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Inspection microscope stand (made to measure)

Darek05  30 15612 Cool? (+29)
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TL;DR

  • A DIY inspection microscope stand uses a recovered industrial camera with a C-Mount lens and a custom made-to-measure tripod mounted under a shelf.
  • The stand combines a 20x40 mm V-slot horizontal guide, a 40x40 rotary axis with a bearing, and a magnetic lock to prevent the microscope from folding shut.
  • The new lens provides about 30x magnification, and the conversion electronics accept VGA, S-VIDEO, and industrial AV, with the camera output carried through BNC.
  • The previous articulated arm sagged and loosened, but the redesigned Fusion360 tripod solved the stability problem and made the setup practical for work.
  • The first lens cost about PLN 80 and was advertised as 100x, but a better lens could still be fitted.
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I warmly welcome
Due to the fact that from time to time the topic of inspection microscopes in the "Do It Yourself" category appears here, I decided to present my solution for this device.

The design is not extraordinary and innovative, it is based on an industrial camera that I recovered from electro-waste, the webcam gives a video signal in color (I was even surprised that we throw away such things here).
The camera output is typical for industrial cameras, the AV output is terminated with a BNC socket to display the video signal on a computer monitor due to the fact that CCTV monitors are for some reason much, much more expensive, I used a signal converter purchased on a Chinese portal. It has several inputs on board, including VGA, SVIDEO and industrial AV input and one VGA output, of course.

For me, it turned out to be practical enough, because I additionally connected the video signal from the computer to it with a standard VGA-VGA cable, but quite long, about 5m, and in case of the need, for example, to view the diagram that I currently have displayed on my computer monitor, the arrangement of components without detaching from the soldering iron, I switch the image signal source that interests me.
I won't elaborate on the functions that the converter has, I've had it for a long time and I don't really remember what parameters it has.
In the webcam itself, a C-Mount lens was replaced (of course also purchased on the Chinese portal), which allows me to enlarge the image 30 times, a better lens could be installed, but the price was about PLN 80, on the portal it was stated that a magnification of 100x.
For the whole thing, I needed a tripod, on which I planned to mount the camera steadily, especially since it gained some weight with the new lens, but at first I had no idea for a good solution. In the place where the microscope was to be mounted, there was little space, because for the sake of convenience, I installed a shelf above the worktop for the instruments. I came up with the idea that I would install the articulated arm of the camera's boom on the underside of this shelf. It served me for a while, but it had a tendency to drop to its maximum reach, and that was how it was set up for work. Additionally, in the horizontal axis, the microscope was able to loosen, so that before each unfolding, all the locks had to be tightened very tightly, sometimes I had the impression that the threads would not withstand it.

And recently I decided to solve this problem, I designed a new tripod in Fusion360, also screwed to the shelf.
The structure is based on one 20x40 mm V-slot profile, which serves as a horizontal guide, and one 40x40 profile, which is the rotary axis on which the microscope frame is mounted. The rotary axis has a bearing, in addition, I used a simple magnetic lock when setting the microscope to work, so that the system did not have a tendency to self-fold. The elements of the tripod, apart from the profiles and some small elements, were cut on a CNC plotter. The rest of the details are shown in the photos, on the GrabCAD portal where I have placed the CAD file of the structure, you can download it or watch it in 3D => https: // grabcad.com/library/inspection-microscope-stand-1



About Author
Darek05
Darek05 wrote 53 posts with rating 49 . Live in city Wodzisław Śląski. Been with us since 2005 year.

Comments

zipzap 20 Jan 2021 11:29

How about image lag? Is it noticeable? Will you insert a photo with an image at the maximum magnification? [Read more]

Baskhaal 20 Jan 2021 13:53

Not bad, but it would be nice to have its own omni-directional light source with adjustable intensity and temperature. [Read more]

keseszel 20 Jan 2021 15:59

Not bad. I have such a camera. So far I tried to do something with webcams, but there was a problem with the drivers (old cameras) and ... no tripod. Plus big lags. [Read more]

Darek05 20 Jan 2021 16:37

Hello 1. In fact, for me it is imperceptible, to illustrate this effect I recorded a video, I leave the evaluation to those interested: 2. I am attaching photos: the first is a 10 mm x 10 mm grid,... [Read more]

Darek05 20 Jan 2021 16:41

It will certainly be, and I have been thinking about it for some time, but as it happens with me, I have to mature for this decision. It seems to me that the best solution would be with switched lighting... [Read more]

CMS 20 Jan 2021 18:38

I think you inspired me. I have an industrial Sony camera at my disposal, for monitoring, with a composite output. I already thought it was useless. I also have an identical converter, I bought it once,... [Read more]

Darek05 20 Jan 2021 19:00

Sample offer with different magnifications Link [Read more]

CMS 20 Jan 2021 19:33

Scary gibberish at this auction. And those PLN 80 are probably already out of date. [Read more]

pawelcb33 20 Jan 2021 19:49

Interesting idea, I have a Chinese digital microscope myself and it is so-so. Write what is this camera and lens, can it be soldered under this? [Read more]

Darek05 20 Jan 2021 20:48

It's a fact, more than once I wondered what would come, but fortunately for me it was always what I expected. I have already ordered devices for even a thousand and a few zlotys, but the price is even... [Read more]

conisl 20 Jan 2021 21:17

Hello, Nice job, it looks nice. Could you write something about the cost of this project? best regards [Read more]

pawelcb33 21 Jan 2021 16:01

Up-to-date, click on the lenses thumbnail. I will also be tempted and do the same as my colleague, the cameras are not as expensive as I thought and the lens is already floating / flying. [Read more]

CMS 21 Jan 2021 17:56

What resolution is the webcam used? Because mine has only 330 lines, so I don't know if it's worth it. :( This webcam fell into my hands. https://www.elektroda.pl/rtvforum/viewtopic.php?p=14996611#14996611 ... [Read more]

Darek05 21 Jan 2021 18:40

I took it from the manual and it is available on the net. Horizontal image resolution of 600/700 TV lines. The clarity of the image is achieved by the use of SONY CCD sensor offering 410,000 (effective)... [Read more]

CMS 21 Jan 2021 18:46

Hmmm, there's no tragedy if yours does And the image is very nice (at least in the photos shown), when my almost 3/4 of it, I see a chance for a meaningful microscope. [Read more]

trippo1 21 Jan 2021 21:57

Very nice project, congratulations. Could you please explain what is this signal converter? Can you provide the model? What is the highest screen resolution you can get? [Read more]

Darek05 21 Jan 2021 22:16

Hello 1. Something similar or the same - Link 2.1280x1024 60Hz [Read more]

yogi009 21 Jan 2021 22:45

Very nice and thoughtful execution of the mechanical structure. I do not judge the camera itself, since it passes the exam, I congratulate the author on another useful tool in the workshop. [Read more]

CMS 22 Jan 2021 16:49

In mine it's 1920x1200. This is what I have: https://pl.aliexpress.com/item/4000126399490.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27425c0fQKcvG4 https://obrazki.elektroda.pl/3643245500_1611330759_bigthumb.jpg... [Read more]

FAQ

TL;DR: 1920 × 1080 output with near-zero (<1 frame) lag keeps solder joints sharp; “image is very nice” [Elektroda, CMS, post #19200583][Elektroda, Darek05, post #19202786]

Why it matters: You can convert surplus CCTV gear into a pro-grade inspection microscope for under €100.

Quick Facts

• Camera: D-MAX DCC-521F, 600–700 TVL, 410 k effective pixels [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19200539] • Lens options: 8–130× (~PLN 66) or 10–200× (~PLN 145) C-mount [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19198571] • Converter output: up to 1920 × 1080 @ 60 Hz [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19202786] • Typical working area: 5 × 5 cm at 35 cm distance [Elektroda, CMS, post #19263505] • Total build cost: PLN 200–300 (camera ≈ 100, lens ≈ 70, converter ≈ 60) [Elektroda, multiple posts]

What camera model works best for this DIY microscope?

The thread uses a D-MAX DCC-521F industrial camera with a Sony CCD sensor and 600–700 TVL resolution [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19200539] Any CCTV camera with composite output and C-mount thread can substitute.

Is the live image lag noticeable during soldering?

No. Tests show imperceptible delay—about one video frame—so tweezers track smoothly on screen [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19197909]

What lens should I choose and how much does it cost?

An 8–130× C-mount zoom lens costs ~PLN 66, while a 10–200× version is ~PLN 145 on AliExpress [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19198571] Search for “C-Mount microscope objective 0.7-4.5×” to find listings.

How do I wire the video path into a monitor?

  1. Connect the camera’s BNC composite output to the converter’s AV input.
  2. Feed the converter’s VGA port to a standard monitor.
  3. Select the VGA input on the screen. The converter also accepts S-Video and can pass PC VGA through for quick switching [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19196264]

How can I build a stable, fold-away stand?

  1. Bolt a 20 × 40 mm V-slot rail horizontally under a shelf.
  2. Attach a 40 × 40 mm vertical axis on a bearing for rotation.
  3. Add a magnetic latch to lock the microscope when deployed [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19196264]

What lighting works best under high magnification?

Natural-white overhead LEDs give the clearest colors. A cool-white WS2812B ring caused blue tint; adding zone control and adjustable color temperature fixes it [Elektroda, Darek05, post #19264007]

What common pitfalls should I avoid?

Old USB webcams often suffer driver issues and multi-frame lag, making them unusable for real-time soldering [Elektroda, keseszel, post #19197823] Ensure the camera has composite output and good optics.

Can I pair these C-mount lenses with a standard webcam?

Physically matching lens threads to tiny webcam barrels is tricky; adapters exist but often vignette. Reversing stock lenses is possible yet lowers working distance drastically [Elektroda, E8600, post #19296974]

How much should the entire setup cost?

Approximate spend: surplus camera PLN 80–120, lens PLN 65–145, converter PLN 60, aluminum profiles and CNC parts PLN 50–80. Total ≈ PLN 200–300 (€45–65) [Elektroda, multiple posts].
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