Pi Camera Soldering Scope

thingiverse

I required something to enlarge a circuit board when soldering SMC's, so I found a guide on how to use a Pi camera as a magnification device. Following this guide, I created the device you see now. The original creator deserves all the credit for coming up with it; all I did was build a mount and replace the type of camera used. This is the Camera I used from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JM94WCW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. You'll also need a different cable to connect it to the Pi zero: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6XSBQC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I used 2020 extrusions from a failed print, which were approximately 95mm long. I recommend that the base legs be 100 to 125mm long because with the cables hanging from the Pi, it becomes top-heavy. Additionally, I added a small COB LED to the outer tab - it's a 12v LED running off a power supply: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J23EA2U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. The guide I followed was very comprehensive, but I didn't go into the additional features it offered because I didn't need them. Here's a link to the original project: https://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Zero-HDMIWiFi-Soldering-Microscope/. As stated in the guide, magnification increases as you get closer to your object; that's why I chose a camera with adjustable focus. The camera has a screw that locks down the aperture - remove it and it becomes difficult to turn, but once it breaks free, it's easy to adjust.