SWIFT SW350B vs SW380B

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Josep
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Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2021 9:58 am

SWIFT SW350B vs SW380B

#1 Post by Josep » Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:05 am

What are the differences between SWIFT SW350B and SW380B? I am not sure what to choose, and in swift homepage I can't compare both models...
Thanks

farnsy
Posts: 209
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 9:03 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Re: SWIFT SW350B vs SW380B

#2 Post by farnsy » Tue May 11, 2021 4:14 am

There are no significant differences between those two scopes. In fact, the only difference of any kind I can find is the body type. In every location, the SW380B talks about the ULTRA fine focus knob and goes on about how precise the focusing can be, while the SW350B refers to fine focus in the same place. Could be that the SW380B has a fine focus that is geared a little lower--that would be something that could differ between two microscopes that are the same except for the body.

I would be surprising if there was much difference between these two as the cost difference between them is only $20.

apochronaut
Posts: 6268
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: SWIFT SW350B vs SW380B

#3 Post by apochronaut » Tue May 11, 2021 12:01 pm

The Asian hobby to mid level microscope industry is component based and very integrated, with the components being moved all over the place, allowing marketers to dovetail production to their market. Once a particular component outprices itself, it is replaced with one that can be produced more efficiently in order to maintain attractive pricing.
One fairly recent revolution in microscopes that fall into the hobby to student level is the moulded body concept, which most of the newer designs are based on. Previously, the pillar and arm were a unit affixed to a base. The newer design has the base, pillar and arm , as a continuous cast or moulded unit. This means that the cost of labour and time to assemble the frame and align it, is saved.
Wild did the same thing with the integrated optical tube and nosepiece on the M11 and in a smaller way Carton Optical did on the top of the line Japanese hobby microscopes of the 60's. The 900X and 1200X( fine focus) models. It is interesting how saving labour, even invades economies in which labour seems abundant.

The 350B is a two piece frame with the entire microscope assembly weighing 10 lbs. The 380B is a one piece frame weighing 13 lbs. when fully assembled. Based on the images, the 380B looks to be a slightly larger stand and the one piece construction may demand a greater material structure and therefore strength where the pillar and base are integrated. Whether they have included a larger and more precise fine focus mechanism into the 380B is a guess but they do detail that the fine focus increment is .02 , which is only average. It is the kind of precision that one expects in any microscope claiming to be useful to professionals. A .01 graduation is truely hitting the mark. I would guess that the 350B is the same at .02. It might be worth asking Swift what the spec. is on the 350.

The base on the 350B became a standard base for about 10 years, used extensively by many models of microscopes. The illumination went from 20 watt halogen to 1 watt led over that time but it is a base that stood the test of time. The 350 appears to be fitted with Indian made optics , the 380 with Chinese . I don't think there would be too much to choose between them. India has been making microscopes for at least 50 years.

One thing that always comes to mind when an already cheap instrument is redesigned , is ; just what have they cheapened in order to keep the price down? They have probably saved quite a bit of labour, not having to mount the pillar and align it. The 380B has a prealigned illuminator and nosepiece( as long as the nosepiece is precise????).

Not a lot of difference in price. Probably not a lot of difference in microscope performance either.

farnsy
Posts: 209
Joined: Mon Jun 17, 2019 9:03 pm
Location: Fort Worth, Texas

Re: SWIFT SW350B vs SW380B

#4 Post by farnsy » Tue May 11, 2021 5:12 pm

apochronaut wrote:
Tue May 11, 2021 12:01 pm
The 350 appears to be fitted with Indian made optics , the 380 with Chinese .
How can one tell this? I was under the impression that all these 160 swift and amscope objectives at this level were the same Chinese made comments, with only aesthetic differences. I would very much like to be able to distinguish one from another inasmuich as that is possible.

apochronaut
Posts: 6268
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: SWIFT SW350B vs SW380B

#5 Post by apochronaut » Tue May 11, 2021 7:19 pm

You're right. There was some hunching going on. In fact I am hunching over this tablet, right now.
Indian objectives were mostly distinctively brushed chrome but recently many of them look just like certain Chinese objectives or knockoffs of Nikon. Searching some items on ebay, I see that certain ones are designated as being manufactured in India and others not. The ones that are noted as being made in India are semi-plan and somewhat unique looking in that I haven't seen any fitted to a microscope I would think of as being made in China.
They resemble some Labomed objectives, some of which have been of Indian mfg.

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