Order of operations?

[krame]

I've gotten to play with my microscope for a day now, and I have a couple questions:

Is there a specific order in which I should be set up the focus?
So there is the focus on the eyepiece barrel and the course/fine focus, which comes first? Obviously, I can get things in focus with the course/fine, but then why is there additional focus control on the eyepiece barrel? Should I somehow do the eyepiece first then use the course/fine?

Lighting: Light intensity vs condensing
Should I turn the light all the way up, then move the condenser? Or keep the light on low and bring the condenser closer to the slide? Does it matter?

Thanks all!

[Plasmid]

This video helped me a lot a few weeks back

[krame]

Thanks!

[apochronaut]

A couple of points about that video that are not exactly appropriate for the Microstar IV and might be confusing to some.

The microscope used in that demo has a stage focusing system. The Microstar IV has an objective focusing system.
The stage focusing system rotates the top of the knobs away from the operator as they sit at the microscope to focus closer.
The objective focusing system rotates the knobs towards the operator as they sit at the microscope to focus closer.

At .55 in the video, the instructions advise to lower the stage by rotating the left coarse focusing knob clockwise( towards the operator). This is the opposite of what you would do on the Microstar IV. You would rotate the knob counterclockwise and lift the nose from the stage.

There is no field diaphragm adjustment ring on the Microstar IV. The adjustment is internal and controlled by the right hand knob on the front panel marked diaphragm.