[Jewelry making - Article 00056] - Re: [Orchid] Mattel Microscope

[Peter W. Rowe]

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    Keep in mind that this thing is marketed as, and intended as, a young
    persons toy.  It's a relatively low resolution digital camera with
    some fairly cheap optics attached.  Think about what kind of digital
    camera you can get for 90 bucks, after all.  This thing is making
    money for someone.  You're not getting a Nikon here.  I didn't check
    for sure, but it looked like about VGA resolution. Within that, it
    works quite well as a lower power, student grade microscope.  By
    student, though, I'm thinking elementary and junior high school
    stuff.  Don't give this to your premed students at Harvard.  I'd say
    it's strengths are that the computer intervace makes it both easier
    and more fun for a kid to use than a traditional microscope.  The
    optics seem fairly good for it's grade.  I didn't, for example, see
    lots of distortion or color fringes.  But metallic/reflective objects
    tended to "flare".  The contrast range is typical for a cheap digital
    camera.  Less than what you can see visually through an optical
    microscope. Same thing for the resolution/focus.  It's fun, but don't
    expect the kids to be doing advanced studies in biology here.  I
    didn't have a chance, but would love to see what it would do with thin
    section minerals and crossed polaroids.  Might be possible to have
    some fun there.  But simply examining jewelry?  You'll do better with
    a good hasting's triplet loupe, I think. 

Peter Rowe 

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