection and over-exposure. Perfectly fine for taking pictures for technical/logging pictures, but not great for artsy ones. 

I use the same light ring and 0.5 Barlow lens as you,  and find it an excellent combination. I have the same reservations on the pics - reflections, over/under exposure.  For more 'artsy' pics I sometimes shine a more yellowish desk lamp or torch from the side. Still not great though.

[Knebo]

6 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

For more 'artsy' pics I sometimes shine a more yellowish desk lamp or torch from the side. Still not great though.

I'll try that. Thanks! 

[RickTock]

Thanks to all of the information gleaned from this post (and a couple of excellent YouTube vids), I took the plunge today and ordered a Microscope from AmScope and camera from AliExpress. Here's what I ordered:

• AmScope SM-3TPX Simul-Focal Zoom Trinocular Stereo Microscope 3.5X-45X Magnification on Single Arm Boom Stand (includes 0.5X Barlow lens)
• AmScope 144 LED Intensity-adjustable Ring Light for Stereo Microscopes with White Housing
• HAYEAR HY-3307 Digital HDMI USB Microscope Camera 16MP 1080P
• HAYEAR 0.35X C-mount Adapter

AmScope started a Black Friday 15% Off Pre-Sale today (enter PRE15 coupon code at checkout), so that was a pleasant surprise. AliExpress pricing was also lower today.

The two videos I found most helpful were from:

• Alex Hamilton - The One Tool That Will Make You a Better Watchmaker
• Kalle Slaap - Microscope special Part 2of2 - My personal set-up and why

I'll follow up with a brief review once I have some bench time with the new gear.

Cheers!

--Rick

 

 

[Knebo]

8 hours ago, RickTock said:

Thanks to all of the information gleaned from this post (and a couple of excellent YouTube vids), I took the plunge today and ordered a Microscope from AmScope and camera from AliExpress. Here's what I ordered:

• AmScope SM-3TPX Simul-Focal Zoom Trinocular Stereo Microscope 3.5X-45X Magnification on Single Arm Boom Stand (includes 0.5X Barlow lens)
• AmScope 144 LED Intensity-adjustable Ring Light for Stereo Microscopes with White Housing
• HAYEAR HY-3307 Digital HDMI USB Microscope Camera 16MP 1080P
• HAYEAR 0.35X C-mount Adapter

AmScope started a Black Friday 15% Off Pre-Sale today (enter PRE15 coupon code at checkout), so that was a pleasant surprise. AliExpress pricing was also lower today.

The two videos I found most helpful were from:

• Alex Hamilton - The One Tool That Will Make You a Better Watchmaker
• Kalle Slaap - Microscope special Part 2of2 - My personal set-up and why

I'll follow up with a brief review once I have some bench time with the new gear.

Cheers!

--Rick

 

 

I think this is a perfect shopping list. Surely also useful to others. 

Once you receive you equipment, you'll need this video:

 

[spectre6000]

I would amend that list with the double arm boom stand if it were me. 

[Knebo]

44 minutes ago, spectre6000 said:

I would amend that list with the double arm boom stand if it were me. 

@RickTock's order includes the Single Arm Boom Stand in the Amscope order. So it would be rather "replace" than "amend".

I have the Single Arm and haven't faced any problems/constraints with it. What's the advantage of the Double Arm?

[mikepilk]

15 hours ago, RickTock said:

HAYEAR 0.35X C-mount Adapter

That's what I need! My camera is on the existing mounting, on a 0.5X Barlow. It sits way too high, and doesn't get enough image. The 0.35X looks like it would be perfect.

99% of the time I'm working  under the 0.5X Barlow. When oiling pallet jewels, or if I need a close inspection of a pivot, jewel, I used to remove the Barlow. Which is fiddly. So I bought a pair of 20X eyepieces. Seconds to swap and you get the same magnification (though you do lose field of view and brightness). I bought a cheap set from ebay.

 

[Knebo]

1 hour ago, mikepilk said:

That's what I need!

Yes you do! 

 

1 hour ago, mikepilk said:

When oiling pallet jewels, or if I need a close inspection of a pivot, jewel, I used to remove the Barlow. Which is fiddly. So I bought a pair of 20X eyepieces. Seconds to swap and you get the same magnification (though you do lose field of view and brightness).

That's a smart alternative! I also do the screw-off, screw-on procedure -- which also means that you need to lower the scope and then lift it up again. Indeed takes a lot of time. 

Question @mikepilk: if you exchange the eyepiece, do you need to adjust the height of the scope? Or does the distance to the object then remain the same as with the 10x eyepiece?

Edited November 19, 2024 by Knebo

[gpraceman]

Why remove the Barlow or swap out eyepieces to oil the pallet stones or do inspection?  I just zoom in.  I am using a 0.5X Barlow and 10X eyepieces.

[Knebo]

2 hours ago, gpraceman said:

Why remove the Barlow or swap out eyepieces to oil the pallet stones or do inspection?  I just zoom in.  I am using a 0.5X Barlow and 10X eyepieces.

I think what @mikepilk and I are referring to is where you can benefit from even more zoom. He said:

7 hours ago, mikepilk said:

99% of the time I'm working  under the 0.5X Barlow

And it's the same here. 

I think 0.5x barlow, 10x eyepiece and the 4.5x maximum magnification of the main lens add up to 22.5x total magnification. That's more than enough for 99% of the time. 

But I do sometimes want that full 45x magnification (i.e. 10x eyepiece with 4.5x mains lens, but no Barlow). For example, when I want to really see the surface smoothness/roughness of a pivot to determine if my work on the Jacot tool was effective. 

[mikepilk]

Exactly @Knebo. 99% of the time I don't need more magnification, but for instance today, I was oiling the pallet jewels on a small ladies movement, and the extra magnification makes it much easier.  There's even times when I put in the 2x Barlow to give me 90x mag if I need a really close look at balance pivots. 

[Knebo]

14 hours ago, Knebo said:

Question @mikepilk: if you exchange the eyepiece, do you need to adjust the height of the scope? Or does the distance to the object then remain the same as with the 10x eyepiece?

Can you confirm @mikepilk? 

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, Knebo said:

Can you confirm @mikepilk? 

Yes, the distance stays the same and you do not have to move the microscope.

[Knebo]

@mikepilk I wonder... if you could confirm: How does the field of view compare between 10x without barlow and 20x with 0.5 barlow.?

[mikepilk]

9 minutes ago, Knebo said:

@mikepilk I wonder... if you could confirm: How does the field of view compare between 10x without barlow and 20x with 0.5 barlow.?

It's the same.

Fully zoomed out with 10x eyepieces and 0.5x Barlow, the FOV is 70mm.
Removing the Barlow, the FOV is half, i.e. 35mm
With 20x eyepieces and 0.5x Barlow, the FOV is also 35mm, but the image is less bright.

I have the Amscope 144 LED light ring. When oiling pallet jewels or looking closely at pivots, I sometimes use a hand held LED light to increase brightness. For pallet jewels, I sit the movement holder on a small mirror and shine a light on the mirror under the movement, so I get back lighting in the jewel.

[Knebo]

24 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

It's the same.

Fully zoomed out with 10x eyepieces and 0.5x Barlow, the FOV is 70mm.
Removing the Barlow, the FOV is half, i.e. 35mm
With 20x eyepieces and 0.5x Barlow, the FOV is also 35mm, but the image is less bright.

I have the Amscope 144 LED light ring. When oiling pallet jewels or looking closely at pivots, I sometimes use a hand held LED light to increase brightness. For pallet jewels, I sit the movement holder on a small mirror and shine a light on the mirror under the movement, so I get back lighting in the jewel.

Cool. I just ordered a pair of 20x eyepieces

[spectre6000]

22 hours ago, Knebo said:

@RickTock's order includes the Single Arm Boom Stand in the Amscope order. So it would be rather "replace" than "amend".

I have the Single Arm and haven't faced any problems/constraints with it. What's the advantage of the Double Arm?

Word choice correction is correct.

The double arm stands have a better mechanism for tilting the head slightly, and giving you an angle onto the work piece rather than directly from above. Gives better tool clearance, and can help with glare and angles. It was discussed many pages back, and I can't take credit for the observation of the feature or enumeration of its benefits. I can attest that the stand and feature are very nice and nice to have.

[rehajm]

23 hours ago, mikepilk said:

So I bought a pair of 20X eyepieces. Seconds to swap and you get the same magnification (though you do lose field of view and brightness). I bought a cheap set from ebay.

That’s what I did as well- works great!

[mikepilk]

Hmm, who understands camera lenses ?

The 0.35X Barlow arrived today, but the results are not what I expected. I have a generic Chinese camera, I can't remember what the specs are.

On minimum zoom of 0.7x I cannot focus the camera. The Barlow has it's own focus setting, I can only get a clear image with the focus all the way out.  Then it only focuses at a zoom of about 1.6x, giving a FOV of 20mm (normal 70mm).

I can get it to focus at 0.7x, but to get a clear image I have to  unscrew the camera from the Barlow by about 3mm. This give a FOV of about 50mm, which is fine. But when I zoom I have to refocus, and above about 1.2x zoom it won't focus at all. 

Rather disappointing, and I'm not sure if there's a fix. Anyone?

[Knebo]

4 hours ago, mikepilk said:

Hmm, who understands camera lenses ?

The 0.35X Barlow arrived today, but the results are not what I expected. I have a generic Chinese camera, I can't remember what the specs are.

On minimum zoom of 0.7x I cannot focus the camera. The Barlow has it's own focus setting, I can only get a clear image with the focus all the way out.  Then it only focuses at a zoom of about 1.6x, giving a FOV of 20mm (normal 70mm).

I can get it to focus at 0.7x, but to get a clear image I have to  unscrew the camera from the Barlow by about 3mm. This give a FOV of about 50mm, which is fine. But when I zoom I have to refocus, and above about 1.2x zoom it won't focus at all. 

Rather disappointing, and I'm not sure if there's a fix. Anyone?

Ah damn, so sorry to hear that @mikepilk. That's indeed disappointing. 

I guess there are two aspects of the issue:

1. Not being able to focus:

I really don't know why this would happen. Hopefully others can weigh in. I don't know if microscope and c-mount lens need to be specifically compatible with regard to the exact lens distance... Possibly the "original" AmScope lens will fit? Or at least the "real clone". I noticed that yours just looks a bit different in design. 

2. Small field of view. 

Here I may be able to offer better advice. I had forgotten about this, but remembered when you shared your bad luck. Sorry that this comes too late now. So... the sensor size of your camera and the (de-)magnification of the c-mount lens need to correspond to give the desired field of view. So first, you need to find out what sensor size your camera has. Most common sensor sizes are 1/2" (then take 0.35x c-mount) and 2/3" (then take 0.5x c-mount). Here is a detailed article that explains it better: https://www.microscopeworld.com/p-3341-microscope-c-mount-field-of-view.aspx

 

Hope you can figure it out. 

Cheers, 

C

[spectre6000]

I believe you need a spacer. I forget the exact whys and whatfors, but it's something like a 5mm spacer for going from one standard to another... Hopefully someone else can weigh in on the reasoning or provide a link.

I looked through my orders on Amazon and Ali-X, and don't see it. Might be @gpraceman had a spare to throw my way or something, and he knew the reason and solution, which is why I'm not coming up with it. Could also be lack of coffee... 

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, spectre6000 said:

I believe you need a spacer. I forget the exact whys and whatfors, but it's something like a 5mm spacer for going from one standard to another... Hopefully someone else can weigh in on the reasoning or provide a link.

Spot on @spectre6000. I tried holding the camera just above the Barlow, and I could focus and zoom and keep focus.  As you suggested It seems about 5mm would do it. The thread on the camera can be screwed out, but not quite far enough. There's plenty of cheap spacers on ebay - I guess one of these would work?

 

[Knebo]

Ahh, glad to hear there is an easier solution for you @mikepilk. I hope it works!

[gpraceman]

The C to CS mount spacer is what I use for my camera.  I also use a mount adapter with a focus adjustment to fine tune the focus.

[spectre6000]

3 hours ago, gpraceman said:

C to CS mount spacer

That's the one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FY70S4G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here's what I got based on my order history. Looks like I supplied Randy rather than the other way around on this one. I doubt it makes any kind of financial sense, or I'd send you one of my spares.