Posted by
Gordon Scott-2 on
URL: http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/A-digital-microscope-for-kids-any-recommendations-tp7082751p7089206.html
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I would certainly not ignore traditional optical microscopes, particularly if can, as I suspect you might, pick up a passably good second-hand one on eBay .. if second-hand is tolerable for a Christmas present.
I rather suspect that most of the digital cameras I see come out of the same factory in China, so I wonder how much of the price differences are due to costs and how much due to markup and `to be credible'.
I needed to do some electronics assembly at home and thought I'd try a low-cost digital on the basis I had little to lose. I bought one of these from a local shop:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-digital-microscope-with-400x-magnification-286566 there are similar ones all around the web.
I'm sceptical about how they measure the magnification range. I rather suspect it's done at, say, 300dpi, because Iseemed to need much more magnification than I expected to do what I wanted.
For my purposes it wasn't really successful, as it was difficult ro work under it, either getting viewing angle right for tools, or for the amount of space available for those tools. But for pond scum, bugs, plant fibres, and so on, I think it would work well.
The stand on this one is pretty poor. I'd spend more for a more useable stand.
Kind regards,
Gordon.
--
Gordon Scott --- Electronics and Software Design
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