The Importance of Magnification in SMD Component Soldering

When it comes to soldering Small Medium Diameter (SMD) components onto a Printed Circuit Board (PCB), magnification is crucial. The small size of these components makes them difficult to handle without proper magnification, which can lead to inaccurate soldering and potentially damage the component or PCB.

As a result, many SMD solderers rely on microscopes to help them complete their tasks more accurately. In this article, we will explore the use of microscopes in SMD component soldering and discuss the various options available to those who want to try this technique.

Using a Microscope for SMD Soldering

A microscope is an essential tool for anyone looking to solder SMD components onto a PCB. The small size of these components makes them difficult to handle without magnification, and a microscope provides the necessary magnification to make the task easier. In this article, we will explore two microscopes that are suitable for SMD component soldering: one that costs $15 and another that costs $45.

The $15 Microscope

The first microscope we will discuss is one that costs $15. While it may seem like a cheap option, its quality is surprisingly good, considering the price tag. The microscope comes in a standard packaging with minimal branding, but the materials used are of decent quality. The microscope itself has a metal base and is relatively well-built, considering its low price.

However, installing the driver and software for this microscope can be a bit tricky. The instructions provided are not detailed enough to ensure a smooth installation process, and some users may need to consult online resources or contact customer support for assistance. Once installed, the microscope connects via USB to the computer and is ready for use.

The resolution of the $15 microscope is 640 x 480 pixels, which can be adjusted by downscaling or upscaling. The image quality is surprisingly good, considering its low price tag. The microscope also comes with a snap button and a zoom button, allowing users to take pictures and utilize digital zoom.

While the $15 microscope may not be suitable for all SMD soldering tasks, it can still perform reasonably well for occasional use. However, for frequent or high-stakes applications, a more expensive option may be necessary.

The $45 Microscope

The second microscope we will discuss is one that costs $45. This microscope offers several improvements over the cheaper alternative, including a 4.3-inch LCD display, microSD card support, and a built-in Li-Po battery. The suction cup on the base of this microscope works well on most surfaces, but not as smoothly as some users might like.

One of the main advantages of this microscope is its bright LED light, which provides good illumination for soldering tasks. However, the materials used for this microscope are not as high-quality as those used in more expensive models, and some users may notice a slight delay between turning on the light and when it becomes visible.

Another issue with this microscope is its battery life. While it is powered by the built-in Li-Po battery, the settings are reset to defaults whenever the microscope restarts, which can be inconvenient for frequent use. Additionally, the firmware hints at a potential battery capability, but there is no actual built-in battery, leading to cable issues and other problems.

Despite these issues, this microscope still offers a good balance between price and performance. Its 4.3-inch LCD display provides clear images, and its microSD card support allows users to store images and videos. The digital zoom feature also works well, making it suitable for occasional use.

Conclusion

When it comes to soldering SMD components onto a PCB, magnification is crucial. A microscope can help make this task easier and more accurate. While there are many options available, not all microscopes are created equal. In this article, we have discussed two microscopes that are suitable for SMD component soldering: one that costs $15 and another that costs $45.

Both of these microscopes offer good image quality and performance, but they also have their limitations. The $15 microscope may be suitable for occasional use, while the $45 microscope offers more features and better performance for frequent or high-stakes applications. Ultimately, the choice of microscope will depend on individual needs and preferences.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWhen it comes to soldering a SMD component to a PCB then it is quite obvious thatDue to the small size of the components it can be a rather difficult task without magnification thatthat is why I've been using this microscope for while now, which is certainly not perfectBut overall it does a job pretty well and many viewers really seem to like it's recording quality as wellOnly problem is that costs one hundred and eighty nine dollarsWhich is a big price tag for people who just want to solder one SMD circuit per yearThe good news though is that they exist cheaper microscope alternatives like this $15 one or this $45 one?But are such cheap microscopes really suitable for SMD soldering tasksOr is investing in the expensive microscope the way to goLet's find outThis video is sponsored by JLCPCBUpload your Gerber files today and receive high quality PCBs for ridiculously low pricesCurrently even of without shipping costs and make your projects look more professionalAs a true test of those microscopes.I will be trying to complete two assembly circuits through the help of their magnificationSo let's not waste any time and unbox the cheap microscopesWhen it comes to the packaging of the microscopes, then there's really not much to say about it. They all do the job just finethe only silly thing which is pretty common for Chinese packaging,Is the exaggeration like for example I highly doubt that we will see something like this or this with the microscopeBut anyway after unwrapping the cheapy, I noticed that its material and build qualityRegarding the microscope itself and its partly metal base was actually not half badTo judge its recording quality though. I firstly had to install its driver and softwarewhich were delivered on a CDAfter then connecting the microscope via USB to my computer. I started its software and was greeted with a blurry imageWhich means that everything worked correctlyBut to be precise there were actually two different pieces of software deliveredBut since they were so similar and only differentiated themselves through the missing video recordingBut instead image editing feature of the second software. I'm only going to focus on the first oneNow after positioning the microscope above the PCB andAdjusting the brightness of the LED light as well as the focus of the microscope itselfI actually got an acceptable image on the screenThe resolution is 640 by 480 which can be alteredBut that is basically only down scaling or up scalingon the side of the microscope we also got a snap button to take pictures and the zoom button toobviously utilize the digital zoom andWith the basics out of the wayI started to use the microscope for SMD soldering which did actually kind of workNow don't get me wrongIt is annoying that I have to look at my computer screen while soldering and the PCB microscope distance is fairly smallBut for one SMD circuit in a year it does work. Just fineas the last testsLet's take some pictures whose qualityYou are also acceptable for the price tag even video recording did work with 30fps at 640 by 480But don't make the mistake to increase the resolution because the frame rate will drop down to 7.5 fpsWhich is a nightmare to watchThe last positive feature, I noticed was that you can adjust quite a few picture settingsBut sadly that does not improve the video quality greatlyBut all in all the $15 microscope does for it's low price a lot of things rightMoving on to the $45 microscope whose most important improvements in comparison to the cheapyAre 4.3 inch LCDa micro SD card supports and a builtin Li-Po batteryWhich means no cable chaosBut as positive as all that sounds there are quite a few of negative aspects about this microscopeFirst of the material and build quality of microscope and its base looks and feels very cheapThe suction cup of the base does also not work on my workbenchonly on perfectly smooth surfacesThe battery is charged thru mini-USBBe which works just fineBut why do they bother giving me a 2 AMP power supply if the charging current is limited to slow 500 milliamps?Maybe there were cheaperBut before I nitpick even more let's position the microscope properlyPut it up and adjust the LED light brightness as well as the focusThe only problem was that no matter how precisely I tried to focus the SMD circuits it always looked a bit blurryAt first I thought the LCD was the problem, but even the recorded videoShowcased the same problem and while we're at subject of video recordingLet's just say it does not look particularly nice. Heck I think the 15 dollar microscope achieved similar results andWorst of all even though microscope claims that it records in 1080pIts video files clearly present a recording resolution of 720pNow taking pictures with this microscope is also possibleBut since they take around a second to shoot and the microscope space is rather wobbly the pictures will often look very blurrywell at least the digital zoom does work andWhile all of that sounds like you should stay away from this microscopeI actually do prefer it for SMD soldering instead of the cheaper oneSimply because it's battery-powered and I don't have to look at a computer screenBut of course that does not excuse the other problemsSo all in all I had high hopes for the $45.00 microscope, but it was kind of let downBut for positive change of pace let's not forget my favorite microscopeIt's completely made out of metal, its height can easily be adjusted, it has relatively big working spacehas bright LED lightsoffers an LCDTakes microSD cards, has a mini HDMI outputto connect bigger screens andmost importantly it does record true 1080p footage with amazing quality andcan take pictures with 12 megapixels which also looked decentThere definitely do exist better microscopes for SMD solderingBut for me this one offers a very nice balance between price and performanceBut of course not everything is perfectFor example that not only the LED lights need fifl power, but also the microscope itself through a mini USB portWhich can result in a cable mess and?While the firmware kind of hints at a battery capability there is no built-in one which might have even solved the last problemWhich is that whenever the microscope restarts all its settings are reset to defaultswhich includes the annoying screensaver timer which starts after 2 minutes and makes you blind while soldering andwith that being said my SMD circuits are finally complete andWork like a charm, and you should now. Have a good idea, which type of microscope would suit your SMD soldering demands IHope you enjoyed watching this video if so don't forget to Like share and subscribeStay creative, and we'll see you next time