Discovery Artisan 128 Digital Microscope User Manual

: June 5, 2024
: Discovery

Table of Contents

Discovery Artisan 128 Digital Microscope
Microscope parts
Microscope assembly
Using the microscope
PortableCapture Pro software
Calibrating
- Recalibration
Measurements
- Draw and text
Working with the application for Mac OS users
Care and maintenance
Battery safety instructions
Specifications
- System requirements
- Levenhuk Warranty
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

Discovery Artisan 128 Digital Microscope

Discovery-Artisan-128-Digital-Microscope-product-image

Microscope parts

The kit includes: microscope, rechargeable battery, power cable, USB cable, RCA cable, Discovery Artisan installation CD, cleaning cloth, user guide, calibration scale.

LCD display
MicroSD card slot
Fine focus knob
Microscope optical tube
Stage
Coarse focus knob
Focus lock knob
Shutter button
Brightness adjustment wheel
Magnification adjustment wheel
Power cable socket
RCA socket
USB socket
Battery compartment
Battery status indicator
Function keys

Microscope assembly

Open the battery compartment at the bottom of the microscope base. Insert the battery into the battery compartment matching the indicated polarity. The battery has to be fully charged before turning the microscope on for the first time. Plug the power cable into the power cable socket on the microscope body (11) and connect it to a power source. The battery status indicator (15) will turn red. Once the battery is fully charged, the indicator will go out. You can now disconnect the microscope from the power source and turn it on. The fully-charged battery allows you to use the microscope for two hours. The illumination will grow dim and the image quality will decrease to inform you that the battery is low. Charge the battery, as described above. A microSD card (purchased separately) is required to save captured images and recorded videos. Turn the microscope off and insert the microSD card into the corresponding slot on the microscope body until it locks in place with a click. Do not apply excessive force when inserting
the microSD card. Try rotating the card, if it does not lock in place with ease. Format the card before using it. To turn the microscope on press the power button (16). To turn the microscope off press the power button (16) again (refer to Power saving for more information).

Using the microscope

Capturing an image

Turn the microscope on and place a specimen on the stage. Adjust the illumination brightness, so that the specimen is evenly lit. Change magnification and focus your view, if necessary, then lock the results in place with the focus lock knob (7). Press the shutter button (8).

Recording a video

Press the ◄ key (16) to switch to video mode. The icon in the upper left corner of the screen will change in confirmation. Press the shutter button (8) to start recording and press it again to stop.

Playing recorded videos

Press the ◄ key (16) to switch to playback mode. The icon in the upper left corner of the screen will change in confirmation. Select the desired video clip with scroll keys (16) and press OK to play it.

Deleting files

When browsing saved files, press the Wrench key (16), select Delete… press OK to confirm selection (you can choose to delete everything or just the selected file from the displayed menu).

Protecting files

When browsing saved files, press the Wrench key (16), select Protect press OK confirm selection (you can choose to protect everything or just the selected file from the displayed menu).

Slideshow

When browsing saved files, press the Wrench key (16), select Slide Show and press OK to confirm selection.
Interface color mode
When browsing saved files, press the ▲ key to switch between existing interface color modes.

Magnification

Scroll the magnification adjustment wheel (10) to zoom your view in or out.
Note: magnification range of Discovery Artisan 128 is 1—4x.

Transferring files to a computer

Connect the microscope to your computer with a USB cable and, when the AutoPlay window appears, choose to use the microscope as an external storage device.

Press the Wrench key (16) to open the main menu. From this menu you can set image resolution, adjust image quality and sharpness, as well as set parameters for sequence capture.

Resolution

Select Resolution the main menu choose the required image resolution.
Press OK to confirm selection.
Note: model supports the following resolutions: VGA / 1.3M / 3M / 5M / 8M / 12M.

Sequence capture

Select Timer from the main menu and set the total number of images to be captured in the Frames dialog window. Confirm your selection by pressing OK. A new dialog window will appear where you can set the interval between images using the ▲ and ▼ keys. Press OK to confirm and ◄ to return to capture mode. Press the shutter button to start capturing images. The icon in the upper left corner will change in confirmation. Once the set number of images has been captured, the screen will return to standard capture mode. Press the shutter button at any time to stop sequence capture.

Quality

Select Quality from the main menu and choose one of the existing settings. This will change the compression rate of captured images.

Sharpness

Select Sharpness from the main menu and choose one of the existing settings.

Language

Select Language from the main menu and choose one of the existing settings. Press OK to confirm selection.

Power saving

Select Power Save from the main menu and set the idle time before the microscope automatically shuts down.

Display frequency

Select Frequency from the main menu and choose one of the existing settings. Press OK to confirm selection.

Date and time display

Select Date Stamp from the main menu and choose one of the existing settings. You can opt to display the date or both date and time. Press OK to confirm selection.

TV connection

Select TV Out from the main menu and choose one of the existing settings. Press OK to confirm selection.

Date and time

Select Date/Time from the main menu and set the current date and time. Press OK to confirm entry. You can also choose one of the following date formats: YY/MM/DD, DD/MM/YY or MM/DD/YY.

Format SD card

Select Format SD from the main menu to format the installed memory card.

Settings reset

Select Sys. Reset from the main menu to revert back to factory settings.

Hardware version

Select Version from the main menu to check the current hardware version.
Connecting the microscope to a TV-set
Plug the RCA cable into the microscope and connect it to your TV-set (refer to the User Guide of your TV-set for additional information). Turn on the TV and select the correct channel from the corresponding menu of the TV-set (refer to the User Guide of your TV-set for additional information).

PortableCapture Pro software

Insert the installation CD into your CD drive. The Main Menu window will be displayed. Select PortableCapture software to install the PortableCapture Pro application. Keep in mind that a system restart will be required during installation.The installation CD contains a copy of this User Guide, which you can read by clicking the corresponding entry in the Main Menu.
Connect the microscope to your PC with a USB cable and run the PortableCapture Pro application. A pop-up message will warn you if the microscope is not connected to the PC.
Note: function keys are disabled when the microscope is connected to a computer as a camera. The microscope is operated through the PortableCapture Pro application. All the images and videos will be saved to the computer’s hard drive.

Capture an image
Start and stop video recording
Sequence capture (you can set the time to begin capturing images or videos, interval between them, video duration and the number of images or videos to be captured)
Full screen mode. To exit full screen mode, press Escape on your keyboard or double-click anywhere on the screen
Save as
Copy to clipboard
Copy file
Previous image
Next image
Undo the last action
Repeat the last action
Draw
Text
Measurement
Calibration

File

Photos Directory: set a directory for captured images.
Videos Directory: set a directory for recorded videos.

Options

Resolution: set image resolution.
Date/Time: hide or display date and time of capture during preview.
Language: change the language of the user interface.
Crossing: hide or display a grid on images.
Full screen mode: go full screen.

Capture

Photo: capture an image.
Video: record a video.

Capturing an image

Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar or select Photo from the Capture menu.

Recording a video

Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar or select Video from the Capture menu.

Sequence capture

Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar. A dialog window will appear where you can set a number of parameters for sequence capture. Click the Photo radio button to set the time to begin capturing images, interval between them and the total number of images. Click the Video radio button to set the time to begin recording videos, their duration, interval between them and the total number of clips.

Calibrating

Before calibrating the microscope, turn the grid display on. To do so, select on from Options > Crossing. By default, the grid is visible. Place the calibration scale on the stage and focus your view. Make sure that the vertical axis of the grid is parallel to scale divisions and capture an image. Double-click the image thumbnail to open it in a separate window.
Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar to begin calibration. Using your mouse, choose two points on the image (you have to know the actual distance between these two points). Once you choose the second point, a dialog window will open, where you have to enter the known distance in the Actual dimension field. The application will automatically calculate the magnification of the image. Click OK to close the dialog window. The calculated magnification will be displayed in the Magnification field.
Note: chosen points should form a horizontal line. You can check calibration results by measuring the same distance with the Any Angle Line tool. Click the measurements icon, choose the Any Angle Line tool and draw a similar line on the image. If the measured distance is equal to the actual distance, calibration has been successful.

Recalibration

The calibration process has to be repeated if the magnification or focus has been changed during observations. Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar again and select Reset picture magnification from Reset magnification. Repeat the calibration process, as described above. Change the magnification and capture a few images. Double-click one of the thumbnails to open the resulting image in a preview window. Click the calibration icon on the toolbar and select Set picture magnification from Set magnification. Enter the current magnification in the dialog window that appears and click OK.
If you want to use the same magnification when capturing images in the future, click the calibration icon on the toolbar and select Set capture magnification from Set magnification.

Measurements

It is recommended to calibrate the system before proceeding with measurements.
Any Angle Line. Press and hold the left mouse button to start drawing a line. Release the left mouse button to complete the line.
Continuous Line. Use this tool to draw a curve on the image and measure its length.
Radius Circle. Draw a straight line on the image. The application will automatically calculate the radius, as well as circumference and area of the corresponding circle.
Diameter Circle. Draw a straight line on the image. The application will automatically calculate the diameter, as well as circumference and area of the corresponding circle.
Three Points Angle. Place three points on the image with your mouse. The application will automatically calculate the angle value.

Draw and text

PortableCapture Pro allows you to add drawings and textboxes to your images. Open an image in a preview window and click the Pencil icon on the toolbar. Select one of the tools from the drop-down menu and draw something on the image. By clicking the TT icon on the toolbar, you can edit font type and color to be used in textboxes.

Working with the application for Mac OS users

Browse to the mac folder on the installation CD and copy PortableCapture Pro file to the desktop. Use a USB cable to connect the microscope to your computer. Run the PortableCapture Pro application by double-clicking its icon.
A magnified image of the observed specimen may be seen in the main window of the application. From the Options menu, select Preview Size to set the image resolution. Keep in mind that the preview window cannot be resized (standard resolution is 640×480). The image resolution is shown in the bottom left corner of the preview window.
From the Options menu, select Date/Time to display or hide the date and time of capture during preview.
Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar or select Photo from the Capture menu to capture an image. An image thumbnail will appear on the right side of the main window. Click the corresponding icon on the toolbar or select Video from the Capture menu to start recording a video. A video thumbnail will appear on the right side of the main window.
Note: during recording, the camcorder icon on the toolbar will turn red. Click the icon again to stop recording.
Image and video thumbnails are displayed on the right side of the main window of the application. Double-click an image thumbnail to open it in a separate preview window. Editing images with Portable Capture Pro application is similar to working with other applications in Mac OS.

Care and maintenance

Never, under any circumstances, look directly at the Sun, another bright source of light or at a laser through this device, as this may cause PERMANENT RETINAL DAMAGE and may lead to BLINDNESS. White LEDs are very bright; do not look at them as this may cause permanent damage to your vision. Take necessary precautions when using the device with children or others who have not read or who do not fully understand these instructions. After unpacking your microscope and before using it for the first time check for integrity and durability of every component and connection. Do not try to disassemble the device on your own for any reason. For repairs and cleaning of any kind, please contact your local specialized service center. Protect the device from sudden impact and excessive mechanical force. Do not apply excessive pressure when adjusting focus. Do not overtighten the locking screws. Do not touch the optical surfaces with your fingers. To clean the device exterior, use only special cleaning wipes and special optics cleaning tools from Levenhuk. Abrasive particles, such as sand, should not be wiped off lenses, but instead blown off or brushed away with a soft brush. Do not use the device for lengthy periods of time, or leave it unattended in direct sunlight. Keep the device away from water and high humidity. Be careful during your observations, always replace the dust cover after you are finished with observations to protect the device from dust and stains. If you are not using your microscope for extended periods of time, store the objective lenses and eyepieces separately from the microscope. Store the device in a dry, cool place away from hazardous acids and other chemicals, away from heaters, open fire and other sources of high temperatures. To avoid data loss or equipment damage, always close the application first, and then disconnect the microscope from your PC. Wait until the illumination goes off completely, and disconnect the microscope. Seek medical advice immediately if a small part or a battery is swallowed.

Battery safety instructions

Always purchase the correct size and grade of battery most suitable for the intended use. Always replace the whole set of batteries at one time; taking care not to mix old and new ones, or batteries of different types. Clean the battery contacts and also those of the device prior to battery installation. Make sure the batteries are installed correctly with regard to polarity (+ and –). Remove batteries from equipment that is not to be used for an extended period of time. Remove used batteries promptly. Never short-circuit batteries as this may lead to high temperatures, leakage, or explosion. Never heat batteries in order to revive them. Do not disassemble batteries. Remember to switch off devices after use. Keep batteries out of the reach of children, to avoid risk of ingestion, suffocation, or poisoning. Utilize used batteries as prescribed by your country’s laws.

Specifications

Image sensor : 5Mpx (up to 12Mpx by interpolation)
Magnification : 20—200—500x
Available image resolutions Photo/video format : 12Mpx, 8Mpx, 5Mpx, 3Mpx, 1.3Mpx, VGA
Memory card : .jpeg/.avi
Objective lens : microSD up to 32Gb (not included)
Display : High-quality lens
Illumination : 3.5″ TFT-display, 4:3 ratio
Power source : 8-LED system with variable brightness
Frame rate : Li-ion battery (3.7V/1050 mAh) Operation time: 2 hours, charging time: 2 hours
Power cable : 30fps
OS language : 100—240V, 50/60Hz; 5V, 1A output
Software language : English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese
Dimensions (HхWхD) : English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Dutch,
Weight : Japanese, Korean, Chinese 227 x 104 x 149mm 760g (with the battery)

The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the product range and specifications without prior notice.

System requirements

Operating system: Windows 7/8/10, Mac 10.6~10.15
CPU: at least P4 1.8GHz, RAM: 512MB, interface: USB 2.0

Levenhuk Warranty

Levenhuk products, except for their accessories, carry a 10-year warranty against defects in materials and workmanship. All Levenhuk accessories are warranted to be free of defects in materials and workmanship for six months from the purchase date. The warranty entitles you to the free repair or replacement of the Levenhuk product in any country where a Levenhuk office is located if all the warranty conditions are met.
For further details please visit: www.levenhuk.com/warranty
If warranty problems arise, or if you need assistance in using your product, contact the local Levenhuk branch.