What are you using for Molt-Confirmed Gender ID

[viper69]

I am going to purchase a small digital "microscope" that someone on the forum here used and it produced great images. That was a couple years ago however.

I'd like to see/know what other people using.

Here's the item I'm thinking of getting.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...liid=I1CXLM7SY881SI&ref_=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl

If the link doesn't work, here's the product name,
Celestron 5 MP Handheld Digital Microscope Pro

 

[14pokies]

A really cheap option is the cheapo universal cell phone macro lens you can get at walmart. Its basically junk as far as macro lenses go but works good for things like that.

 

[Bugmom]

I use a generic "kids" microscope, but I don't try to sex anything under 1.5" and I don't try to photograph it.

The one you linked to looks nice though.

What is the size/age/instar when a T can be sexed, anyway? I thought it took X amount of time/molts before the sex organs are developed.

 

[Hobo]

I use this, I bought it for $10 dollars at a Chinese night market.

I use my cellphone balanced precariously on the eyepiece to take photos. Not too bad for $10

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I always used a magnifying glass like Sherlock. Not anymore today, because since 2003 i buy only 0.1 juvenile/adults from trusted.

 

[z32upgrader]

There are two different microscopes I use to sex Ts. The first one I used to produce this video:
Video
Microscope #1
Example of a photo taken with it and an iPod touch:


The second one is not as versatile, set permanently at 30X but is much easier to work with if you wish to take pictures or video with multiple devices as it fits most mobile devices with a lens. The only problem is you can't look through it yourself and you have to be right on the molt to be in focus which can cause the molt to be pushed around and cover what you're looking for.
Microscope #2

 

[Ashton]

The thing that I'm currently using since my little $10 microscope broke is a really nice one that my AP Bio teacher lets me use in exchange for molts and other things like that.

 

[Sam_Peanuts]

Every time I look at getting a microscope, I give up because it would cost too much money to get a decent one and I can't bring myself to buy a cheap one.

I use my 100mm macro lens with my DSLR on a tripod which is good enough for the job starting at juvenile, but I plan on getting a couple of raynox super macro lens(DCR-250 and MSN-505) to use at the end of my macro lens so that I can be able to easily see much smaller molts. As a bonus, I'll also be able to take great pictures of anything tiny.

 

[peterUK]

This is what i use > > > LINK < < <

 

[truecreature]

A really cheap option is the cheapo universal cell phone macro lens you can get at walmart. Its basically junk as far as macro lenses go but works good for things like that.

I might try that one out, I'm absolute garbage at trying to sex a molt through eyeballing alone but don't want to spend a good chunk of money on a collection this small

 

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

I ventral sex with x-ray eyes it helps me become more experiance with ventral sexing.

 

[viper69]

Thanks everyone for your input. I thought of getting a stereo microscope actually, but I think for now I'll opt for what I saw from the forum member. Hobo glad you are still around, nice image for 10$