Narrowing down microscope choices

[Embezelled]

Hi all, I'm about to take my first steps into watch repair as a hobby, and looking into buying a basic and inexpensive stereo optical microscope from AliExpress. My main purpose is simply something I can use in addition to eye and head loupes, or in place of them, during disassembly and reassembly work. So I assume that means something that has only modest magnification at the low end or uses a Barlow lens to bring it down. And perhaps with a tiltable head.

I really don't have an interest in combining it with camera work, I simply want it for viewing the movement at appropriate magnifications as I check things or use tools on the movement.

Without asking for specific model recommendations, can anyone point me to the kind of model shown on the Ali website that might suit my purpose? I've been reading two of the threads about microscopes, very informative, but it's a lot to digest for the uninitiated.

 

 

[mikepilk]

I have an Amscope zoom with 0.5X Barlow, which gives about 10X - 20X mag, which I find perfect for general work. I would definitely go for zoom.

Working depth is about 160mm.   

It's worth considering a camera option - useful for taking pics when dismantling.

[Embezelled]

Thanks. For some reason, I was under the impression that about 3x is a normal magnification for general work, or 4 or 5x. Is it really as much as 10? 

[Paul80]

I use the Relife copy of the Amscope and can highly recomend it.

Just make sure whichever one you get you match the required Barlow lens to the camera adaptor, if you are going to add a camera.

Whichever model you get i would recomend ghe following requirements.

Trinocular, so that a camera can be added, even if you dont plan on adding a camera you might one day and will regret not getting a Trinocular when you do.

Simulfocus, this function allows you to use both eyepieces and the camera at the same time, without simulfocus you will loose one eyepeice everytime you want to use the camera, and you need both eyes working for stereo depth perception.

Barlow lens to give a greater working distance, as it raises the head for the same magnification.  Just make sure you match the lens to the camera adaptor, ie both at 0.5mm

Paul

Edited 2 hours ago by Paul80

[mikepilk]

1 hour ago, Embezelled said:

Thanks. For some reason, I was under the impression that about 3x is a normal magnification for general work, or 4 or 5x. Is it really as much as 10? 

Sorry my mistake - I didn't mean 10X.  The minimum zoom with 0.5X Barlow is 3.5X, and max is 22.5X.

The following is from the Amscope manual.

The "normal" eyepieces are 10X/20, to give a working distance of 165mm and FOV of 57mm at 3.5X and 9mm at 22.5X. 

Occasionally I need higher magnification to look at a jewel or pivot. Rather than taking the Barlow off, I bought some 20X/10 eyepieces - much quicker to change than the Barlow, and you end up with the same magnification (though the image is darker).

[Embezelled]

1 hour ago, Paul80 said:

I use the Relife copy of the Amscope and can highly recomend it.

Paul

Thanks. That'll get me started. I'm taking a look on Ali now.

 

19 minutes ago, mikepilk said:

Sorry my mistake - I didn't mean 10X.  The minimum zoom with 0.5X Barlow is 3.5X, and max is 22.5X.

The following is from the Amscope manual.

The "normal" eyepieces are 10X/20, to give a working distance of 165mm and FOV of 57mm at 3.5X and 9mm at 22.5X. 

 

And thanks Mike.  Pardon my ignorance, but this is all very new for me. I doubt that I've used a microscope since I was at school (and rarely then), so not in this century, and not fresh in my memory. But let's just say the forum propaganda has been very effective on the value of a microscope, and with the costs to get myself started on this, I may even put the timegrapher behind the microscope in the queue. It should only be a month or so later, anyway, but I can't do it all at once.

Edited 2 hours ago by Embezelled