This DIY digital microscope project looked like a no-brainer to experiment with. So, I did. What makes the project work is the lens from a cheapy keychain laser pointer. I picked one up at CVS (the Laser Chase II) for under $3.00:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcMN6ayptGHjt6aKTUiOadSs430Obe-XA1pecXtbGeIPbeOO3yD1rWOtKwWROpeGZaNJ9vYqzHmZ9aysMt5p-ckSvRxhWpUc3Ui0M-xBcFT1djcv94SAIae4VsSTjSR7TUXJp/s580/20160306_130153.jpg)
I took a needle nose pliars to it and ripped it shreds. When I was done, I had the tiny lens extracted. As suggested here, I mounted the lens by fitting it into a bobby pin and taping the bobby pin to the phone. Here was my setup, minus a tripod:
Yes, I'm using a bit Play-Doh to keep the flashlight upright in that plastic cup. And yes, I used the packaging of the laser pointer to make a slide and base for my samples. Hey, use what you've got, right?
And the results? Well, I certainly got up-close photos. I'm not sure I really captured anything that remarkable, but I'll have to keep an eye out for some more interesting specimens. The photos below are of a snippet of leaf and my saliva. As quick experiments go, I've got to say, this is a fun one. For $3.00 and 20 minutes of your time, it's hard to beat.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HGqWG1wqpbP1xmHKm-SpwQvhV58RIRH3qXO81PrhSC7feeJ96qsyAylWjAX923cVkj4y3qKo0DDOoCnLHTpYI0DEDH91bBF0DYe2Xf4UPqq1l3eAkYOOJYlgZKuZdejL-Mmh/s580/20160309_114213.jpg)
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixua0sgJ9bwCo1F4cwvS3jFIlZLDIT_bGW0jlVgLFGCRjJ9rdVHnhrlEdAeGKBPFktx3zqf50x-I2rJMmO3QhZbZO1mhL7nrBz6FMDwRxqqoXSuqHYTTxxfVZt0a4NiMiNy3eS/s580/20160309_114830.jpg)
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What the video that inspired this all:
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