Please Help Me - 50th Birthday Gift Ideas!?

If you want a VERY useful piece of equipment I recommend a hand-held semiconductor analyzer, similar to this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Atlas-DCA55-Semiconductor-Analyzer/dp/B005NIR8G8

I also have their LCR meter. If you get the tweezers option, you can identify SMT components with no body markings.

**broken link removed**

The SE400Z is the cheapest microscope from the AmScope range that is suitable for electronics work. It is closer to your budget https://www.amscope.com/5x-10x-binocular-boom-arm-stereo-microscope-with-led-gooseneck-light.html.

https://www.amazon.com/AmScope-SE40...9389133&sr=8-1&keywords=amscope+se+wf5x+wf10x

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AmScope-SE400X-5X-10X-Binocular-Microscope/dp/B0056X4RRS




https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/AmScope...192095?hash=item5d3b70939f:g:Pw4AAOSwbdpWYnDh

If your old man is into building things you can get the above as kits, probably not as good but still usefull.

This thread may be of interest. It mainly covers the Optivisor headband magnifier: https://www.electro-tech-online.com/threads/headband-magifiers.148288/#post-1266244

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An LC meter is very handy. Also, a super fine tip soldering iron (12w) and some .15 solder is great for working with surface mount parts. I also found some sockets that let you put surface mount parts into a regular breadboard. A function generator is handy too. There are some pretty cheap ones that will go up to 2 MHz on Amazon. Does he own a copy of The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill? Great book.

Thanks guys. I have bought a product that should give my pa an inside into the world of digital microscopes.