Carson MM-940 zPix Handheld USB Digital Microscope Set 86x-457x (based on a 21″ monitor), Blue

A really good USB microscope. I don't know why the previous reviewer gave it only one star as all you need to do is go to their site to get all you need. Anyway...This is a USB handheld microscope that connects to your PC (I’m using Windows 10) or Mac and displays it’s images on your screen. It has four bright white LEDs to light up the subject. It can also be attached to a little stand that holds things firmly, like for viewing slides.The first thing I found was that it was much easier to move around than the other types that are a sort of stumpy cigar shape. The device is more stable and easier to handle than those.Focus and zoom are easier to change too. The bottom ring zooms you in and the top ring focuses. There is a button on top to take a photo. Taking a photo is easier on a solid surface as pressing the button tends to push down on the microscope and mess with the focus a little.You can also set the image resolution in the app that comes with it (downloaded from their site) from 160 x 120 up to 1600 x 1200. I found that the higher resolutions do slow the device down though and the image takes longer to update on the screen compared to the lower resolutions. It just tends to lag a bit. Had this been USB 3 (which I tested and it didn’t seem to be) it might have been better, but actually it’s not a huge problem. I settled on using 640 x 480 in the software to start with, these are some images taken at that resolution. The zoom for these was set at the lowest level.In summary I think this is a great little microscope and it’s well built. I paid £42 at Amazon for it and feel it was worth the cost. The image clarity is much better than the cheap cigar shaped one I had before and it is easier to use. You get clear and detailed images in a short time.These are excerpts from my full review from a stamp collector's perspective : [...]

Just received this and downloaded the software. Plugged in to the USB port clicked on the screen icon and hey presto we are up and working. Very neat device, nice bright LEDs wide focus range and no silly claims about magnification size unlike some of the cheaper units one of which I have returned after 3 hours of tortuous attempts to get working.

The magnification is great for what I need (counting the number of threads per cm in a screen printing mesh) but the mount is too unstable.I am currently in the process of building a bombproof mount to stabilise it, but the basic product is very good.

I restore books and documents and I use several way to magnify objects I work with.USB microscope is one of them. Recently my old one broke so bought myself new one: Carson Zorb. I'm very happy. It took 2 minutes till software was downloaded and camera started to work straight away. Picture is sharp, reproduces colours well and it's easy to manage. Complicated thing is the last thing I want. I see that lot's of people would like to have much bigger magnification. They don't realise how difficult is to use such a microscope. I would say until you don't do science with microbes or such you don't need bigger magnification than Zorb. (and if you do you would choose professional microscope anyway).Except for my work this USB microscope fun for children as it's perfect to watch insects, flowers whatever they would like to see. Good thing is that microscope illuminate objects and there's some sort of rings you use with Zorb and they protect lens from touching objects. Pictures and movies made by this camera are also good quality.

Initially camera kept switching itself off. Even moistening the suction cup the stand has started to regularly come unstuck. The Exploview software has a number of options but they don't do a lot for picture quality. If you are intending to repair PCB's when you have set the height of the camera to provide enough access to work the magnification is little better than 20x. The camera appears to have been around a while now and was probably once ahead of the competition but it's performance suggests it is a bit dated now. If it had interchangeable lens it would be more useful and would be a feature worth paying extra . The one touch picture taking facility is a good idea in theory but the camera can shake slightly and you lose focus as you are doing it. Using the Exploview software to take shots is better.It's an old product which needs updating.

Wanted to use it with iPad to so it would be portable. After I bought it, I was directed to an American site to download the software and saw that it won't work with tablets. When connected to a PC it was unbelievably good.

Excellent piece of kit for occasional use on stamps, paper etc. Havent tried much else but seems solid enough and well pleased.

Impractical and unsustainable for use

Excelente producto ya que cubre las necesidades de mis actividades y cumple con mis requisitos de operación.

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For the price, it is very average, can't clearly focus or use. Regretting buying

Das Mikroskop ist gut. Der Ständer ist aber eher unbrauchbar. Lieber einen mit stellschraube nehmen da die Tiefenschärfe extrem kurz ist und man den Ständer sicher nicht so einstellen (biegen) kann, dass genau der Bereich schraf ist, den man anschauen möchte. Somit muss man mit der Hand das Mikroskop hindrücken und dabei merkt man jedes noch so kleine zittern.Eventuell nochmals etwas Geld in die Hand nehmen und einen vernünftigen Ständer kaufen.Software für das Mikroskop war kostenlos zum downloaden. Installation easy. Zeitaufwand ca. 5 min dann hat es funktioniert.

I bought this for analyzing pest lifecycle for my farming solutions this worked like a charm giving me details of mites eggs and all its lifecycle, I have also attached a photo of iPhone earpiece grill which needs cleaning