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Old 16th Dec 2016, 4:40 pm   #1
WaveyDipole
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Default Motic Stereo Microscope

I am wondering whether any one here will be able to help me with a Stereo Microscope I recently acquired? I picked it up for £30 from a market stall and thought it might be useful for working on SMD boards and on anything small. The only thing missing was a lamp which should not be too difficult to improvise. The only clue as to make is the word Motic on the front of the base. No model number is given, but further enquiries suggest that it might be a Motic SL40, or perhaps an older version of the same without the 3 support beams on the base.

http://www.motic.com/As_Ind_Stereo_SL40/

There appear to be similar units around under different brands, for example Bresser Bioric ICD and AmScope SE400.

What I hadn't realised at the time of purchase was that the magnification is too great. The objective is x4 so together with the wide 10x eyepieces gives 40x magnification, which gives a nice detailed view of individual SMD components and is good for close inspection, but with thjis level of magnification and a working clearance of only about 7cm, is impractical to comfortably work on SMD boards with. The ideal, it seems is between 10x and 20x.

I have so far have not had much success trying to source a x1 or x2 objective from Motic. I did find a Bresser objective that looked identical so I checked with the British vendor. The representative was not certain, but suggested what we often know to be true, namely different brands, same factory, standard fitting, so I purchased it. It turned out not to be the case. My original has x4 printed on it, but otherwise looks identical to the Bresser x1, except for the dimensions. The fitting type was also identical, but was actually a few millimetres wider and the spacing of the optics was slightly different. It was too big to engage with the mount on the microscope and even if it could have done, would not have given a converged stereo image. The one consolation was that I could confirm that a x1 objective would be ideal, giving me a wide enough field of view and about 20cm of clearance. Regrettably, there was no choice except to return it.

The question now is, where to source the correct objective from and how to tell if its the correct one? Looking at online images they all look the same, and the listing never gives the dimensions. Even the suppliers themselves do not seem to know for sure. Was the standard for the mount changed at some point to allow larger objective diameters or wider field of view? Or does each manufacturer deliberately vary the dimensions of the fitting so that kit is not interchangeable? If anyone has any insight or any ideas of how/where I can source a x1 (or maybe a x2) objective, it would be appreciated. It would be nice to be able to make good use of my modest investment!
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Last edited by WaveyDipole; 16th Dec 2016 at 4:56 pm.
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Old 16th Dec 2016, 5:54 pm   #2
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Default Re: Motic Stereo Microscope

You may have better luck looking for lower mag eyepieces. x4 would be good.
I found that all three of my scopes have the same tube fitting. The Zeiss, the Leica and the Russian MBC20 scope. The German ones have a zoom control, and the Russian one has a rotating turret for variable magnification. These scopes all have a single large objective, and dismantle into modules with the same conical clamp arrangement. I can play games assembling them every which way, including the bellows and angle shifting plates the Leica came with.

x40 is something you'll want to keep for when you need to get forensic and examine solder joints and look at how contacts mated (or didn't).

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Old 16th Dec 2016, 7:05 pm   #3
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Default Re: Motic Stereo Microscope

That's interesting what you say about the interchangeable fittings. I have just been informed that the Bresser mount is 25mm x 54mm, whereas the one I have on my microscope is 23mm x 49mm. I have no intention of getting rid of the x4 objective. The magnification is sufficient to highlight minute damage and fractures very well. I just wish that someone from Motic would come back to me with some information!
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Old 17th Dec 2016, 1:38 pm   #4
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Default Re: Motic Stereo Microscope

I found a microsocope group on Yahoo and signed up and posted to it. It seems that Motic do have a smaller dovetail mount than others and this has been a source of difficulty for others as well. It looks like other than getting a pair of cheap x5 eyepieces there is little else I can do except to sell it on eBay!
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Old 3rd Jan 2017, 11:22 am   #5
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Default Re: Motic Stereo Microscope

Over the holidays I eventually managed to get in touch with someone at Motic in Barcelona and I have received a quote for a x1 and a x2 objective via a UK reseller. Unfortunately it is not cheap. The objectives cost £42 each, then there is a £15 small order charge and another £15 shipping fee, the VAT on top of that. If I purchase both, then I save £30 (a second small order and second shipping fee), but the total still comes to £136.80.

On the Yahoo forum, some have suggested buying a zoom microsocope. While these undoubtedly have an advantage, the cost a lot more. The cheapest I could find was just shy of £300, which is more than twice what I would be otherwise spending, so that is now ruled out on cost.

I could sell this one on eBay. I couldn't get a part-ex on it, so I'm not sure how well it would sell, especially without a light and another fixed focus one would cost about £199 if I want to stick with the boom stand. Without a boom stand this goes down to possibly under £100, but again, fixed focus at x10 or x20.

Spending £136 is starting to look like the most useful option considering I will end up with the boom stand and 3 different magnifications (x10, x20, x40) which I believe should adequately cover SMD work and I can probably find a cheap goose-neck LED lamp on eBay.

Before I go and spend that sum, however, i would just like to ask whether anyone knows of another microscope solution for a budget of £150?

I would also like to understand whether there would be any advantage in selling this one on eBay getting something similar brand new? I can't see one, but it has been suggested by more than one person as 'my best bet'. Do used zoom Microscopes come on eBay and is there much of a saving on them? What I have seen so far does not give me much confidence of finding one within my budget.
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Old 16th Jan 2017, 3:18 pm   #6
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Default Re: Motic Stereo Microscope

Motic messed me about so I ended up giving up and selling the Microscope on eBay and getting back at least what I paid for it, so apart from a bit of inconvenience and time wasted trying to sort it all out, I guess all ends well. Will need to find something else now.
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