{"title":"Handheld and USB microscopes","description":"\u003cp\u003eHandheld, pocket and USB microscopes are the smallest and cheapest way to magnify something, and they have a place. A pocket microscope goes on a walk and shows a child the scales on a butterfly wing. A USB microscope plugged into a laptop lets you inspect a stamp or a circuit board at 50x without clearing a desk. Our range starts with the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/levenhuk-dtx-30-usb-microscope\" title=\"Levenhuk DTX 30 USB microscope\"\u003eLevenhuk DTX 30\u003c\/a\u003e, a 2 MP USB microscope with a tripod, and the two paragraphs below explain where these microscopes fit and where a bench microscope is the better buy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat they do well and what they don't\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHandheld microscopes are for quick looks at solid objects in the 20x to 60x range, held against the thing you're looking at. They're light, cheap and need no setup. What they can't do is hold focus steadily at higher powers, light a slide from below, or give you the working distance to use a tool under the lens. If you want to look at cells, you need a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/compound-microscopes\" title=\"Compound microscopes\"\u003ecompound microscope\u003c\/a\u003e; if you want to work on something while you look, a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/stereo-microscopes\" title=\"Stereo microscopes\"\u003estereo microscope\u003c\/a\u003e; and if you want a stable image on a screen, a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/digital-microscopes\" title=\"Digital microscopes with a screen\"\u003edigital microscope with a stand and display\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHandheld microscope FAQs\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs a USB microscope any good?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor inspection at low power, yes, and they're a cheap way to try the hobby. The common complaint is a flimsy stand and a magnification figure that counts digital zoom. Our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/guides\/best-digital-microscope\" title=\"The best digital microscope with a screen\"\u003edigital microscope guide\u003c\/a\u003e compares USB models with screen models.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat's a good pocket microscope for a child?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne with a built-in LED light and a magnification in the 20x to 40x range, which is what nature-walk viewing needs. Higher numbers on pocket models are rarely usable.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"levenhuk-dtx-30-usb-microscope","title":"Levenhuk DTX 30 USB Microscope","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe DTX 30 is a USB microscope. It plugs into a laptop or desktop computer, which powers it and shows the live picture, and its 2 MP camera gives 20x to 230x on screen. Eight white LEDs around the lens light the subject from above with adjustable brightness, and it stands on the tripod in the box or works in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's for solid things such as coins, stamps, fabric, circuit boards, insects and the surface of a leaf. The included software saves photos and video and measures lengths, areas, angles and radii. At the lowest magnification the view is about 2 cm across, according to Levenhuk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLevenhuk says it isn't suitable for transparent samples such as blood or bacteria, which need a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/compound-microscopes\" title=\"Compound microscopes\"\u003ecompound microscope\u003c\/a\u003e, and that it connects only to a computer, not to a phone. If you'd rather not use a laptop, the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/levenhuk-dtx-350-lcd-digital-microscope\" title=\"Levenhuk DTX 350 LCD digital microscope\"\u003eDTX 350 LCD\u003c\/a\u003e has its own screen and battery, and our \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/guides\/best-digital-microscope\" title=\"The best digital microscope with a screen\"\u003edigital microscope guide\u003c\/a\u003e compares the two kinds.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Levenhuk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67757504430444,"sku":"61020","price":84.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/5966\/2956\/files\/levenhuk-microscope-dtx-30_oB8T5x6.jpg?v=1792351236"},{"product_id":"bresser-dst-1028-usb-digital-microscope","title":"Bresser DST-1028 USB Digital Microscope","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe DST-1028 is a USB microscope on a metal stand. It plugs into a Windows computer, which powers it and shows the picture from its 5 MP Sony sensor, and the zoom lens covers 10x to 280x. It's for solid things, such as circuit boards and components, solder joints, coins, stamps, printed documents, insects and plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe working distance is 110 mm at the lowest setting, so there's room for a soldering iron or tweezers underneath, and the stand adjusts in height for tall or flat objects. Eight LEDs in a ring around the lens light the subject, with a dimmer on the cable. Bresser gives the field of view as 42 by 32 mm at 10x and 1.6 by 1.2 mm at 280x.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe software is a download for Windows 10 and 11 only, so it isn't a choice for a Mac or a Chromebook. It lights from above only and won't show slides or pond life, which need a \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/compound-microscopes\" title=\"Compound microscopes\"\u003ecompound microscope\u003c\/a\u003e. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/levenhuk-dtx-90-usb-microscope\" title=\"Levenhuk DTX 90 USB microscope\"\u003eDTX 90\u003c\/a\u003e costs less and works with a Mac, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/levenhuk-dtx-350-lcd-digital-microscope\" title=\"Levenhuk DTX 350 LCD digital microscope\"\u003eDTX 350 LCD\u003c\/a\u003e has its own screen.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bresser","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67769487163756,"sku":"78983","price":147.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/5966\/2956\/files\/78983_bresser-usb-digital-microscope-dst1028_00.jpg?v=1792429349"},{"product_id":"levenhuk-dtx-90-usb-microscope","title":"Levenhuk DTX 90 USB Microscope","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe DTX 90 is a USB microscope with a 5 MP camera and a proper stand, with a 120 by 165 mm stage marked with a measuring scale, two clips, and a focus column that gives up to 150 mm under the lens. It plugs into a Windows or Mac computer, which powers it and shows the picture at 10x to 300x.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEight white LEDs around the lens light the subject, with adjustable brightness. The software saves photos and video at up to 2592 by 1944 and measures lengths, perimeters, radii, diameters and angles, and there's a calibration scale in the box to set it up. The camera lifts off the stand if you want to use it in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike every USB microscope it lights from above, so it's for coins, stamps, circuit boards, fabric, insects and plants rather than slides or pond life. Levenhuk says it doesn't take other cameras. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/levenhuk-dtx-30-usb-microscope\" title=\"Levenhuk DTX 30 USB microscope\"\u003eDTX 30\u003c\/a\u003e is smaller with a 2 MP camera and a tripod, and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/bresser-dst-1028-usb-digital-microscope\" title=\"Bresser DST-1028 USB digital microscope\"\u003eBresser DST-1028\u003c\/a\u003e has a metal stand but Windows-only software.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Levenhuk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67769505612140,"sku":"61022","price":126.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/5966\/2956\/files\/levenhuk-microscope-dtx-90_s4Tl86U.jpg?v=1792429426"},{"product_id":"levenhuk-dtx-500-mobi-digital-microscope","title":"Levenhuk DTX 500 Mobi Handheld Digital Microscope","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe DTX 500 Mobi is a handheld digital microscope with its own rotating 3-inch screen and a rechargeable battery that Levenhuk rates at about four hours. You hold it over a surface, or stand it on its tripod, and see up to 500x on the screen, with a 4x digital zoom. Photos and video save to a microSD card of up to 32 GB, which isn't included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause it needs no computer, it goes where a bench microscope can't, such as the garden, a field trip or a stamp fair, and Levenhuk suggests it for checking fruit and vegetables for mould. Eight LEDs with adjustable brightness light the subject from the front. It also connects to a Windows or Mac computer by USB, with software that measures lengths, radii and angles, and to a TV through the AV cable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt comes with a tripod, a pouch, a strap, a cleaning wipe and a mains adapter for charging. It lights from the front only, so it's for surfaces rather than slides. The \u003ca href=\"\/products\/levenhuk-dtx-350-lcd-digital-microscope\" title=\"Levenhuk DTX 350 LCD digital microscope\"\u003eDTX 350 LCD\u003c\/a\u003e has a bigger 4.3-inch screen on a stand.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Levenhuk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67769525600620,"sku":"61023","price":202.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1023\/5966\/2956\/files\/levenhuk-microscope-dtx-500-mobi_87OACYr.jpg?v=1792429497"}],"url":"https:\/\/scopeandfield.com\/collections\/handheld-microscopes.oembed","provider":"Scope \u0026 Field","version":"1.0","type":"link"}