20X-40X-80X Cordless Dual LED Lights Stereo Binocular Microscope with USB Digital Camera

There’s a CD installer for Microsoft; the software is designed for a PC.(I’ve learned that if a CD won’t install, go to the website to download the software specific to the model number printed on the camera.)You must remove an eyepiece tube to make room for the camera & adapter tube. Use the focus knob and other eyepiece to focus the image that appears on the computer screen.Save your image. After photo or video selection, adjusting settings, and clicking okay, make sure to Save it to your computer.OSX compatible?Mac only gets a website link. I’m on Mountain Lion 10.8.5.This software for the Mac is generic for many different cameras. It’s not specific to the Omax microscope, so my Mac had difficulty communicating with it.It would take a photo; then freeze. I couldn’t see any movement or changes being made (live preview) on the stage or in the settings (lighting, saturation, etc.). If I clicked Pause and Play, the next photo would be a new freeze frame. If I clicked on the Video button, it would crash and close out.I couldn’t see “live”, so I couldn’t focus. Maybe the quality is better than I managed to get (also, more settings are available for PC). I'll try to post photos of a dollar bill scale, live termite and silverfish in Ziploc bags, and print type.But after the initial disappointment of zoomed in, soft-focus images, a picture is still worth a thousand words. It’s good for school reports or sharing, at this price –if only it worked with my Mac.Happy Mac solution: Purchase this OMAX LED (cool lights) microscope separately.MD 130 camera – There is a Mac-friendly camera that works with this microscope!Go to this seller’s website (microscopenet.com) and get the MD 130 (1.3 MP) camera.The CD install won’t work, but you can download it from the camera's website (camera software download > MD camera series > Mac Series > download) - look for the ProScope icon in Launchpad. (I may have missed some steps, so please follow the prompts.)Note: People seem to forget that a microscope is for seeing things the naked eye can't see. For those wanting a closeup photo of a coin, for instance, I suggest a Canon Powershot SX series which has an amazing macro lens at an affordable price. I'm using one in tandem with this microscope for my projects.Review for Omax 20X-40X-80X LED Stereo Binocular Microscope:I purchased one for myself, for hobbies. Satisfied with the quality and ease of use, I gifted one to a 7-year-old child. Stereo-binocular microscopes allow viewing both 3-D objects and slides. This microscope is very sharp!I viewed a Carpenter bee’s proboscis (feeding tube) and discovered next to it a transparent spider, small enough to fit on the tube’s tip. I could see un-sprouted wings under the shell of a live termite. And the ink of the small orange torch on a $10 bill sparkles with glitter. The seemingly harmless red dots on a leaf I was going to feed Monarch caterpillars turned out to be spider mites. I always wash the leaves now.I selected this microscope because the LED lights remain cool and won’t overheat the microscope, nor “fry” live specimens. Other brands use halogen, tungsten, or fluorescent lights. I think LED is safer for a child.Tips:- There is a lens cap covering the recessed objectives. It is streamlined into the design (black) and snaps on and off.- Manual: I requested a User Manual from the seller and was emailed a pdf to read and/ or print out. This model is G223E series.- A Phillips screwdriver is not included for removing/ inserting or loosening the tiny screws holding the eyepiece tube in place. I have a 2.4 mm, and one from an inexpensive eyeglass repair kit, that fit. It’s easier if you magnetize the screwdriver (touch the tip to a magnet) so it holds onto the screw. Turn on the microscope light, so you can see the screw hole on the eyepiece.- The Allen Key fits into the hole on the right side of the base. Use it to loosen or tighten the stage lock by rotating it, when changing the platform. The wrench is for tightening or loosening the focus knob tension. The 2 A/C plug prongs are small, equal size, and fit even older U.S. outlets.- The objectives should be about 2 inches above the specimen. Hold on to the microscope as you adjust the height on the stand…the weight can cause it to drop quickly. Petri dishes (plastic for a child) are helpful to keep the specimen (live, liquid, round, etc.) in place, keep the stage clean, and move the specimen around without touching it. Long hobby tweezers are helpful, too.Customer Service:The seller emailed me their contact information (email and phone number) shortly after my Amazon purchase. By replying directly to this email (Amazon protects your address), I didn’t have to explain which product I was inquiring about. By replying to each following email (not starting a new email), I continued dialogue with the same person and kept a history. Excellent service! Emails were answered within 12 to 24 hours.- Gift wrap is not available. It shipped in a plain box (foam insulated!) with a small return address. Parents were able to accept delivery unnoticed and gift wrap it later for their child. Free delivery via USPS took one week from Ontario, Canada to Nevada.

This is actually a great buy!! The product is well made. The camera is a little clunky, and has older ways of operation, but the people (Tina) at United Scope are fantastic to work with. They were immediately helpful ever time I called. The camera instructions are archaic, but I narrowed the camera operation down to specific directions that help me take pictures, save them and use them within 30 seconds. If anyone needs help, I'm on ebay as "yonabaru".

I will only give 2 stars. If you add a device to a package that makes it week the entire device is week. The scope itself, I would give 4 stars, the included camera 0 stars. Buy a unit that doesn't have the camera if you don't want the camera option. If you want the camera option keep looking.

This is a nice scope for electronics inspection. I got this to zoom in on the surface mount parts to get ID numbers and trace PCBs. The camera is a nice feature, too, as you can photo document your findings.

Wonderful instrument for the price. Have not used the USB camera yet, but the scope does a great job. Thanks!

A wonderful inexpensive scope for study.