Build a digital microscope from a webcam

Sure, it won't get you live 3D representations of living cells, but this little USB microscope mashup over at Instructables should nab you some sweet pics of up-close detail with a minimum of effort. You can pull it off with basically any simple webcam -- the one pictured here cost $5 -- and toy microscope, but you'll have to a little creative wiresplicing to get the white LED light source powered off USB as well. Still, it's a neat project if you've got the time -- now get to work!

[Lex @ Dec 17th 2007 1:38PM]

wow. ive got the same microscope at home.. i should give it a try as i got 1 old logitech webcam lyin around anyway.. :P

[keithwwalker @ Dec 17th 2007 2:10PM]

for lazy rich people, Brando HK has 2 different usb microscopes, one goes to 200x magnification, the other 500x

[Jeff Lewis @ Dec 17th 2007 2:55PM]

Wow.. I did this very thing in 1972 using a TV camera to allow a biology class to watch the teacher's demonstrations on large screen TVs.

The more things change...

[Charlie Calhoun @ Dec 18th 2007 1:41AM]

Large screen meaning....? 13 inches?

[skhawaja @ Dec 18th 2007 1:44AM]

how old are ya man?

[James Cameron @ Dec 17th 2007 3:21PM]

Great idea. This will give me a good reason to pick up a good webcam.

[Ellianth @ Dec 18th 2007 12:45AM]

Before you do that...

You could probably pick up one of those old intel webcam/microscopes really cheap on ebay.

[redlukas @ Dec 17th 2007 3:26PM]

today there s a large number of fittings available, making it easy to mount pretty much any digicam with changable lenses on a microscope. but it's got kind of problems getting a sharp pic with enough contrast.

[Russ @ Dec 17th 2007 6:35PM]

remember intel had a usb microscope? they were going really cheap towards the end..

[dave @ Dec 17th 2007 6:36PM]

start the penis jokes...

[Fernando G. @ Dec 17th 2007 7:21PM]

you must've seen my penis

[Mark @ Dec 17th 2007 7:37PM]

You'll need an electron microscope.

[drunkenoaf @ Dec 18th 2007 3:54AM]

Ha. In 2000, my old lab spent many thousands on a rig of similar quality.

[moris_zen @ Dec 29th 2007 4:16PM]

This project was stolen from me from the instructables site!

[moris_zen @ Apr 27th 2008 1:28PM]

This picture (instructable) was stolen from the instructables web site which I posted a week ago!
http://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-USB-Digital-Microscope-in-60min-and-15/