You could use an entry level HD camcorder, which should be readily available from most big box stores. The two features you probably want is (1) Manual focus control (2) HDMI out. Last week I purchased the Cannon Vixia HF R700 (~$200 USD) for recording home videos, it is a touchscreen camcorder. It has both of those features given above. If you could figure out how to mount a camera like this by its tripod mount it would probably would work fine for what you have described. The downside is that it may be hard to access the touchscreen and zoom control if it is embedded inside of a microfiche machine. A camera intended for closed circuit television might allow for remote control of zoom and focus via wire, which might be more optimal. -Jason White On Mon, Dec 5, 2016 at 4:15 PM, Clint Jay wrote: > 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 > Behalf > > > 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 > affectionately > > > refer to as my "Black & White Microscope". Although the intended use > was > > > as a microfiche reader, it has served me well over the years for doin= g > > SMD > > > assembly. Even though the image is only black and white, it has > gorgeous > > > resolution and the movable X-Y table allows for easy pcb movement > during > > > 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" > Vidicon > > > at the rear of the lens assembly and an angled mirror at the front th= at > > 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 > know > > just > > > enough about video to be dangerous and I have absolutely no idea wher= e > to > > > start looking for a suitable camera and interface electronics. > > > > > > One requirement in particular is low latency. I have used inexpensiv= e > > USB > > > microscopes in the past but I find the video lag to be almost unusabl= e > > for > > > assembly purposes. > > > > > > I'm in Canada, so if the camera needs to match a TV Broadcast standar= d, > > it > > > would have to be NTSC. But I'm hoping that I don't need to worry abo= ut > > 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 > > > > > > -- > Clint. > > *No trees were harmed in the sending of this mail. However, a large numbe= r > of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.* > -- > 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 Jason White --=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 .