PI camera won;'t work easily, it's too small a sensor, you'd need to have a sensor of similar size to the original or you'll need to mess around with the distance. I'd be talking to CCTV camera suppliers. On 5 December 2016 at 18:15, wrote: > Sounds like a job for a raspberry Pi camera. > > Ditch the lens assembly from it and put the sensor at the videcon focal > plane. May be easiest to use a R-Pi as the interface electronics to drive= a > monitor. > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behal= f > > Of Dwayne Reid > > Sent: 05 December 2016 17:53 > > To: pic microcontroller discussion list > > Subject: [EE] Options for upgrading video microscope > > > > Good day to all. > > > > I have a very old B&W video-based microfiche viewer that I affectionate= ly > > refer to as my "Black & White Microscope". Although the intended use w= as > > as a microfiche reader, it has served me well over the years for doing > SMD > > assembly. Even though the image is only black and white, it has gorgeo= us > > resolution and the movable X-Y table allows for easy pcb movement durin= g > > assembly. > > > > But it is ancient and it now needs work. The obvious thing to do is to > convert > > it to modern technology: a modern camera that can feed a standard LCD > > monitor. > > > > This unit has an incredibly gorgeous lens assembly that sits > horizontally above > > the movable table and below the 12" B&W monitor. There is a 1/2" Vidic= on > > at the rear of the lens assembly and an angled mirror at the front that > allows > > the front of the lens to see the work surface below. > > > > The Zoom and Focus are mechanical controls that are part of the lens > > assembly. > > > > Really and truly - all that I think that I need to do is to find a > modern video > > camera that will take the place of the original 1/2" > > vidicon. I would also need some form of interposing electronics that > will > > allow the camera to be displayed on a modern LCD monitor. Although I'm > > partial to standard VGA resolution, I would happily consider a HDMI > > connection. > > > > But I don't know where to start looking for appropriate devices. I kno= w > just > > enough about video to be dangerous and I have absolutely no idea where = to > > start looking for a suitable camera and interface electronics. > > > > One requirement in particular is low latency. I have used inexpensive > USB > > microscopes in the past but I find the video lag to be almost unusable > for > > assembly purposes. > > > > I'm in Canada, so if the camera needs to match a TV Broadcast standard, > it > > would have to be NTSC. But I'm hoping that I don't need to worry about > that > > - all I want is a camera that is able to feed a LCD monitor with VGA or > HDMI > > input connector. > > > > I was going to post this question in electronics.stackexchange but > because > > this is more of a shopping question rather than design, it probably > wouldn't > > get very far before being closed. > > > > Guidance and suggestions gratefully accepted. > > > > Many thanks! > > > > dwayne > > > > -- > > Dwayne Reid > > Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA > > 780-489-3199 voice 780-487-6397 fax 888-489-3199 Toll Free > > www.trinity-electronics.com > > Custom Electronics Design and Manufacturing > > > > -- > > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > > View/change your membership options at > > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > > -- > http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > --=20 Clint. *No trees were harmed in the sending of this mail. However, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.* --=20 http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .