microscope buying question
Re: microscope buying question
Guys,
Don't get me wrong. as you mention NOT ALL Chinese made scopes are bad. I have posted on other forums about the Primostar and my admiration for Amscopes higher end Stereoscopes. Most of teh Big 4 are now made in China but to different specifications than the cheaper copies.
For example Accuscope is often ignored but has a very good scope and objectives comparable to some modern Olympus objectives at a much lower price and can be found on E-bay for some really good prices.
My comments were in reference to buying a NEW chinese scope vs a good used Big 4. Why spend a $1000 for a Chinese scope that is poorly built and inferior in design to some older scopes like the Olympus BH-2 or the Reichert Diastars or AO scopes. I have NO loyalty to a specific brand. I own Amscope, Olympus, Zeiss, AO, B&L, Swift ( also a good scope) etc. I admire various models from each manufacturer.
However, All you need do is sit an Olympus BH-2 with Dplan objectives for about $500 next to a $1000 Chinese scope and my point is proven. By the way a new Accuscope goes for several thousand dollars. There was an Accuscope model 3025 that sold for less than $300 that was equipped with a trinocular head, Fluoro objectives etc...which sold new for about $4000. THAT is my point.
One point I would like to mention. Most of those "Big 4" individuals own several if not dozens of scopes and make their comments based on actual usage and observation not just anecdotal data.
With that said I am finished with this topic. It tends to get a bit heated!!
Don't get me wrong. as you mention NOT ALL Chinese made scopes are bad. I have posted on other forums about the Primostar and my admiration for Amscopes higher end Stereoscopes. Most of teh Big 4 are now made in China but to different specifications than the cheaper copies.
For example Accuscope is often ignored but has a very good scope and objectives comparable to some modern Olympus objectives at a much lower price and can be found on E-bay for some really good prices.
My comments were in reference to buying a NEW chinese scope vs a good used Big 4. Why spend a $1000 for a Chinese scope that is poorly built and inferior in design to some older scopes like the Olympus BH-2 or the Reichert Diastars or AO scopes. I have NO loyalty to a specific brand. I own Amscope, Olympus, Zeiss, AO, B&L, Swift ( also a good scope) etc. I admire various models from each manufacturer.
However, All you need do is sit an Olympus BH-2 with Dplan objectives for about $500 next to a $1000 Chinese scope and my point is proven. By the way a new Accuscope goes for several thousand dollars. There was an Accuscope model 3025 that sold for less than $300 that was equipped with a trinocular head, Fluoro objectives etc...which sold new for about $4000. THAT is my point.
One point I would like to mention. Most of those "Big 4" individuals own several if not dozens of scopes and make their comments based on actual usage and observation not just anecdotal data.
With that said I am finished with this topic. It tends to get a bit heated!!
Re: microscope buying question
The "big 4" are having their products made in China to lower labor costs.. Nothing about "stolen" designs.. The Chinese branded stands are based on patients long expired.. Read this again and see that the scopes listed there are THE BIG FOUR Brands made in China.. Not China "STEALING" designs..
https://microscopetalk.wordpress.com/mi ... -in-china/
https://microscopetalk.wordpress.com/mi ... -in-china/
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Re: microscope buying question
Do you, think? ........ There is a co-operative relationship between 2 or more companies, obviously. The Chinese have been making microscopes for decades and the major makers arrived looking for cheap off the shelf designs that they felt comfortable putting their stencil on. If they paid to have an exclusive right to the design, then that's what took place, if not different stencils were bound to show up, cheaper. The same goes for Malaysia,Singapore, India and Korea.billbillt wrote:The "big 4" are having their products made in China to lower labor costs.. Nothing about "stolen" designs.. The Chinese branded stands are based on patients long expired.. Read this again and see that the scopes listed there are THE BIG FOUR Brands made in China.. Not China "STEALING" designs..
https://microscopetalk.wordpress.com/mi ... -in-china/
It comes down to value for dollar spent and given that most of the consumer level internet marketed S.E. Asian microscopes cost 2 to 4 times what a far superior quality brand name used microscope from the 50's through to the 90's would cost, then they don't represent very good value at all.
This is aside from the issue that buying from such countries undermines the local economy and supports the intended control of a global economy designed to wiggle everyone on the planet into a position where they have no right to say anything about anything.
Re: microscope buying question
This is just the way real world works.. Manufacturers WILL sub-contract production to ANYWHERE in the world if lower labor costs improve the bottom line.. I was like you, I was shocked to read that Zeiss and Leitz had joined the rest in moving production to China.. I felt that this could do nothing but hurt their reputation... The fact is, no one cares.. They will pay the same money for a Chinese Zeiss as they will a German one.. As far as "the great high quality" scopes... The supply is drying up quickly... Usually the ones offered have parts missing that the owner stripped to sell separately to increase profit.. I view it as a "sin" to strip one of these wonderful mechanical marvels down to parts just to make more money.. The article that I linked is the hand writing on the wall.. This is way the world is NOW..
The Best,
BillT
The Best,
BillT
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- Posts: 6327
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am
Re: microscope buying question
If you are naive enough buy into it......
A fraction of the easily found drying up supply. Grab them fast before they get even drier.
UNDER 160.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reichert-Jung-m ... OSwmtJXazf
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WESCO-NO-76082- ... Sw7aBVEXKN
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Alphaphot ... SwYIxX5Z86
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-KHC-Ser ... Sw9r1V8Ly8
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AO-American-Opt ... SwFe5Xzkl-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swift-binocular ... SwezVWx2Nz
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bausch-Lomb-MIC ... Sw3xJVeSbq
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLYMPUS-KHC-BIN ... SwMgdXx2af
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vickers-Instrum ... SwwTlUnK0k
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microstar-Mdl-4 ... SwGtRX0u4O
UNDER 300.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carl-Zeiss-micr ... SwmfhX6FXm
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-Zoom-2000 ... Swxg5X0fLp
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-BINOCULAR ... SwEjFXfEGZ
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bausch-Lomb-Mic ... SwvzRX0i6V
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-CHA-Pha ... SwyjBW5gWk
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hund-Wetzlar-Mi ... SwYlJW4G58
and on and on.
A fraction of the easily found drying up supply. Grab them fast before they get even drier.
UNDER 160.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reichert-Jung-m ... OSwmtJXazf
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WESCO-NO-76082- ... Sw7aBVEXKN
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Alphaphot ... SwYIxX5Z86
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-KHC-Ser ... Sw9r1V8Ly8
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AO-American-Opt ... SwFe5Xzkl-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swift-binocular ... SwezVWx2Nz
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bausch-Lomb-MIC ... Sw3xJVeSbq
http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLYMPUS-KHC-BIN ... SwMgdXx2af
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vickers-Instrum ... SwwTlUnK0k
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Microstar-Mdl-4 ... SwGtRX0u4O
UNDER 300.00
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Carl-Zeiss-micr ... SwmfhX6FXm
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-Zoom-2000 ... Swxg5X0fLp
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-BINOCULAR ... SwEjFXfEGZ
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bausch-Lomb-Mic ... SwvzRX0i6V
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-CHA-Pha ... SwyjBW5gWk
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hund-Wetzlar-Mi ... SwYlJW4G58
and on and on.
Re: microscope buying question
Thanks for the links.. A few of these would be a good buy for someone wanting a used stand.. Some folk will settle for nothing less than new..
Re: microscope buying question
Or for $1550...a Zeiss Standard with DIC and Fluoro on an elevated base for 12V illumination. I can't vouch for the optics (you should ask about any delamination) as I'm not the seller, but this appears to be an almost complete DIC set with newer DIC condenser, DIC slide holders with DIC prism slides, 63X Planapo and 63X Neofluar. Two 12V 100W lamps, Epi Fluoro unit. And it has the better trinocular head. You would still need a 12V 100W power transformer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-Laborator ... SwPCVX6uoL
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-Laborator ... SwPCVX6uoL
Re: microscope buying question
Ooops too late. Someone snatched it up already.
Re: microscope buying question
Yup!... As soon as I looked at it, it was sold!.. Must have been a great deal..
Re: microscope buying question
The only Zeiss he mentions is only the Primo Star, which is on the bottom of the Zeiss lineage. They probably needed to sell a cheaper scope for lower levels of learning establishments. Of course Zeiss may have other scope/parts made there in the land of cheap labor but most of their good stuff is still made in Germany.billbillt wrote:This is just the way real world works.. Manufacturers WILL sub-contract production to ANYWHERE in the world if lower labor costs improve the bottom line.. I was like you, I was shocked to read that Zeiss and Leitz had joined the rest in moving production to China.. I felt that this could do nothing but hurt their reputation... The fact is, no one cares.. They will pay the same money for a Chinese Zeiss as they will a German one.. As far as "the great high quality" scopes... The supply is drying up quickly... Usually the ones offered have parts missing that the owner stripped to sell separately to increase profit.. I view it as a "sin" to strip one of these wonderful mechanical marvels down to parts just to make more money.. The article that I linked is the hand writing on the wall.. This is way the world is NOW..
The Best,
BillT
Re: microscope buying question
That is good to know...
Re: microscope buying question
What all of this sums up to is a person buys a microscope that they like and what someone thinks about it does not matter.. We still have a freedom of choice..
BillT
BillT
Re: microscope buying question
They are.apatientspider wrote:I've never had the opportunity to use an Olympus, but if the scopes are as good as their eyepieces, then they must be superb instruments.
Jim
Olympus makes superb instruments.
Re: microscope buying question
Charles wrote:Or for $1550...a Zeiss Standard with DIC and Fluoro on an elevated base for 12V illumination. I can't vouch for the optics (you should ask about any delamination) as I'm not the seller, but this appears to be an almost complete DIC set with newer DIC condenser, DIC slide holders with DIC prism slides, 63X Planapo and 63X Neofluar. Two 12V 100W lamps, Epi Fluoro unit. And it has the better trinocular head. You would still need a 12V 100W power transformer.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Zeiss-Laborator ... SwPCVX6uoL
Yep. That's a starter system