Digital microscopes: How useful are they?

[DonSchaeffer]

Just out of curiosity, what is the available practical magnification of digital microscopes. There are some pretty elaborate claims out there. I do know there are some very nice images taken with top-notch digital microscopes. I have 3 digital microscopes that are in the range of practical and useful but limited in terms of magnification. What is the general feeling about digital microscopes. I am starting to play with them again.

[blekenbleu]

I have a USB magnifier from Amazon

USBzoom.jpg (33.43 KiB) Viewed 1304 times

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WD843ZM
.. used mostly for opaque subjects which fit neither compound nor stereo microscope.
It became much more useful to me with the rack

USBrack.jpg (39.28 KiB) Viewed 1304 times

... from one of these stands:

.. hacked to hang from a magnetic dial indicator base:

USBdialgauge.jpg (33.49 KiB) Viewed 1304 times

[DonSchaeffer]

Yes I agree about the rack. The ones without a rack like that are pretty useless. My digital microscopes can only marginally image cells on a leaf. They are only useful on subjects that can be seen with the unaided eye. They are more a photography tool than a scientific tool.

[blekenbleu]

what is the available practical magnification of digital microscopes

Here is an image captured by that USB magnifier, using its LED illumination,
placed directly against a microscope slide chrome target with full width of 1mm.
Contrast (and resolution) would be better if backlit by a microscope condenser...

cal.jpg (22.74 KiB) Viewed 1259 times

Slightly higher magnification is possible for objects slightly protruding into its clear chimney.

[DonSchaeffer]

I must say I'm a little disappointed in digital scopes. What they generate in low power they emphasize in distortion. I wonder if I will ever discover anything new with one.