Use your spare lenses to make a microscope!

[Grix]

Got some spare laser lenses lying around? Use them to make a dirt cheap microscope!

Basically, all you need is to rig it up so that the lens is around one centimeter (should be adjustable) above a dish where you put what you want to look at, and allow for a flashlight to illuminate the dish from below or sideways. I have a 3d printer, so I printed the skeleton and glued on some bolts which let me adjust the distance from the lens. Then I can put my phone camera on the lens and get a digital look and further zoom.

Here is what mine looks like:

The quality and zoom level depends on what lens (or how many stacked lenses!), and camera you use. I just use a regular plastic aixiz lens (a bit dirty too) so you can probably get a lot better results than I did. My whole microscope cost just $4 or so.

Some test photos:

Some dead skin

Tip of a knife

A leaf

 

[vortish]

very cool thanks for pointing this out +1

 

[bdgreenb]

so the "front side" of the lens in the one away from the dish?
?
Light-> Dish-> "backside of lens"(traditionally where a laser would go into)-> Frontside of lens

 

[Grix]

so the "front side" of the lens in the one away from the dish?
?
Light-> Dish-> "backside of lens"(traditionally where a laser would go into)-> Frontside of lens

I actually don't remember which way I flipped the lens, heh. I think it magnifies both ways though, but one way might be a bit distorted.