Big Problems with New Microscope

[whitnasty1]

What's going on everybody? Well I finally received my new USB Microscope today and after messing around with it for about thirty minutes, I can not get this thing to focus on ANYTHING. I have been trying to look at a PIC18 surface mount chip and there is really only one magnification level that works at all, which according to the focus wheel is about 20x. At that level the part looks decent. But if I move it beyond that point whatsoever, you can't even tell what you are looking at. I have tried adjusting the LED brightness, how far away from the board the actual microscope is, and I am having absolutely no luck at all. If anyone could provide me with any help at all, I would greatly appreciate it. I am getting an image quality that is absolutely nothing like what it shows on the website. I don't know if I am missing anything, but I have read the manual quite thoroughly and it seems like I am doing everything right. I don't know if I received a faulty microscope or what, but I can only see what I am looking at, at a single magnification level, anything above or below that, and you can not see what you are looking at. Please help me out with this issue, I have a project that is due Wednesday and I have to take different magnification snapshots with this microscope, and if I can not get this thing to work I am in some serious trouble!!

[whitnasty1]

I mean literally, the only way that I can get any sort of magnification at all out of this thing is if the plastic cap on the microscope is actually touching the board I am trying to work on, the main reason that I got this thing was to take pictures and try to do some SMD soldering under it, but you can absolutely forget that. If I place the microscope 4-5 inches away from the board the only magnification that works is the least possible and it is fuzzy, I don't see how it is at all possible to get this thing anywhere near the full magnification. If this is how this microscope is supposed to work, this is the most disappointing product I have ever touched in my life. Hopefully, I can get this figure out, but in the state that it is in, this is a paperweight. Does this thing auto focus or something, if it does it's the worst I have ever seen.

[adafruit_support_bill]

the only way that I can get any sort of magnification at all out of this thing is if the plastic cap on the microscope is actually touching the board

The cap is to keep dirt from the lens. Remove it before trying to use the microscope.

If I place the microscope 4-5 inches away from the board the only magnification that works is the least possible and it is fuzzy

The higher the magnification, the closer it needs to be. At maximum magnification, the lens will be less than an inch from the subject.

Does this thing auto focus or something

No. It does not have autofocus.

[whitnasty1]

So how do I focus this thing? Because pretty much no matter what the image looks awful. I have no idea how someone was able to get that picture of the die in the old UV erasable IC's. Also how do I take this dirt cap off?

[adafruit_support_bill]

There is a small tab on the side of the cap. Just pull on it to remove the cap.
Focus is adjusted by moving the scope relative to the subject until it is in focus. At high magnifications, tiny movements are magnified also. You will want to use the stand will help to steady it.