A ridiculously cheap ring-light

Here you can discuss different microscopic techniques and illumination methods, such as Brightfield, Darkfield, Phase Contrast, DIC, Oblique illumination, etc.
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MichaelG.
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Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#1 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Feb 08, 2022 4:42 pm

An item from the VIIDO range, currently on sale for £2 at Poundland in the U.K.
… What’s in a name ? :?

By its nature, it would obviously need some modification before being suitable for co-axial use on most microscopes … but there is enormous potential there !

MichaelG.

Ref. __ https://www.viido.tech/

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Too many 'projects'

dtsh
Posts: 977
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Location: Wisconsin

Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#2 Post by dtsh » Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:02 pm

Curious too see how bright it is. It's gotta be good, it has two trashcans with X's through them on the back, so you know for sure it's not trash :)
Last edited by dtsh on Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Sansub2
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:34 pm

Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#3 Post by Sansub2 » Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:58 pm

I have one of that. Not sure why I bought it :mrgreen:

Image

I tested the lux value using photons app. It produces about 150 lux at high power. Doesn't seem enough for even the stereo microscope given that the light is not focused.

Just for comparison, the 24 led direct replacement in the below one produces about 550 lux which seems to me enough upto 40x.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrioCri

PeteM
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Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#4 Post by PeteM » Tue Feb 08, 2022 8:02 pm

I use "selfie" ring lights to make high quality magnifiers out of old 35mm camera and projector (shorter focal length Kodak Carousel) lenses. At least half a dozen of 'em so far, with the selfie clip removed and the lens barrels machined to fit inside and then glued in place.

Nicely corrected glass - and the cheap ring light provides ample light for those.

My one complaint is that the ones I've used have a rechargeable battery inside (good) but cycle through three modes (various color temperatures) before turning off. The crude arrow marks the switch on the side of the ring light that needs to be clicked 3x to turn it off. I'd rather have a simple on/off if someone is aware of an even less-featured example.
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MichaelG.
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Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#5 Post by MichaelG. » Tue Feb 08, 2022 10:26 pm

Sansub2 wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:58 pm

Just for comparison, the 24 led direct replacement in the below one produces about 550 lux which seems to me enough upto 40x.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrioCri
The one in your link looks good value, but [being not a ring-light] I thought it a rather odd comparison.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

Sansub2
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Oct 20, 2021 3:34 pm

Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#6 Post by Sansub2 » Wed Feb 09, 2022 1:21 am

MichaelG. wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 10:26 pm
Sansub2 wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 6:58 pm

Just for comparison, the 24 led direct replacement in the below one produces about 550 lux which seems to me enough upto 40x.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrioCri
The one in your link looks good value, but [being not a ring-light] I thought it a rather odd comparison.

MichaelG.
You are right. Sorry, mixed the compound lighting with stereo lighting.

MichaelG.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#7 Post by MichaelG. » Wed Feb 09, 2022 7:32 pm

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Step 1 … squeeze lightly at the hinge location [to reduce friction] and push out the pin
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Step 2 … remove that spring, and contemplate which areas might be reasonably cut away
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… to be continued

MichaelG.

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P.S. __ Although it’s nowhere near the brightness of my fibre-optic ring light, this little toy seems plenty bright enough for general visual use on the stereo microscope.
Too many 'projects'

AJHope
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2022 11:45 pm

Re: A ridiculously cheap ring-light

#8 Post by AJHope » Fri Feb 18, 2022 7:51 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Tue Feb 08, 2022 4:42 pm
An item from the VIIDO range, currently on sale for £2 at Poundland in the U.K.
… What’s in a name ? :?

By its nature, it would obviously need some modification before being suitable for co-axial use on most microscopes … but there is enormous potential there !

MichaelG.

Ref. __ https://www.viido.tech/

.
Gee that is an absolute good deal! I have a very similar one! (I would have thought is the same but I think mine is other brand (but it looks the same). I don't use it with my microscope, I use it to have good illumination when I teach online (math teacher here) but it was much more expensive than that... so great find!

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