Plant Product Review - LINKMICRO LM203 Digital Microscope with 4in Screen and Optional Stand
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A portable microscope allows you to zoom into things without preparing slides and is generally easier to use than a professional microscope. There are a variety of portable microscopes available on the market; however, all things considered, this one is our favorite for several reasons.
When it comes to identifying plants pests on your plants, being able to see the pests is an important first step. Since most plant pests are incredibly small, simply seeing them is a challenge in and of itself, identifying which exact pest it is can be next to impossible. That is, unless you have a portable microscope! That’s where the LINKMICRO LM203 comes in.
Product Overview
The LINKMICRO LM203 is a handheld digital microscope that is designed to let you zoom into objects on the go. This represents a major benefit over traditional stationary microscopes. With a traditional laboratory grade microscope, you need to prepare your sample on a slide which involves sandwiching the sample between two sheets of glass. For obvious reasons, this method poses problems if you’re looking to identify pests on a living plant.
In addition to it’s impressive magnification capabilities, the LM203 is also equipped with an LED light that can be dimmed to different brightnesses. The light helps to illuminate the object being observed.
LINKMICRO LM203 front view of lens and LED lights that light your subject up for easier viewing.
This digital microscope allows you to take both pictures and videos of whatever you’re magnifying. These media are saved onto the included onboard SD card rather than shared over Wi-Fi or direct connection to your smartphone or computer. Other digital microscopes require you to download third-party apps on your phone which may not be safe.
LINKMICRO LM203 Digital Microscope In Review
Cost
The LINKMICRO LM203 is not the cheapest digital microscope on the market. Additionally, there are several analog portable microscopes that are cheaper still. The price for the LM203 will vary depending on whether you opt for the optional stand (a very useful addition for taking pictures and videos). The price of the LM203 is more than worth it when you consider all of the features it offers vs the competition.
Function
Functionality is where the LINKMICRO LM203 shines most. The device allows you to magnify very small objects with impressive detail. It includes an onboard light to get a better view of your subject. Taking pictures and videos that are saved directly onto the SD included with the digital microscope. The LM203 is recharged with the included micro USB cord.
The control button layout on the LINKMICRO LM203.
Ease of Use
The LINKMICRO LM203 provides an impressive level of magnification and has a 4in screen on which the display is shown. This large output area is much nicer than the very small, often analog (no screen), viewing window you get on other portable microscopes on the market. Most microscopes with larger higher resolution screens are all stationary and don’t offer the ease of use the LINKMICRO provides.
Where the LM203 could be improved is its software and the hinged plastic strip that covers the charging port and the micro SD card slot. The menus are not the most intuitive and you’ll need to take a few minutes to understand how to navigate them. The plastic strip that covers the ports can be difficult to pull out to access the ports. Neither of these issues should be a deal-breaker for someone thinking of purchasing the LM203 but they are areas the developer can improve on!
The biggest issue with the LM203 is the image quality of the pictures. While you shouldn’t be expecting DSLR quality images from this device, they could be a bit better. The main issue with image quality is the stability of the microscope when you take a picture. Given the magnification, any small movement of the device translates to a much larger movement on screen. As a result, when you press the button to take a picture, it can jerk the screen resulting in a blurred mess of an image. Try to be as static as possible when taking pictures, the stand is helpful for this!
Two-Spot Spider Mite Close-Up using the LINKMICRO LM203 Digital Microscope.
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Reliability
The LM203’s quality isn’t as high as a professional microscope, the build quality is as expected given the price bracket this device is in. The battery life is decent (you can get several hours out of a single charge) and the unit should last a few years or more providing it doesn’t get damaged.
Overall Value
Overall, while the LINKMICRO LM203 is not the highest quality microscope, given its portability, the LM203 represents a great value for money. This is not a microscope you can use to research or see plant cells or anything on that scale but it does offer decent magnification and picture and video recording all while bing lightweight and mobile.
Examine your plants up close at a magnification that is ideal for identifying plant pests, unknown spots, and plant structures such as trichomes! Take pictures and record videos with the LINKMICRO LM203 digital microscope. Any issues with your plants that are too small to see with the naked eye won't be a problem anymore when you can zoom in and see things up close!
LINKMICRO LM203 Digital Microscope Final Word
If you're looking for a portable digital microscope to identify plant pests or otherwise explore small objects in greater detail, the LINKMICRO LM203 can help you do just that while not breaking the bank. For plant parents in particular, having a portable microscope to identify spots, marks, and debris on your plant leaves is very helpful.
We like this microscope as it offers features and versatility at a price point that is realistic. The build quality of the device is what you’d expect given the price tag which is unsurprising. All-in-all, the LM203 is a handy little device to have around and can help you identify plant issues so you can take action to protect your plants.