Help with Microscope?

[PeteM]

The best microscope for a medical student is your price range is probably a used professional microscope previously equipped for use in something like a pathology lab. Perhaps there is someone at her medical school (there's usually someone looking after microscopes) who can help you sort through the options. A bit of help and patience should find a good used microscope in that price range before Christmas rolls around.

Helps to know roughly where you are located - it affects the options available. A Reichert Microstar IV with four plan achro objectives should be available in that price range. A bit harder to find, but possible, something like an Olympus BH2 or Nikon Labophot with a good selection of plan achro objectives. Zeiss Standard might be a bit harder for a beginner to check out. If you buy a used microscope on Ebay, you'll want to have one that's not labelled "for parts" and have someone help you check it out upon arrival.

The "2500x" microscope advertising is a bit like a $99 boombox (if you're old enough to remember those) promising 1000 watts of astonishingly pure and accurate music reproduction. Generally speaking, beyond about 1000x any extra magnification is "empty" and more marketing hype than anything else.

If it's mostly for the kids, a stereo microscope might be the better and more affordable choice. But it won't be much good for the typical medical applications.

If you're willing to invest a bunch of time sorting through this, you can message me later (when you have enough posts) and request the guide to used microscopes we use in our "Micronaut" program. It lists pros and cons of dozens of models. Could also be that this gift might be better if a collaborative effort than a surprise?

[75RR]

Could also be that this gift might be better if a collaborative effort than a surprise?

I second that.

[Scarodactyl]

A solid but inexpwnsive stereo would probably be more in gift territory. They're fun, intuitive, easy to use, multipurpose (never struggle to see or rempve a splinter again!) and good with an wide range of samples. If it's not for something highly specific the configuration will be pretty similar from one to another.

Compounds tend to be a bit more specific in what they can image. You can get some spectacular ones used but that does get more into discuss-it territory.

[Charles]

It would be hard to see urine, blood and fungal samples with a stereo scope. She is better off with a compound biological scope. A used one as suggested would be better but a brand new, even if Chinese made like AmScope would be fine. It would be best if you and your wife could test drive a few models.

[Wes]

For a med student you could get a nice binocular Zeiss Standard with a 2,5 to 100x achromat (or maybe even plan) objectives for about $300. Its all you really need for histological sections (I think thats what they do in med school).

Depending on which part of the world you are it could be that someone on here has such a microscope for sale. Otherwise Ebay might do.

[apochronaut]

Wes, kind of answered while I was typing but here is my input anyway. I obviously second the 2.5X.

To cover the bases with one unit; so it would have an application to the medical student as well as have a more user friendly function for the kids and their eventual interests in seeing things that they can see with their eyes even bigger, I'd be looking for a 5 objective scope with 2.5X, 4X, 10X and 20X. 40X, 60X or 100X could fill the other hole optionally, which ever the need was or became indicated. Add in a couple of good small gooseneck above stage lamps, such as Jansjo types and the package would do as a utilitarian hybrid starter. If the kids take to it and need a better low power system with a more 3-D and versatile view, then an inexpensive stereo could be added later. The objective complement of the compound stand can always be adjusted to suit the student.

Packages with a 2.5X objective are not common in the stencil scope market. I don't know how flexible some of them are. Customizing isn't exactly their forte...... Microscopes; sure ve got microscopes. How many ya vant ?
For this reason searching out a 5 objective used system that includes a 2.5X and a 4x might be the best option.

The budget was not indicated. Unfortunately, that is a necessary piece of information before any real help can be given, since the features of a microscope are usually determined by price.

[micro]

Could also be that this gift might be better if a collaborative effort than a surprise?

I second that.

For the gift write a check that says for a microscope on the memo line or something

[PeteM]

Remarkable the extent to which some people will go to post spam. If anyone wants a decent portable vac buy anything other than the edited post #1.

[Plasmid]

Remarkable the extent to which some people will go to post spam. If anyone wants a decent portable vac buy anything other than the edited post #1.

I dont know how I got here but Im so glad I did..... literally on the floor laughing