MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

I have a cheap microscope (Amscope M500) with a 60x objective. When I adjust the diaphragm for high depth of field and I support the view with horizontal light, I can see bacteria rather well (albeit--they are very small). I can focus carefully to see shape and movement.

What interests me here is that these microbes show the same "persist until" behavior that higher animals show. That does not look strictly mechanical.

That's a white blood cell right? Then it's not as creepy as I thought.

The biofilm is a trap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp9hfDWFG5o

I found out that if you hold onto the focus knob for about 5 seconds the stage stops sinking.

What does afocal mean? In the afocal technique, you capture the exit pupil of an eyepiece with a lens mounted device. In other words, the most common practice of afocal photography, in astronomy or microscopy, consists of placing your phone in front of the eyepiece, hopefully with an adapter to get...

Creepy enough for a monster movie!

Some of my best images because the rotifer's motion was impeded by the film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mamu5ellmrU

What does afocal mean?

The M500 uses an incandescent lamp. I arranges an LED light over the lamp housing so I don't use thr incandescent light very often. Yes the mechanical stage moves the slide around horizontal and vertical by turning dials. You have to get the one made for this microscope. It's not expensive.

I disagree that dust isn't interesting. There is a great variety of fiber in dust, from spider silk to human hair, each with a unique visual footprint.

What is your equipment like? Bugs are much too big for microscopes.
Welcome from Winnipeg.

The bonus is that I can watch changes in the environment like the formation of biofilm and its effects on the organisms. The growth of the bacteria population. The downside is that I get little variety or range in the kinds of organisms. It's the kind of organisms that cling to grass not the ones fr...

a second look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkupf-O9kLw

Mine is just in a jar--a fistful of old leaves in water.

Although they look opaque under the side-illuminated microscope, the surfaces supporting bacteria and yeast colonies are really tansparent. I found this to be true of a lot of surfaces (the skins of plants, etc) that I observe. I took some pictures of the upper layer and the layer below it for two p...

The cream cheese has met its maker.

This morning when I opened my cream cheese, I found mold on a corner of the container. I took a sample of the mold and brought it to my microscope. An hour later, I started to examine it. When I took the sample I ruined the distinct spot where the mold grew. I smeared a small amount of the cheese on...

Wow! Thanks.

That's what it's all about.

Two ciliates locked together. Romance? Asexual reproduction? What?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T930dMbxuI

I recommend the Amscope 500. It costs bit more but it has a real condenser and 4 objectives. You should make sure you buy a mechanical stage. You might want to replace the 100x oil immersion lens with the 60x plane objective.

I have an Amscope M500 with a Hayear eyepiece camera. I use the 60x objective. Two flaslhights mounted on stands supply sidelight and a movable led light that slides back and forth under the condenser works like a changeable block filter for dark field. I don't use the main light very often. In phot...

I started with a similar camera still images were just fine. When I used to make motion videos, I found the videos were very jerky. Those eyepiece cameras are very easy to use. You will make a lot of great pictures. I use mine to view through the mIcroscope. I never use the eyepiece.