Using a camera/monitor as a SMT microscope

Documentation? I suppose so. Assembly? Just what do you have in mind?

For photography, you will need macro spacers. I don't know what terminology Nikon uses, but the idea is you increase the distance from the back of the lens mount to the camera, which allows close focus but ruins focus at infinity. If you google macrophotography could should dig up something useful.

A crude equation to figure out the field of view is [Focal Plane] / [Field of View] = [Focal Length] / [Distance to Target]

"focal plane" is the dimension of the CCD sensor "field of view" is the dimension of what you are photographing.

This equation is true at infinite distance, but it should get you in the ball park for macrophotography. Generally a ring strobe is used to illuminate the object. If the board is relatively flat, you might get by with high intensity lights at each side.

I really encourage you to get a microscope. I don't see how you can repair a PCB with surface mount parts without one. A stereo scope is about $300 or so at an electronics fleamarket, say B&L Stereozoom 3.

For example:

Soldering iron, tweezers, that sort of thing.

Yes. Some lenses have macro capability built in (a switch, for example).

You want some working space under the lens whatever the device is. A ring illuminator (fiber optic, fluorescent or LED) is a possibility.

What about this kind of thing?

Modern wirebonders seem to use monitors as well.

I'm myopic so I can just get very close for moderately tiny parts, and I've placed quite a few that way, but it's not convenient and risks flux splashes in the eye or worse, and I end up inhaling more flux fumes than I'd like. For micromachining I use one of those magnifying lamps mostly to keep some glass between the sharp stuff and my eyes.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

The macro lenses don't allow much working room. That is why you are better off just using a "normal" lens and a spacer. The spacers are just "air" and a bit of electronics for a modern camera.

I have some of the older "ring" CCFTs for illumination. I think today you could just roll your own out of white leds.

The B&L Stereozoom are really designed for the assembly task. Lots of working room. The Nikon you linked may not have enough working distance.

I'm probably stating the obvious here, but you need a clear glass filter over your optics, otherwise the optics will accumulate vapors from the flux.

I still prefer the long arm and heavy base setup. You can place "boxed" electronics underneath it.

Some of the "higher number" B&L Stereozooms have cheesy plastic parts inside. I don't know the break point. I do know the Stereozoom 3 is a battleship. If you work at it, you can probably piece together a system, i.e. get the scope, arm, etc. individually. in my case, I found one all set up, got to play with it in the flesh, and paid top dollar. [$300 about 10 or so years ago.]

The video hookup is ok when you are interfacing with another person. You know, you point at the screen, stuff like that. But there is nothing like looking through optics directly

The magnifier you mentioned sounds like a Luxo (or Chinese copy). They have their use, but since I got a microscope, the Luxo doesn't see much action. ;-) They do get used on CSI all the time.