Digital Microscope

Reviews

This didn't work. It immediately broke. I ended up using a very small screw driver and that did the job.

Just the tool you need to change watch bands. Amazing how easy things are when you have the right tool.

This tool was so easy to use, my husband was able to wear his new watch minutes after opening his gift instead of waiting for a jeweler to size it and then paying for the service. Very handy!

Excellent little tool for removing those pesky spring bars. If you've ever tried to install and replace a watch band using a pocketknife, you know how annoying and difficult a project that should be simple can be. This tool works well and makes that simple project simple - both taking the old band off and installing the new one. No home should be without one.

This product worked just fine, allowing me to quickly and easily change the straps on two watches, saving me a trip to the watch shop and the money the watch smith surely would have charged me to do the swap himself. Color me satisfied.

Reviews

It's small. The led lights are bright. Great megnification. Can't beat the price and the free shipping.

I bought this at a train show. [...] It's an amazing value. Very bright LEDs (2) and very clear image. It's much easier to hold steady and use compared to the longer versions. Steve Lipofsky.com

Reviews

My local Wal Mart stopped selling these wipes so I turned to the net. Amazon sells them much cheaper. Best value I've found.

These wipes are great for cleaning my son's glasses. They are the perfect size & they aren't too wet. They dry quick & don't leave marks. They are easy to open so even he can open them at 6 years old. I would recommend this wipes.

Great little cleaners for glasses. i use these cloths daily. My glasses have scothguard and anti-glare coatings. these cloths are perfect for cleaning them.

These wipes are the best I've tried. I first picked them up at Sam's club, which by the way, has the best price. They work great on my glasses and on my lenses!

The "Zeiss Lens Cloths" are just about the best and most convenient lens cleaner I have found. We use very high grade digital still and video cameras in our business and trust these cleaners to get the lenses clean without removing the protective coatings. We also wear glasses and these also work great on them as well, leaving no streaking at all. Highly recommended!

Reviews

This is not a film for everyone. It sets up a challenging mix of expectations and continually crosses from one genre's conventions to another. It is definitely for film lovers who like something far out of the ordinary. Set in war-time Japan, this story of a doctor literally on the run in his efforts to unravel the mystery of an epidemic of hepatitis among his patients, could be taking place anywhere in this war-torn world today. Resources are in short supply, and everywhere there is violence and fear triggered by the embrace of militarism. The doctor, a heroic figure, is surrounded in this film by the outcasts of society - a prostitute, an opium addict, an escaped prisoner of war. Cheered by recognition from his colleagues in the medical profession that his work is valued and important, he is left with little to make a difference in the world, except his determination to do the best he can. The sudden shifts of mood in the film, the use of a noisy jazz score, the outbursts of violence, scenes of sexual tension, the heartfelt moments as characters reach out with tenderness to each other, all provide a jumble of conflicting impressions that reflect the chaotic world it mirrors. There's not a single point of view in the film though it ends emphatically with the detonation of an atomic bomb on the horizon, as the doctor and his assistant float in an open boat in the sea (an image that brings to mind the end of Ingmar Bergman's "Shame"). The film cries out to be viewed again for there is much too much to absorb in a single viewing.

The setting for this film is in Japan, circa 1945. The Japanese military are near the point of surrender. However, the war against hepatitis wages on, and one Doctor is struggling to wage a war of his own. Enter Dr. Akagi (Akira Emoto) whose own battle with a hepatitis epidemic are just as important as the Imperial Japanese army. While the empire is struggling in a losing cause, life goes on for Dr. Akagi; as he enlists the help of various people into his cuase to irradicate, or at least minimize the near hopeless situation he finds himself in. Obsessed with liver disorders, Dr. Akagi is called Dr. Liver by the townspeople he administers to. Those helping the Doctor are a morphine addicted surgeon, a former prostitute, and an escaped Dutch prisoner-of-war. The main task of Dr. Akagi is trying to heal his patients and identifying the cause of hepatitis. In the midst of all this, there is the ever present tension of the Japanese military who are stationed in the village where the Doctor resides. Although there are comical elements in the film [in the begining] things change dramatically when a lack of medications and food become more pronounced. Also, factor in the fanaticism and brutality of the military, and the film becomes much more darker. Plus, the fact that the film alludes to the medical experiments the Japanese have conducted on the Chinese in Manchuria, make this a much more interesting film. Eventually, Dr. Akagi begins to question whether he is making a difference in life. This matter is resolved when the Doctor begins to make a renewed commitment as a family Doctor. The films ending is a bit surreal, when while returning to the village after caring for a patient, the Doctor and his housekeeper see an ominous cloud in the far distance: The Atomic bomb has been dropped. The film had many elements which one does not see in too many Japanese films. This is a very good film, and well worth the purchase. Rent it first to see if you would like to add it to your collection. Highly recommended.

Like Imamura's The Eel, Dr. Akagi is a film in which likable characters and unusual circumstance come together to create scenes of uncontrived humanity. Usually in movies you know when you are supposed to feel emotional. The camera starts to slowly zoom in on Tom Hanks' fixed gaze, the music comes in softly... I can feel my eyes beginning to tear just thinking about it. Well you will get none of that b.s. in the world of Imamura. He purposely holds the camera back as not to let the viewer become to intimate with the characters. When they become emotional or say something profound, it isn't dwelled upon. Scenes of humanity can quickly cut to scenes of humor. Basically Dr. Akagi is a good guy. While his country flounders in a losing war, he's running from patient to patient trying to unravel the secrets of hepatitis. In addition to this he has reluctantly agreed to help a young prostitute, by hiring her as his assistant. His friends include a morphine addicted surgeon, a horny priest, and an escaped european POW. Like I said earlier; likable characters and unusual circumstance. The way the story unfolds has to be seen to be understood and the ending is an enigmatic and rewarding celebration of it all. This movie is odd but accessible, heartfelt but never cheesy, funny and emotional. All and all another great and totally original work from Shohei Imamura.

Vengence of Mine was my first exposure to Shohei Imamura, a tautly amazing movie full of dark humor, fearful violence, sexual tension and deep questions about life (note: this movie, among any other, absolutely deserves to be released on DVD). Dr. Akagi explores many of the same themes from the angle of a more dignified and admirable protagonist, a widower physician in a small fishing village whose life work is to tend to the many locals who are falling ill with hepititis, a disease whose pathology and means of transmission are not yet understood. It also presents an interesting view of wartime Japan in a village removed from the immediate devastation of the war, how life goes on as it typically does but with the war slowly intruding more and more into the people's daily lives until it literally explodes above their heads. The director's great talent, in my opinion, is how he never judges his subjects, whether because the person is a whore, a morphine addict, an embezzler, a dissolute drunkard or pervert. He depicts them as they are. The characters and situations depicted in this movie seem to me very authentic representations of the Japanese character, in its multiplicity, and that's part of what makes it a delight to watch. Dr. Akagi is the most intriguing one of all the characters, as he goes through not one but two personal transformations in the movie that are so subtle at first that you fail to notice them until the movie comes together neatly at the end yet leaves the question, what motivates us to do the things that we do in life, what's our purpose in life and what keeps us alive. Of course, the answer is never clear, and the movie does not shy from that reality. The cinemetography is also very nice, especially the scenes with the whale at the end which are simply beautiful and imbuded with mythos in a scene in which director wonderfully transforms the village whore and daughter of a fisherman into the mythical woman that reawakens Dr. Akagi to his life. Beautifully done. Only complaint: the jazz soundtrack is a bit overly intrusive and excessive. That should have been toned down a bit, but otherwise, a very moving and poignant film.

Not much I can add to the review by C. O. DeRiemer-which gives most of the pertinent information-except to say that I also recommend this movie. The movie openly hints at atrocities committed by the Japanese military in Manchuria-including vivisection-without quite making an admission of Japanese guilt. As it is, the evils of militarism are exposed-especially in the maltreatment of Dr Akagi and his cohorts after they are found to be treating a Dutch POW--who is brutally treated by a sadistic member of the Japanese military who won't admit that the defeat of Japan is imminent. The beginning of this movie does move a little slowly-but by the middle until the end it is quite interesting. Highly recommended--though this dvd suffers from subtitles which are frequently hard to read (white letters against a light background)

Reviews

I purchased this DVD to use with my Living Environ. High School students. I had to use the DVD's menu, in order to skip around to the more relevent items (geared toward Biology topics). After viewing the 4-5 items, I had to end the DVD; since things were becoming rather too much of the same. The novelty of viewing things at 100,000X (times normal sight) had definitely worn thin by this time...it was becoming rather tedious!

Reviews

The product works as it says it will. My son uses it to look at fossils and other things of nature. Best of all it doesn't cost a lot. It is also small so it goes with him in his pocket.

This was a toy. If that's what you are after, this is for you. If you want something that really works, pay a little more and buy something better.

I bought a more expensive all plastic scope before I bought this one. This one has a much clearer image. I like the focusing ring but the magnification control is 'sticky'. Proper technique with these takes getting used to - a lot like the first time I ever used a real microscope. I found a sweet-spot at slightly over the minimum magnification that works well for me - I leave it at that setting and slowly move the view into position. My verdict is nice unit for the price.

It works...no question. It is exactly what you pay for however. VERY cheap magnification. A steady hand on a still target... If you want practical use, this may not be for you. Searching for things like spider mites I found VERY difficult. The magnification is actually too high for quickly scanning leafs....even on its lowest setting. IF you found something, the combination of steadying the plant as well as the scope was a pretty big job. If the target was not directly in the center of your field of view, it was severely out of focus, and the "center" was off to the top right of what is actually dead center of my scope. Kinda fun...has a few uses, but not practical for anything but amusement.

I bought one of these as a Christmas time stocking stuffer for my 11-year-old son, who loves science and loves to explore things ... but it turns out everyone in the family loves using this little device to look at the little wonders of the world. It's great for looking at leaves and coins and fabrics and dirt and fruit and anything else you can imagine, as long as it's got a flat surface that you can set this on straight. We've had a few bigger microscopes, but they rarely got much use, since they were delicate and you had to pack them away, and they tended only to work with slides, which required preparation. This one works on a whim: see something cool that you'd like to look at large and then whip this out and take a look. This little pocket microscope fits in your hand and combines some of the power of a microscope (magnifying up to 100x) with the handiness and ease of a magnifying glass. Note that the best place to focus is right at the bottom of the clear plastic base, and with the light included you can only see what's there on the flat surfaces of things. As another reviewer mentioned, to see bacteria or cells on slides you'd have to figure out how to hold them secure at the base and illuminate them from below with a flashlight or other light source. As is, though, it's a neat little science toy, that can produce some quite cool pictures, and is easy to carry around in the field. Highly recommended gadget for nature lovers, kids and geeks of all ages.

Reviews

If you use 40x or less this digital micoscope behaves beautifuly. If you want more than 40x light is lost and the image is not very good in part because the camera has not that much resolution. Still, for the price you cannot go wrong for most projects. I use the microscope to analyze pieces in my watchmaking job and is perfect also for imaging an record. Great product for the price!

I purchased one for myself and liked it so much that I purchased one for my Laboratory. It takes a little effort to focus but it's not that hard to do. A diffuser for the LEDs of some sort would help when photographing shiny objects.

I actually purchased this microscope for work and we use it all the time. In fact, I had to get two more for the team as mine kept disappearing. For what they cost, they are worth it. The only problem is that the stand is cumbersome to use - so I typically use it in the handle held mode or steady it on a book or other object. The fact that it takes photographs is great. In fact, some of its primary use is as a digital camera zoomed in to specific areas for great detail. Another way to think of this product is as a camera with great zoom, which is essentially what it is.

We chose this microscope not knowing what to expect. My wife has MS and it has a direct effect on her vision, so she uses this scope for reading, and seeing things that are difficult view. For the quality of this unit, I feel like we didn't pay enough for it. I could probably be critical about its performance, if I were employed in some scientific profession, or if I just enjoyed criticizing quality by specifications. I don't. This model is perfect for a home user, and probably for professional uses too. There are 32bit and 64bit versions of the software for Windows 7 (and XP, Vista, etc.) available at the manufacturers download site. That in itself is the reason we pulled the trigger. We run Windows 7 on all of our machines, 32bit and 64bit, so its nice to be able to use this microscope on any of them. I snagged the microscope the other day to zoom in on some o-rings that were leaking. The o-rings were on Danger Den/Fat Boy fittings installed in a D'Tek waterblock. I was really able to show the difference, with pictures, when describing the problem regarding the o-ring size.

I purchased this a while back as a gift and we've just now gotten around to using it. After installing the software on the included CD, we plugged it in and proceeded to grab anything in sight to put under the microscope. It's very easy to use- as soon as you launch the software, you are able to see what is under the microscope. There is a button on the microscope itself to take a picture, as well as buttons in the software to take a picture and a video. We found that using the on-screen buttons to work a little better, as it was sometimes difficult to hold the microscope steady and hit the button on it at the same time. It really is fun to use, and would make an excellent teaching tool. Objects like fabric, coins, hair, and anything else with fine details are very interesting to see blown up. It works best with flat objects as the depth-of-field is pretty shallow, but if you are careful with the focus ring you can focus on other items too. I've attached a few "User Photos"- the denim, penny, and $10 bill are a few of the snaps we got. I'm really surprised at how well the microscope works at this price. While it's probably not suitable for scientific work, it gives you a very interesting view of the world around you from a different perspective.

Reviews

For the price, this is one heck of a microscope! Good quality optics combined with an awesome slide stage (the caliper based movement makes moving the subject just slightly even at 1600x magnification). It takes decent quality jpg snapshots and "just worked" with Mac OS X. The micrscope also comes with a really good quality hard sided zippered case and global power adaptors. The instructions kind of suck; they don't make it clear that digital zoom only works if you also set the snapshot resolution less than the native 1600x1200, for example. The one design issue is that the buttons have a good solid >click< to them. Why is this a problem? Because at higher magnifications, pushing the snapshot button can cause the image to blur as vibration is transferred to the optics.

For the price (less than $200.00 at Amazon) this is an fine little microscope, solidly built, portable (with a light-weight, well-designed case), easy to set up, and simple to use. The manual is clearly written and useful (except for at least one minor error: the camera icon is not on the lower left but upper left of the LCD screen ["Taking Images" p. 7]). The camera functions well. The high resolution still images I took (of blood and blue cheese) are fairly clear, and the videos of a tiny drop of aquarium water show an astounding assortment of active (albeit soon to die) microorganisms, probably in better focus than the ones observed by Leeuwenhoek. I now know why my fish seem to do well even if I forget to feed them. Illumination is appropriate, though clearly best suited for viewing transparent or semi-transparent specimens. I was especially surprised by the large amount of internal memory which, coupled with the video file format (3GP, normally used in mobile phones) permits a stunning number of image and video files to be stored. Downloading to a computer using a USB cable (supplied) is very easy - the camera simply shows up as a removable disk. If necessary, shareware conversion programs for 3GP to AVI or MPG format can be found and downloaded in a matter of minutes. The date default setting to January 9, 2031 is, however, more than a bit futuristic and might be a bug. The microscope I ordered did not suffer from the black spot on the monitor mentioned by several reviewers. I recommend this microscope for anyone who doesn't expect to get a $2000 instrument for one tenth of the price.

This is a present I brought for my son, it is very easy to use and also has a good quality. My son like it so much!

I had an ordinary optical "200x" microscope and saw a few shaky, interesting things in a drop of water on a glass slide, I but had no good way to take a photo. Holding a digital camera up to the eyepiece was problematic at best. I'd heard of USB microscopes that connected to a PC, such as the QX3. Checking the reviews on Amazon quickly dissuaded me from that. Then I found the Celestron 44340. It had a built-in 2MP digital camera. Images were saved to internal memory and transferred to the PC via USB cable, or to a SD card. I was also concerned about getting good images. In books like Guide to Microlife (ISBN 0-531-11266-7), there were excellent photos in darkfield illumination, as well as the usual brightfield. The Celestron 44340 did both, although darkfield only worked at the 4x and 10x objectives. I got a set of glass slides, glass cover slips, some depression slides, eyedroppers, and containers. After the summer rains, there were many places to collect samples, as well as from shorelines of rivers and lakes. I was able to successfully image in brightfield and darkfield rotifers, amoebas, flatworms, copepods, ostracods, shrimp hatchlings, vorticella, bursaria, diatoms and algae, and a variety of fast-moving ciliates. In addition to digital photos of up to 2 megapixels in size, I also recorded movies of a few seconds to a few minutes, sometimes switching between 4x magnification to 10x or 40x to get more details, and even switching between brightfield and darkfield. If I found something interesting, I could use software to extract a still image. The only CON I can think of is that when the microscope is turned off then back on, the internal date and time resets to 1/9/2031 8:00 PM, so any photos or movies taken all have that date, unless you manually set it every time.

This product is great! I got it for my two kids (7 & 8 yrs old) for Christmas. They loved it!! It's so nice to have the LCD display instead of looking through a small hole...expecially since my son has eye problems. The magnification is awesome. We looked at money, salt, hair, and the slides that come with the microscope. The microscope is made well (not plastic) and it comes with a great storage bag to keep it safe. This is awesome for school aged kids. I'm buying more prepared slides because my kids are so excited about learning with this "toy".

Reviews

I heard Jessicas Bullet on Sirus radio. I bought the album right away and loved the whole thing. Listening to it is like eating tasty and delicious sandwich.

Heard them play Jessie's Bullet on XM radio and they blew me away! However, after I bought the CD, I discovered that there was no BASS PLAYER! Gr-r-r-r!! But there are some fantastic guitar solos and an overall nice fusion of melodies with an upbeat funky feel, so I had to forgive them (albeit grudgingly because I'm a bassist) and give them 4 stars. If you're new to fusion jazz, I would recommend this CD as a great intro to "get your feet wet" as this group is well worth checking out. Bottom line - as long as YOU like the music, nothing else matters.

DO YOU LIKE FUNK WITH YOUR JAZZ? DO YOU LIKE FUSION WITH YOUR FUNK? DO YOU LIKE GROOVE WITH YOUR FUSION? BUY THIS CD, NOW!!! DESPITE TRACKS 6(POP COUNTRY)AND 10(ROCK&ROLL-ISH)THIS CD IS THE SHIZNIT! YOU WON'T BE SORRY.