New Mantis Compact inspection scope arrived, with articulated boom arm.  The Mantis on the left with the standard binocular AmScope on the right.

This scope provides a great 3D view, without peering through little eye pieces.  The Mantis provides a much sharper image than the Amscope’s optics.  And you can shift sligtly while looking through the Mantis and change your perspective of the board, this is very handy for getting a better perspective when working on small devices.

The AmScope is still handy for high magnification (up to 200x), but most inspection work is in the 4x –  8x range, and the Mantis is great for that.

The optional articulating arm provides good reach across the workbench, and was a worthwhile option.