Plugable USB Digital Microscope 250x, 2MP Micro Camera with Flexible Arm Stand - Handheld USB & USB-C Microscope for Adults & Kids, Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Linux, Android, iPad Compatible

I've tried a handful of USB microscopes and this one is the best so far. Two things warrant mention. The first is the camera adjustments available under Windows and the other is resolution. The Plugable software (Windows version is all I've used), which requires download, can be set to auto adjust brightness but it can be manually adjusted too. My application requires locking exposure and this microscope can do it. That isn't the case for the other microscopes I've tested. It also isn't a feature mentioned by manufacturers. For my application, autoranging is undesirable. The ability to control exposure makes this scope stand out and why I like it so much. I am baffled by the magnification numbers given by manufacturers. This scope gives equal or higher magnification compared to others claiming 1600X. To change magnification, the scope is positioned above an object and focused. There is no zoom. All the others I've tried operate the same way. I've enclosed results at distances of 0, 20 and 40 mm from the clear plastic guard showing a 1 mm scale. I've also shown a penny's date at 0 and 40 mm. A penny is nominally 19 mm with 1 in the date being about 1.17mm or so. While the scope is great, I am not a fan of the flexible mount when operating at maximum magnification. Touching the microscope to focus or adjust lighting causes annoying movement. It is easy to get in a seemingly endless loop of adjust, move the object, readjust. I have a more rigid stand and find it to be far easier to use due both to rigidity and gears to move the microscope up and down. Circling back to software control, the camera app native to Windows can be used with add-on setting apps to set exposure and other options. Other USB microscopes have most of these setting greyed out whether in the Windows settings or in the apps supplied. They just aren't available.. I find the Plugable app does everything I want to do and does it quite nicely. Still pictures, videos and time-lapse are all available.

Let me start by saying the Pluggable Support model is hard to beat. I had issues in using this model at its full resolution and they were very accommodating in working with me to debug the situation and come to a positive compromise before they cut me loose. Support alone would get six stars.This is a value-priced camera with both LED-lighting and suction-cup mounting arm. You assemble it to the supplied board by suction cup, rather than a more stable screw connection, but maybe that gives you more flexibility in the long run. I found the Pluggable software for Mac OS a challenge and was never able to get it above 640x480, so I suspect some of the positive reviews mentioning software are talking about the Windows version. If using the full 2MP of the rating isn't important, this camera works very nicely out of the box. I quickly moved my unit to a Chromebox and loaded the "Camera" App from the Play Store and it takes decent pictures.In the sample photos, you will notice that smooth surfaces reflect the light from the LEDs, so to eliminate that I would tilt the item being photographed so the reflection didn't come back into the lens. You can also just turn off the LED and let the software adjust the light levels, but that might not look great depending on your room lighting. Non-reflective surfaces are no problem. Tall items, like the jumpers on a breadboard, cause you to choose between which portion is in focus - in my case the top of the transistor would be in focus but not the bottom.This is very good for showing details and I am looking for other parts to hack together a more stable stand, but for the price, it's a great way to get started with imaging of very small things.I later tried the Debut software from Australia and was immediately taking 1600x1200 images so I'm not certain what the issue is that prevents me from using Digital Viewer above 640x480.2018-07-14 update: I've improved the rating to 5-stars. I recently purchased the Fosmon OTG cable so I could connect this to my Pixel phone and I'm in love all over again. I use the very simple OTG View software, free from Google Play Store, and I am taking this USB Microscope everywhere and capturing high-resolution images well away from my desk and my workbench. I think the major limitation of the device is the provided Digital Viewer and once I moved away from that I've become more impressed with its platform portability every day. I know it will drain my cell phone battery pretty quickly, but having the option of taking a high-resolution close-up of things where only your cellphone goes is a really high-value opportunity. Kudos to Pluggable for (1) Really engaged Product Support, and (2) a really Standard device.