The Digital Blue QX5 Microscope package came with the scope, stage, driver software, and all we needed to collect speciments for observation and examination.  The QX5 microscope was composed of two pieces, the electronics and the stage.  The electronics portion of the microscope contains the optics, sensing elements, and cable to connect to the computer.

The QX5 digital microscope, unlike a standard light microscopes, has no eye piece.  Instead, it has a sensor which digitizes the image and output that data to a computer for display. 

To get a closer look, there is a ring which rotates lens into place for different magnifications.  The lowest setting is 10X and the max is 200X.  There is also an white LED built into the electronics unit.

Unlike a standard microscope, the QX5 can be used freehand or in combination with its staging unit.  The staging unit has a built-in light source to illuminate from underneath.

There was also a compartment in the base to store some of the tools and speciment containers.

In the FirstUse review, we'll try out all the different available functions and capabilities of this QX5 digital microscope.  We are particularly interested in seeing whether we can capture some interesting digital movies of the microscopic world.  Check with us in a few weeks to see what new discoveries we have made now that we have this new instrument at our disposal.

We here at RainyDayMagazine are HUGE fans of the CBS TV show CSI.  In the show, they always have some really cool centrifuge, DNA sequencer, or HPLC chromatography machine that they use to help with their sample analysis.

They also use the ubiquitous light microscope for examining their evidence...but why?  They should share what they are looking at by digitizing the output to some kind of display!

At RainyDayMagazine's new Forensics Lab (no, we don't really have one), we came into the possession of the latest version of the QX series of Digital Microscopes, the QX5.

In this FirstLook review, we'll show you what came in the box.  In the FirstUse review, we'll install the software and put some stuff on the stage and see if we can get a closer look!

Reviews:

1. First Look

2. First Use

3. In The Wild Report

Review Summary:

Initial Impression- Techie & Fun!

Usability- Simple/Powerful

Durability- Test in progress

Price- $100

Related pages:

1. 10x Eagle head

2. 60x Eagle head

3. 200x Nostril

4. 200x Eye

5. 10x Catepillar

6. 60x Spider leg

7. Spider Movie