Looking for a microscope

[FireNIceFly]

Hello all,

I've just gone back to college after finishing my last degree in 2007 and this time I'm going into the sciences and would like to get my own pretty decent microscope that I can use for both my biology course and for personal hobbyist use. I'm looking at a microscope that can view pond life, cells (i.e. blood cells), bacteria (if possible) and other very tiny creatures and I would also like to be able to image the what I see with a decent camera (preferably integrated camera slot instead of a fixed camera) that I can also connect to my laptop. I want good magnification, but not sure if it's worth getting a trinocular or quad objective lens microscope.

I would also lie to be able to view things up to the size of insects, but I'm assuming I'll probably need a stereoscope for that. But is there any microscope that has any functions that could allow viewing larger things without needing both types my scopes?

I've also seen a compound microscope that has a 3D stage, what is that exactly?

Thanks for any help and advice that can be given

[Scarodactyl]

What is your budget like?

[FireNIceFly]

My budget is between £250 and £500 with a 10% additional margin. My thinking is I want to get a decent microscope that can last years that i can add too, rather than a cheap one I'll out grow fairly quickly.

[PeteM]

Location makes a difference in what's available and who the best sources are likely to be.

There may be members here who can help. I can send you a guide to new and used scopes, updated now and then, once you have enough posts to email where you want it sent. Even though Euro area used scope prices seem a bit higher than in the US (from my limited experience), you should be able to get a very nice and expandable scope for under 500 Euro.

[FireNIceFly]

I've seen a few microscopes for around £300 with a 5mp camera and 3 objectives and a slightly more expensive one with 4 objectives (usually the 100x is an oil immersion objective), it's just whether or not they will be good enough, or at least if the camera part will be good enough to get good clear and crisp images.

The guide sounds like it would be useful tbh.

Cheers

[FireNIceFly]

Location makes a difference in what's available and who the best sources are likely to be.

There may be members here who can help. I can send you a guide to new and used scopes, updated now and then, once you have enough posts to email where you want it sent. Even though Euro area used scope prices seem a bit higher than in the US (from my limited experience), you should be able to get a very nice and expandable scope for under 500 Euro.

Also, any idea what the 3D Stage is?

[apochronaut]

The mass marketing of microscopes has resulted in some amazing new developments in microscope technology, such as glass lenses, 2 lens condensers, coarse AND fine focus, focus knobs on BOTH sides of the microscope and a 3 dimensional stage, that you no longer have to wear coloured glasses to see.

It's about time because I am damn tired of losing track of my stage when I look at my microscope sideways. Or maybe I am wrong . Maybe it's that the slide can not only be moved side to side and up and down on the stage but also up and down on the stage. Either way, wonders will never cease. It's all detailed on Amscope's website, I would presume... or not.

[MichaelG.]

Also, any idea what the 3D Stage is?

.
Yes, it’s just a convenient way of expressing that the mechanical stage can be moved in three orthogonal axes [XYZ]
... Nice diagram here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_freedom

Some ‘scopes put the Z axis motion on the optical tube ... so they would only need a 2D stage to achieve the same freedom. ... < etc. >

All variants from zero to six degrees of freedom are feasible.

MichaelG.

[jfiresto]

The mass marketing of microscopes has resulted in some amazing new developments in microscope technology, such as glass lenses, 2 lens condensers, coarse AND fine focus, focus knobs on BOTH sides of the microscope and a 3 dimensional stage, that you no longer have to wear coloured glasses to see....

For a stereo microscope, I believe that only works if it is simul-focal and has 30mm super widefield WF10X/20 eyepieces [my capitalization].

[FireNIceFly]

Also, any idea what the 3D Stage is?

.
Yes, it’s just a convenient way of expressing that the mechanical stage can be moved in three orthogonal axes [XYZ]
... Nice diagram here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_freedom

Some ‘scopes put the Z axis motion on the optical tube ... so they would only need a 2D stage to achieve the same freedom. ... < etc. >

All variants from zero to six degrees of freedom are feasible.

MichaelG.

Ah ok, yeah I know what that is now, I've been using the 3D stage in my biology lessons it seems. That certainly does make viewing easier.

I was looking into microscopes again today and found something about "Vertical Illumination (top down)" that some microscopes have, could you get those on compound microscopes so you can illuminate specimens from both top or beneath? That would be idea if it's possible.