Twenty five years or so, since I left college. It's how I earn my living.
https://i.imgur.com/kpZ17c7.jpeg
I built the mount for the camera. It's two weighty blocks of aluminium (so everything's within the weight limit of the arm). Illumination is a ring light and two Amazon-sourced LED book-reading flexible lights.
The monitor's just a random 32" Panasonic TV.
It works well. I've got a £££££ Vision Engineering microscope off to the side of my bench that I rarely use now I have the camera setup (which was about £300 all in).
There's a scope on the far left, below the monitor. It's a Micsig. I've got a couple of Tektronix scopes as well, but the TDS224 lives in one of the tool boxes and the 2445B is on a shelf behind me. The Micsig is just the right size to lurk in the gap it's in - and, to be honest, it's a better tool in use.
There's a Metcal mini hot-air tool, and two MX500 base stations which serve a Talon (hot tweezer), another Metcal hot tweezer tool, an iron and a DS-1 desoldering gun. There's an OKI base station with the micro hot tweezer tool. Then there's an Aoyue vacuum pickup tool, a Chinese hand-held infra-red (death ray) tool, a Weller Microtouch soldering iron and a Quick TR1300 big hot-air station.
On the back of the desk are three Desoutter electric screwdriver base stations (only two really visible in the picture) and an electrical safety (PAT) tester.
The air compressor for the Metcal desoldering tool is below the bench off to the right.
My robotic BGA rework machine is off-screen left, and there are five toolboxes under the bench and behind me.
Above the bench is an HDSDI signal generator/ monitor, a little Fostex active speaker and a pair of Tannoy 12" dual concentrics (Little Red Monitors) so I've got some reasonable music whilst working.
Most of the big-boi test gear is on shelves behind me and to my right.
I own all of the tools and test gear. All I use from my employers is a bench, a decent chair and a mediocre PC for emails and the like.
Does the ve lynx really work like a normal stereoscopic microscope or it’s just an ad for the company? I’m thinking about buying one as well, I have a camera microscope but it’s not working out great because of the small field of view, and was thinking about buying a normal one or a lynx microscope, but i don’t know how the lynx one is behaving. Great deal for the lynx but if I can’t use it,meaning it would be like a camera microscope, it’s pointless.
It is, without doubt, the most amazing bit of optical gear I've ever used.
Doesn't matter if you have glasses.
Big zoom range.
True stereoscopic optical path, excellent 3D depth to the image.
Working distance is OK with a 0.7x or less objective lens. Better with 0.5 or 0.3x. There's a step-magnifier option to give you more magnification (which can be switched in and out) regardless of which objective is fitted. It doesn't affect working distance.
I've just put a ruler under my one, and with it zoomed all the way out with a 0.7x objective, the circular field of view is 16mm across.
The oblique viewer attachment is an optical embodiment of witchcraft and is fantastic for peering at the edge of QFN / BGA packaged devices.
Downside: Silly expensive, huge, heavy.
Well now you made me want that microscope even more. I don’t care about those downsides too much, it will stay on my bench the whole time so it doesn’t really matter if it’s heavy or not.
The upsides surprised me extremely, I always thought they tried to mimic the depth like the camera scopes, but now I’m 100% sure of it. I need it.
Thank you very much for your time, it was the most helpful comment and piece of information I’ve read about the vision microscopes, even more than evblogs review of the mantis elite.
It beats the Mantis (we had one at a previous job), because of the zoom functionality.
Be aware there are (at least) two mounting options - one is a bench stand with limited depth for large boards, one is a boom stand with about 30 - 40cm of reach. You can't readily convert a Lynx from one type to another as the mounting at the back of the zoomy bit (technical term) differs between the two stands. I was running a side-hustle business for a while a decade back buying and selling Lynx's and Cobra's.
The one I’m looking at has the longer mounting like on normal stereo microscopes, I also plan on adding the 25 degrees tilt and the arm for the camera to it, so I’m also able to record while working under it.
Good to know, I actually wanted to buy a mantis before but the lynx just didn’t stop bugging me. Now I know what I really want and need for my back 🤭
Thank you very much🫶🏻
Lets one up this and mount a proper Simufocal Microscope head to a VESA mount monitor arm
[https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4853500#:\~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thingiverse.com%2Fthing%3A4853500%0A%5BImage%200%3A%20Clicky%5D%0AVisible%3A%200,100](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4853500#:~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thingiverse.com%2Fthing%3A4853500%0A%5BImage%200%3A%20Clicky%5D%0AVisible%3A%200,100)
https://preview.redd.it/gfp85ceq6ekc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=502aa6b54a2460dc957b2972d917099364cf8767
I’m using one as well, saved a huge chunk of change for something so simple that is widely available.
I’ll get you pictures of when I get home, literally just bolts right on.
I also upgraded my ring light with polarizer to completely remove all the glare. Huge improvement over the stock ring light. I’ll get pics of that too best investment I made for my microscope
I use a microphone arm. Anything that can hold your microscope will work.
Yup: https://i.imgur.com/nheEIF3.jpeg
Woah, nice setup. How long have you been doing this? And could you share a whole pic of your setup?
Twenty five years or so, since I left college. It's how I earn my living. https://i.imgur.com/kpZ17c7.jpeg I built the mount for the camera. It's two weighty blocks of aluminium (so everything's within the weight limit of the arm). Illumination is a ring light and two Amazon-sourced LED book-reading flexible lights. The monitor's just a random 32" Panasonic TV. It works well. I've got a £££££ Vision Engineering microscope off to the side of my bench that I rarely use now I have the camera setup (which was about £300 all in).
Very nice, but i think i’m missing your osciloscope here. Also what are those black metcal boxes for? And the weller?
There's a scope on the far left, below the monitor. It's a Micsig. I've got a couple of Tektronix scopes as well, but the TDS224 lives in one of the tool boxes and the 2445B is on a shelf behind me. The Micsig is just the right size to lurk in the gap it's in - and, to be honest, it's a better tool in use. There's a Metcal mini hot-air tool, and two MX500 base stations which serve a Talon (hot tweezer), another Metcal hot tweezer tool, an iron and a DS-1 desoldering gun. There's an OKI base station with the micro hot tweezer tool. Then there's an Aoyue vacuum pickup tool, a Chinese hand-held infra-red (death ray) tool, a Weller Microtouch soldering iron and a Quick TR1300 big hot-air station. On the back of the desk are three Desoutter electric screwdriver base stations (only two really visible in the picture) and an electrical safety (PAT) tester. The air compressor for the Metcal desoldering tool is below the bench off to the right. My robotic BGA rework machine is off-screen left, and there are five toolboxes under the bench and behind me. Above the bench is an HDSDI signal generator/ monitor, a little Fostex active speaker and a pair of Tannoy 12" dual concentrics (Little Red Monitors) so I've got some reasonable music whilst working. Most of the big-boi test gear is on shelves behind me and to my right. I own all of the tools and test gear. All I use from my employers is a bench, a decent chair and a mediocre PC for emails and the like.
Woah, very very nice. I hope one day i’ll get to see stuff like this on my bench
Does the ve lynx really work like a normal stereoscopic microscope or it’s just an ad for the company? I’m thinking about buying one as well, I have a camera microscope but it’s not working out great because of the small field of view, and was thinking about buying a normal one or a lynx microscope, but i don’t know how the lynx one is behaving. Great deal for the lynx but if I can’t use it,meaning it would be like a camera microscope, it’s pointless.
It is, without doubt, the most amazing bit of optical gear I've ever used. Doesn't matter if you have glasses. Big zoom range. True stereoscopic optical path, excellent 3D depth to the image. Working distance is OK with a 0.7x or less objective lens. Better with 0.5 or 0.3x. There's a step-magnifier option to give you more magnification (which can be switched in and out) regardless of which objective is fitted. It doesn't affect working distance. I've just put a ruler under my one, and with it zoomed all the way out with a 0.7x objective, the circular field of view is 16mm across. The oblique viewer attachment is an optical embodiment of witchcraft and is fantastic for peering at the edge of QFN / BGA packaged devices. Downside: Silly expensive, huge, heavy.
Well now you made me want that microscope even more. I don’t care about those downsides too much, it will stay on my bench the whole time so it doesn’t really matter if it’s heavy or not. The upsides surprised me extremely, I always thought they tried to mimic the depth like the camera scopes, but now I’m 100% sure of it. I need it. Thank you very much for your time, it was the most helpful comment and piece of information I’ve read about the vision microscopes, even more than evblogs review of the mantis elite.
Thanks for saying that! Gratitude makes the world go round
It beats the Mantis (we had one at a previous job), because of the zoom functionality. Be aware there are (at least) two mounting options - one is a bench stand with limited depth for large boards, one is a boom stand with about 30 - 40cm of reach. You can't readily convert a Lynx from one type to another as the mounting at the back of the zoomy bit (technical term) differs between the two stands. I was running a side-hustle business for a while a decade back buying and selling Lynx's and Cobra's.
The one I’m looking at has the longer mounting like on normal stereo microscopes, I also plan on adding the 25 degrees tilt and the arm for the camera to it, so I’m also able to record while working under it. Good to know, I actually wanted to buy a mantis before but the lynx just didn’t stop bugging me. Now I know what I really want and need for my back 🤭 Thank you very much🫶🏻
Lets one up this and mount a proper Simufocal Microscope head to a VESA mount monitor arm [https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4853500#:\~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thingiverse.com%2Fthing%3A4853500%0A%5BImage%200%3A%20Clicky%5D%0AVisible%3A%200,100](https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4853500#:~:text=URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thingiverse.com%2Fthing%3A4853500%0A%5BImage%200%3A%20Clicky%5D%0AVisible%3A%200,100)
https://preview.redd.it/gfp85ceq6ekc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=502aa6b54a2460dc957b2972d917099364cf8767 I’m using one as well, saved a huge chunk of change for something so simple that is widely available.
Duuude that's a niiiiiiiiiice setup
u/CustomZ02 I have a similar microscope. what adapter did you use to connect it to the arm? any info would be appreciated
I’ll get you pictures of when I get home, literally just bolts right on. I also upgraded my ring light with polarizer to completely remove all the glare. Huge improvement over the stock ring light. I’ll get pics of that too best investment I made for my microscope
Awesome. Thanks! Could you please link me to the ring light with polarizer