New to microscopy Swift 350b vs 350t

[NicholasC.]

Hey,

Wondering if I should get the swift 350b with the 3mp camera bundle or the 350t.. I am not taking photos and I do not plan on doing so. I am just wondering what is more worth it since they are both the same price.

[Greg Howald]

I have the "B" model. Changing from binocular view to camera is a real pain. With a "T" model it is as easy as throwing a switch. If I could have gotten a "T" for the same price it would win hands down.
You are not interested in pictures right now but in the future you will most likely want to share your work.

[NicholasC.]

I am leaning towards the b because of the 3mp camera. It also has some accessories such as prepared slides, cover glass and blanks.

[crb5]

I would go for the 350t. I started with an Amscope 120b (very similar to 350b) and "upgraded" to a Swift 350t about a year later. Using a binocular scope with a USB camera is a pain if you want to photo live subjects (e.g. pond life). These USB cameras have a small field of view (about 1/5 that of the 10x eyepiece) so it is difficult to find a moving subject without looking through the eyepiece and centering the subject, then doing a final tweek on the computer screen for the USB image. There is no swtiching involved in the 350t - the beam is split by prism so both eyepieces and trinoc port receive light at all times. This does mean the trinoc head is not quite as bright as the binoc head but the LED light source has more than enough intensity for bright field viewing.