Stereomicroscope Help

Have a problem finding shops that sell specific materials? Ask here. Are you looking for microscope parts? Do you have anything to offer for sale? Note: this is not a section for external companies to advertise their products.
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Ilex crenata
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Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2020 8:04 pm

Stereomicroscope Help

#1 Post by Ilex crenata » Wed Apr 01, 2020 6:39 pm

Hello,
I am just working out the sort of stereomicroscope to buy given my interests. I had a Vickers transmitted light stereomicroscope many years ago (I was about six or seven).

Best to be a well-known maker and not so old as to make parts a bother. Second hand is ideal, probably better quality than I could afford new, but can't commit now.

I have been looking at magnifications, ranges seem to be between 1x-80x depending on cost– but in my limited experience of high power work magnification is a highly superficial measure of usefulness. The achro/apo (correction for two or three wavelengths, yes?) distinction is probably beyond me as a beginner, but I strongly suspect plan objectives are a huge advantage here.

Interests -

Coarse structural botany – flowers, sori, moss-sporophytes, club-mosses.
Fossils – especially fossil arthropods and fossil botany.
General entomology.
All of these strike me as probable incident light applications.


Another very useful, indeed essential thing, would be the capacity to attach a camera, ideally a dedicated one, to be fitted up to a laptop for imaging purposes.
As complete an outfit as possible as I am a beginner.

Advice warmly welcome.
Last edited by Ilex crenata on Fri Apr 03, 2020 10:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Ilex crenata
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#2 Post by Ilex crenata » Wed Apr 01, 2020 7:33 pm

PS Edit - Struck a seam of Brunel! Does anyone else have their instruments? They seem good on paper but interested for opinions.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#3 Post by Scarodactyl » Thu Apr 02, 2020 1:41 am

Brunel offers used microscopes, and some of them look like darned good deals.
For 2k you could get something pretty top end, like an Olympus SZH/SZX series, Nikon SMZ-u/SMZ800/1000, Wild M8, Leica MZ75/8/95, Zeiss Stemi SV8/SV11 or something in that tier. But you don't need to start out on one of those. A more basic but good stereo will give you an idea of what you really want, whether it's a higher end stereo system or something else.
Here are a couple of my favorite picks from Brunel's used lineup:
http://www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/nikon.html
They have a "nikon szm" listed here--this is actually an SMZ-2 (not to be confused with the SMZ-2b or -2T). The nikon SMZ series are all good zooming stereos and for around 200 pounds this one is a good deal.
Also listed on that page is a "Nikon Long Arm Stereomicroscope" which is a Nikon SMZ-10--this is also a good stereo but that double-headed configuration isn't going to be great to use, if you get one of those you want the normal trinocular head on it.
http://www.usedmicroscopes.co.uk/wild.html
Not a stereo, but they have a Wild M450 listed for 600 pounds here. That is a macroscope system, similar to a stereo but with one higher resolution light path vs two. With the right part this can be converted to a trinocular setup for photography. You might be interested in picking that up later if photography in the stereo microscope magnification range becomes an interest.

Generally the apo distinction will matter more or less depending on what subjects you're looking at. In some cases it may be very noticeable, in others imperceptible.

photomicro
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#4 Post by photomicro » Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:09 am

Quoting your budget in pounds, and looking at Brunel, implies that you are UK based.

If you want to PM me, I can probably help out, having had a couple of dozen such stands through my hands in the last few years (occupational hazard) and am also UK based.

Mike

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Roldorf
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#5 Post by Roldorf » Thu Apr 02, 2020 9:36 am

Best bet would be a long arm stereo especially for fossils and rocks. It's a real pain not being able to get focus because the specimen is too big.
Location: Northern Germany

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Rorschach
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#6 Post by Rorschach » Fri Apr 03, 2020 12:53 pm

Should you begin to fancy a Wild stereo, I have three different ones (M5A, M7S and a M8) that I am going to sell anyways :) Plus I would have the heavy-duty, top quality Wild longarm boom stand to go with the scope.

The stand is like this one in the Spectra Services ad: https://spectraservices.com/WILD-M3Z.html

Depending on the combo chosen, it would be less than half of your budget and guaranteed to work. I have used all three for invertebrate ID work until quite recently when I purchased a super-versatile Wild M3Z system and another M8.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#7 Post by Scarodactyl » Fri Apr 03, 2020 5:39 pm

All of those are excellent options, and have some parts compatibility even with the most recent Leica m series stereos.

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Blue&green
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#8 Post by Blue&green » Fri Apr 03, 2020 8:15 pm

Just to add that my experience of Brunel Microscopes over the last 12 years has been second to none. Alan and Helen together with the staff provide a great service at a reasonable price, i have personally purchased two stereos and a Laborlux K from this company and can vouch for the after sales service. Both these staff members are very well qualified to give advice and their enthusiasm is obvious.
By the way, I have no financial involvement with Brunel and no relationship to any of their staff, I just like to give credit for a hard working company where its due!
Good luck with your searching.

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mrsonchus
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#9 Post by mrsonchus » Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:15 pm

Just to echo the above re Brunel Microscopes. I've purchase a brand new SP200, a stereo 'scope and a used Leitz Orthoplan together with a lot of lab supplies, over the last 5-6 years. They're superb, all of the above is also my experience with them. Good honest folk In my experience.
John B

jfiresto
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#10 Post by jfiresto » Sat Apr 04, 2020 4:31 pm

Rorschach wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 12:53 pm
Should you begin to fancy a Wild stereo, I have three different ones (M5A, M7S and a M8) that I am going to sell anyways :) Plus I would have the heavy-duty, top quality Wild long arm boom stand to go with the scope....
Very nice. That makes three flavors of achromat, and the giant-killer stand, or at least the shipping box killer stand, if it is not firmly secured.

Or is your M5A an apo?
-John

Rorschach
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Re: Stereomicroscope Help

#11 Post by Rorschach » Sat Apr 04, 2020 5:51 pm

jfiresto wrote:
Sat Apr 04, 2020 4:31 pm
Rorschach wrote:
Fri Apr 03, 2020 12:53 pm
Should you begin to fancy a Wild stereo, I have three different ones (M5A, M7S and a M8) that I am going to sell anyways :) Plus I would have the heavy-duty, top quality Wild long arm boom stand to go with the scope....
Very nice. That makes three flavors of achromat, and the giant-killer stand, or at least the shipping box killer stand, if it is not firmly secured.

Or is your M5A an apo?

My M5A is an achromat but it is a joy to use. However, the M8 is a plan, as they all are. I have seen opinions that the M7 is considered 'semi-plan', it is considered to be pretty good optically and a Wild favorite of some people despite the relatively short zoom range (x5).

Yeah, I think that stand needs to shipped in a separate box due to the weight. Wouldn't want it hammering optic bodies in a box, no matter how much bubble wrap they're in!

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