Forget that comment, it's too early in the morning...
Maybe you can get a metallurgical microscope somewhere, used?
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http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-40x-600x-Metallurgical-Compound-Microscope-w-LIGHT_W0QQitemZ370275157319QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0>
If you add the incident light source yourself, you should have far
more options (medical microscopes with transmitted light for slides).
You may have trouble getting light under the high magnification
objectives (800 and more) but since you only need 400 that should
probably be fine without through the objective lighting. If you can
get your hands on any microscope (even a kids toy) try it with a
strong LED flashlight or something.
ST
On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 8:00 AM, Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...> wrote:
> Do you need stereoscopic vision or just a 2d image?
>
> ST
>
> On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 7:53 AM, chuck richards <chuckrr@...> wrote:
>> Slightly O.T., But I've been sort of tuned in lately reading
>> about what you guys all think about stereo microscopes for
>> doing tiny SMD PCB work. At relatively low magnification.
>> Around 40x. Here's my question, I am needing a good microscope
>> to use to work on, and inspect old Edison cylinder phonograph
>> styli, both for recording and reproduction. These are sapphire
>> jeweled things, and are highly polished. A good look at them
>> requires at least 100x, and I have looked at them a couple
>> of times at 200x and 400x, and that is really a good view!
>>
>> Any ideas about where I might look for such a tool that would
>> go from maybe 100x, 200x, 400x?
>>
>> Thanks, Chuck Richards
>>>
>