MD500 5.0 Mega Pixel USB Still Photo & Live Video Microscope Imager Digital Camera 5MP, Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10

This was a gift for my mother in law who has to work using microscope all day and she loved it. She can now hook this camera to her laptop and get a perfect image every time! The build quality is very good and it's very easy to use.

Had an issue with the software but Amscope customer assistance solved the issue. The image is very good but not as detailed as viewed thru the microscope. As a hobby/past time, it's perfect.

It's only a 5 mp camera. For the price it's not bad and serves it's purpose. I can get a crisp clear image while looking through the eyepiece but nothing I do seems to make the camera picture come out better. Anything greater than 20x lens (total 800x magnification) is extremely hard to focus and doesn't really come out crisp and clear. However, for a cheap microscope digital camera, it works well enough to let my almost 4 year old son see what I'm working with and get excited about it.For a little background, I am a Cell and Microbiology major who has spent countless hours using light microscopes. I am very adept at using light microscopes to focus the image. Like I said, I can get a clear image when looking directly through the eyepiece, but the camera is very difficult.

I bought this camera for my microscope and have used it dozens of times. The software is free and easy to download (I have a Mac and it worked just fine). I spent quite a bit of time talking with AmScope's customer service before I bought it. The person I spoke to was very candid about the products they sell and told me that for the price I was willing to pay, this was the best camera. His words were, "It's affordable and decent." He was right. It is clear, adjusts to light sources automatically, and is more than enough for my needs as an elementary botany teacher. As a bonus, it also fits in the eyepiece of my telescope (it comes with two adapters to fit larger eyepieces)! You can use it to capture still images and short movies. It's the perfect starter camera for scientists, teachers, or anyone inclined to be nerdy!

Camera works well if not perfect, so i took one star. Improved chip sensitivity would be welcome as well as larger chip with better field of view.1. Software is comprehensive, works well with the default settings, and has plenty of options for the advanced user. For the novice it could be overwhelming.2. The field of view is considerably smaller then what is available with the naked eye at the eyepiece. While looking at active samples with pond water the protozoa dart around speedily, in and out of view. I could not correct for this with the software or the zoom function so i think it is a limitation of the camera chip and optics i have.3. Shutter speed/exposure time is a bit slow for active samples, movement is blurred on the screen while viewing protozoa and while re-positioning the slide.4. I was able to see bacteria using the camera. These were not visible at all using the naked eye, but were notable when using the camera. Too small for me to identify they were there and someone with more experience may have luck.5. When looking at prepared slides the camera worked flawlessly and gave exceptional views of butterfly wings and some insect samples i was looking at.

Software way out of date, I could not make it work with Win 7 so had to send it back. Could not find any customer support.

I've not used it a lot so far but it seems to work well. I keep an old laptop by the microscope for capturing photos with this and have them sync to google drive. The mechanical attachment to the microscope seems a bit screwy but it works ok

This camera gives a maximum 5mm x 5mm viewing area. Yes you read correctly and I thought I was doing something wrong. To be certain I called Amscope and the rep who assured me that this camera has the equivalent to 40x magnification. I was going to post some pictures but I will give you a visual. The tip of #2 pencil when fully sharpened will not fit in the frame of view of this camera. In fact, you would need to take two snap shots to fit it all in. The Amsocpe rep stated their MU300 would be a better choice, but would still have a magnification of about 25 to 30x. He said they do not make a camera that would give you the same view with a 5x, 10x or 20x eye piece.The software works well as does the camera. The images it does produce are excellent, But unless you only want to see extremely small objects its kind of useless. If you are expecting anywhere near the image you see with your eyepiece forget it. Your needs may vary so keep this in mind before you order. For $90.00 I decided to keep it for the novelty of it. You never know when you will need to find a gnat on a fly's behind.Edit 1/18/17 I added an image of the crown in a ladies watch. This crown measures 3.2 mm, What you see in this image in the entire field of view for this camera.If you found this review helpful please click the appropriated button below. Thank you.