Super Magnifier for Blind Engineer
Donation protected
My status is "legally blind" - which means I have poor vision. It is very difficult for me to work on electronics projects, which I love to do. What I need is a high-technology magnification system that allows a hands-free work space for installing components in a prototyping board, or soldering a printed circuit board. Today, this is extremely difficult, and I have stopped doing electronics development, even though I am teaching others, and working on several projects with local groups.
I spent many hours searching the web for a solution. I looked at digital cameras, lenses, microscopes, C-mount cameras, camera heads, stands, monitors, power supplies, lights, and probably about 30 different configurations to try to meet my goal.
My original goal was a camera mounted at 30 cm (about a foot) above my work area, and an iPad-sized monitor on a floor stand that did not get in my way (not a stand on the workbench). My first shot after a week of studying was very expensive - my original goal was $3200!
MASSIVE UPDATE!
I got an email from a Chinese reseller that included an ad for a microscope which claimed many things - many of which were bogus. I found them on Amazon, with similar bogus claims. How did I know the claims were bogus? By asking them questions... Funny how specs changed after I asked... Most of them were claiming optical zoom, when in fact is was "positional" zoom, i.e., zooming by moving closer. Most worked from 4 cm to 15 cm. Close, but no banana. In addition, they came with small stands so there was not a lot of work area.
One claimed it worked from 5 cm to 500 cm - that would have been perfect. Funny how it looked EXACTLY THE SAME as the 4 cm to 15 cm units... And it was. The same, that is.
I also looked at C-Mount cameras from Panasonic. They were very interesting, but finding the right lens was a big issue. Not to mention finding a reasonably priced HDMI monitor. I finally did find a 12" unit that was fairly low priced.
FInally, I discovered the "almost perfect unit" - large stand, works to 20 cm (about 8 inches), and has an 8x - 100x magnification. The stand is actually high enough to operate easily at 20 cm!
So, this means a DRASTIC REDUCTION of the amount of cash needed! Add in the small HDMI display and the stand, and it can all be had for about $573! That is an 82% drop in cost!
Wow! I can't tell you how pleased I am to have FINALLY found a reasonable solution! I had many questions for various retailers, which exposed the false information in their ads, and forced me to keep looking. And junk mail - even from Chinese resellers - can sometimes be very useful!
Thank all of you that have already provided $300. I now only need an additional $273 to complete the magnifier!
You can see more photos of how I have to work now, and a simulation of how this magnifier would change how I work by reading my blog and looking at the photos in it::
http://2live4.com/blog/2017/12/23/now-you-can-see-why-i-have-a-gofundme-campaign/
I spent many hours searching the web for a solution. I looked at digital cameras, lenses, microscopes, C-mount cameras, camera heads, stands, monitors, power supplies, lights, and probably about 30 different configurations to try to meet my goal.
My original goal was a camera mounted at 30 cm (about a foot) above my work area, and an iPad-sized monitor on a floor stand that did not get in my way (not a stand on the workbench). My first shot after a week of studying was very expensive - my original goal was $3200!
MASSIVE UPDATE!
I got an email from a Chinese reseller that included an ad for a microscope which claimed many things - many of which were bogus. I found them on Amazon, with similar bogus claims. How did I know the claims were bogus? By asking them questions... Funny how specs changed after I asked... Most of them were claiming optical zoom, when in fact is was "positional" zoom, i.e., zooming by moving closer. Most worked from 4 cm to 15 cm. Close, but no banana. In addition, they came with small stands so there was not a lot of work area.
One claimed it worked from 5 cm to 500 cm - that would have been perfect. Funny how it looked EXACTLY THE SAME as the 4 cm to 15 cm units... And it was. The same, that is.
I also looked at C-Mount cameras from Panasonic. They were very interesting, but finding the right lens was a big issue. Not to mention finding a reasonably priced HDMI monitor. I finally did find a 12" unit that was fairly low priced.
FInally, I discovered the "almost perfect unit" - large stand, works to 20 cm (about 8 inches), and has an 8x - 100x magnification. The stand is actually high enough to operate easily at 20 cm!
So, this means a DRASTIC REDUCTION of the amount of cash needed! Add in the small HDMI display and the stand, and it can all be had for about $573! That is an 82% drop in cost!
Wow! I can't tell you how pleased I am to have FINALLY found a reasonable solution! I had many questions for various retailers, which exposed the false information in their ads, and forced me to keep looking. And junk mail - even from Chinese resellers - can sometimes be very useful!
Thank all of you that have already provided $300. I now only need an additional $273 to complete the magnifier!
You can see more photos of how I have to work now, and a simulation of how this magnifier would change how I work by reading my blog and looking at the photos in it::
http://2live4.com/blog/2017/12/23/now-you-can-see-why-i-have-a-gofundme-campaign/
Organizer
Eric Anderson
Organizer
Sandpoint, ID
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