Phenix microscope (China) for a first buy ?

[Mindwarp]

Hello everyone,

I’ve been using microscope since a few years for my studies, and mine - Amscope T600 série - has been lost (or stolen ?) with a few other stuff while I was moving from one appartement to another.
So I looking to buy another one - for my pleasure/hobby -.

I found some interesting offer ans characteristic from Phenix China manufacturer - BMC serie - , is it interesting quality or not ? Did someone in the forum did some test or used it ?

Thanks you for your help


Ps : I live in France.

[daruosha]

Do you have any link? How much does it cost?
"Basic" Chinese microscope are more or less the same.

[Mindwarp]

Hello, here’s the unit I found :

https://a.aliexpress.com/_dWnE8Mv

What do you think ? Thanks you.

[MicroBob]

I have never heard of Phenix - not the best basis for an investment of this amount.
You might have a look at the loads of microscope choice threads in this forum and will probably find a lot of interesting posts.

[Mindwarp]

I found that about it on the forum :

viewtopic.php?t=6644

Redflanker seems to speak about it.

[PeteM]

Phenix does make the low end Leica BME microscope (a cheap educational model). That's about all I know.

Also don't know the French market. Here in the US, 1000 (dollars, Euros, pounds -- they all seem to be converging) will get a half decent new Chinese-built scope (like, maybe, the Phenix) or a bit more for something like an AmScope T690. The T690 is entirely satisfactory, but fairly expensive to begin and with relatively few available or affordable upgrades (since there isn't much of a used market) for better fluor or apo objectives, polarization, darkfield condensers, DIC, phase contrast, etc.

Around half that price can get a former laboratory "system" scope, used, with a significantly better mechanical build, equal or better optics, and far more options (on the used market) for future upgrades.

Lot depends upon your access to used microscopes with an ability to return them if they have significant problems and your own confidence in dealing with minor issues of cleaning and possible repair or replacement. Being in the willing-to-fix-things-up camp, I'd be inclined to get something like this:https://www.ebay.fr/itm/OLYMPUS-BH2-TRI ... Sw7t9eVZoD

That's not a specific recommendation - you'd likely find something better and cheaper in your own search. However, for a bit less money a good Olympus BHS would likely be the better microscope.

[Mindwarp]

Thanks a lot Peter, your post is a great help. I might be able to find a good occasion as I’m not in the hurry...

Can you give me some more references to look for around this budget ?

Thanks you a lot...

Ps : I believe I’ll have more fun with such a modular microscope than with a China made one.

[PeteM]

Mindwarp, I can offer you a copy of a guide to microscope brands and models. It's one I put together to help parents and mentors pick a good scope. Fairly detailed - maybe a couple hundred models briefly described. Could help you look up a scope (they're in alphabetical order by brand) and get some idea of the quality and common problems. Message me when you have enough posts - just let me know an email address to send a PDF. In return, if you learn anything about scopes made in France or other errors or omissions - would much appreciate hearing back.

[apochronaut]

Phenix is the brand of Jianxi Phenix Optical Instrument Co.Ltd. Group They have been around at least since the 80's and they do sell under their own brand. The bodies of the microscopes have changed but the optics have stayed pretty stagnant. Achro or planachro depending on the price, up to 5 objectives on the fancy stuff. They make a lot of simple durable scopes for schools. They may have been the makers of the B & L and later Leica Galen III, at least their catalogue from around 1990 shows an almost identical instrument to the Galen III with just the brand name missing. The Chinese catalogues are very interesting. More often than not there are no brand names on the scopes. They are open for business. Come one , come all, there is room for everyone, we accept everyone ..... here in Shanghai. I wonder how many times , one of the majors has had an oops moment and almost marketed the same microscope as a competitor?

Like many other companies from the same country, they are likely assembled from a pool of options. Some inhouse production but a lot of manipulation of the possibilities purchased from jobber factories that actually make the jigsaw pieces. This assists companies like Amscope in filling a bloated catalogue, while offering only about 5 different microscopes. They change this or that, change the colour of the stripes and all of a sudden voila!

I recognize that France is a much different situation, having much less availability on the used market but the good thing about the sheer volume of basic scopes being disgorged from China is that the prices are all over the place. You just have to keep looking.
here's one to start. https://www.ebay.fr/itm/TOP-TRINOKULAR- ... 0005.m1851
This one is out of Germany but probably ships quite cheaply to France and is not too dissimmilar to the Phenix. Used options in France are pretty iffy.

[Mindwarp]

Thanks you Pete for your nice offer, I sent you a PM (did you received it ?).

Thanks you for the information apochronaut you seems to know well the China market

[MicroBob]

There is a french microscopy-forum too: http://www.lenaturaliste.net/portail/index.php
They have a used market there - maybe someone has a good microscope on offer.
In the other thread there are links to a couple of used microcope dealers.

[Mindwarp]

Thanks you Bob, I’m going to check it...