A heating stage has been developed to perform in-situ annealing in a SEM equipped with an EBSD system in order to study recrystallization mechanisms. High temperature treatments could then be performed inside the SEM, up to 1180 Degree-Sign C and with high heating and cooling rates ({approx} 100 Degree-Sign C s{sup -1}). Samples were cooled down to room temperature to perform EBSD orientation mapping in between successive short-duration heat treatments. Microstructure evolution snapshots obtained this way allow gaining an insight into recrystallization mechanisms. The interest of such experiments is shown for two examples: static recrystallization of cold deformed pure tantalum and post-dynamic evolution of hot-deformed Zircaloy4. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Heating stage for in-SEM annealing at high temperature (up to 1200 Degree-Sign C). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High heating and cooling rates (100 Degree-Sign C s{sup -1}), no temperature overshoot. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sequential observation of very fast recrystallization mechanisms.