Yeah, probably could have done that only a few years back.
What model and where did you pick it up at?
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I’m 61 and very short sighted, so I can close focus better than most people if my age.
The microscope is about 10 years old, came with a 2Mp Motic camera built in and cost a fortune.
If you come across one of these, beware that the camera driver is a real pain to get working on modern PCs.
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These work well and have a good working distance. They are also a lot cheaper than a stereo microscope.
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Thanks for this info … I think spending a few euro more is not a problem indeed, if I can put them together in one shipping order (since shipping is most costly).
I hear good stories about both PCBWay or JLCPCB so both are cheap/good options for me (as a hobbyist).
I just ordered not reading glasses but like a magnifier glasses, so I guess that will do to (including +2.5). Thanks for the idea.
Btw, I bought a mono cheap USB microscope … although it works well, I cannot use it for soldering, mono is just nog easy enough … however, it’s good for product identification since it magnifies a lot.
I will get a non self made ‘test/learninig’ PCB board soon so I will check if I can do it too by eye (probably not since I’m far from 20 anymore).
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Thanks for this idea … Sadly amazon is not so easy to use in the Netherlands, but I found the exact same thing on Aliexpress 
; it seems very useful.
I bought a cheap USB mono microscope but that’s not good for use while soldering.
Another approach for better seeing and stability is a method used by watchmakers for probably quite some time.
Take some kind of box, for example a cube of 20x20x20cm, and put it on your desk.
Then put your project on top of the box.
Rest your elbows also on the desk and your wrists against the side of the box.
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Seems like a good way to prevent neck pain, not having to bend forward too much/long.
Something like this “Document Camera”? I bought the previous model about 8 years ago and found it very useful for reading model numbers, inspecting soldering, looking for defective or damaged traces, etc.
I can manage to assemble and rework SOIC’s and 0805 passives, and occasionaly 0603, using a moderate-cost swing-arm desk magnifier (“MAG Lamp XL”, model UN1030, about US$125) and a small soldering iron tip (Hakko FX-888 with T18-C05). A microscope certainly helps, and extends my capabilities to 0402. At work I have a wide-field binocular toolmaker’s microscope that cost my employer a bit less than US$200 at AMScope . They offer several combinations of magnification (e.g., 5X/10X; 10X/20X; 10X/15X; etc) at the same price, or a single magnification version for a bit less. It’s definitely a no-frills instrument, but it is solidly made, operates smoothly and performs well. It costs more than a casual hobbyist would spend but is within budget for a freelance designer, maker-space coop, or very serious hobbyist.
Dale
(With 68-yr old, trifocaled eyes)
That document camera looks kind professional . But I bought a 10 euro cheap USB microscope, and another 10 euro for a decent stand. Together it looks like below.
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