Everything is getting smaller and smaller, including the components inside the gadgets we try to diagnose and fix. For years I’ve made do with a headband magnifier, but that’s not enough when it comes to components that are barely larger than the size of a grain of sand.
I needed a digital microscope. I needed the digital microscope Andonstar AD407 Pro.
Technical characteristics
- 4 megapixel HD sensor
- 7 inch IPS screen
- Maximum video resolution of 2880 x 2160 at 24fps
- Photo resolution 4032 x 3024 (12 megapixels)
- Micro SD card storage
- HDMI output
- UV filter to protect the lens from damage
- Two dimmable LED lights
Alright, enough tech specs, let’s see how the Andonstar AD407 Pro magnifies things? Let’s start with a circuit board.
Here is what it looks like with my smartphone camera. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
On this small circuit board are tiny components. Some are barely visible to the naked eye.
Let’s take a closer look at them using the AD407 Pro. Here is a tiny capacitor held by my ceramic tweezers (by the way, I highly recommend ceramic tweezers for precision work).
A tiny capacitor on a tiny circuit board looks huge. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The large 7-inch display makes it easy to repair parts as small as this capacitor. Just be sure to be careful when handling loose parts.
A remote control attached to the side of the microscope turns on the LED lights for better viewing.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The bottom of the display also features a row of convenient buttons for controlling magnification intensity and turning the microscope on and off.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Thanks to the power of the microscope, I was able to remove the tiny capacitor. To give you a better idea of the size of this component, here it is on my fingertip!
It’s really tiny!
This capacitor is no bigger than a grain of sand. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
At €260, the purchase of the Andonstar AD407 Pro is justified if you are a professional or an electronics and computer enthusiast looking for a practical digital microscope. If you are an amateur or a beginner preferring a more affordable solution, I suggest the Andonstar AD206 which, for 130 €, is an excellent alternative. Its screen resolution and sensors are lower than the AD407 Pro, but the AD206 is still a great tool that will save you from squinting at the smallest objects!
Source: “ZDNet.com”