alternatives for a dissecting microscope

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shawn perez
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alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#1 Post by shawn perez » Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:41 am

can a magnifying glass be used instead of a dissecting microscope?
Last edited by shawn perez on Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MichaelG.
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#2 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:20 am

shawn perez wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:41 am
can a magnifying glass be used instead of a magnifying glass?
That’s a deeply philosophical question, Shawn :roll:

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#3 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:56 am

Are you thinking of this classic style ?
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/di ... 38233.html

… in which case, the lenses are usually just a decent ‘magnifying glass’

MichaelG.
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#4 Post by shawn perez » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:28 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:56 am
Are you thinking of this classic style ?
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/di ... 38233.html

… in which case, the lenses are usually just a decent ‘magnifying glass’

MichaelG.
I'm thinking about this one
https://www.amazon.in/Generic-30x21mm-M ... xt_vrnc=hi
Shawn P.

shawn perez
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#5 Post by shawn perez » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:29 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:20 am
shawn perez wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:41 am
can a magnifying glass be used instead of a magnifying glass?
That’s a deeply philosophical question, Shawn :roll:

MichaelG.
sorry that was a typing error :)
Shawn P.

MichaelG.
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#6 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:53 pm

shawn perez wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:28 pm
MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:56 am
Are you thinking of this classic style ?
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/di ... 38233.html

… in which case, the lenses are usually just a decent ‘magnifying glass’

MichaelG.
I'm thinking about this one
https://www.amazon.in/Generic-30x21mm-M ... xt_vrnc=hi
It should give adequate [possibly excessive, depending upon what you are dissecting] magnification ... but the working distance will be short, and one hand will be occupied holding it.

If you are actually doing dissection, or manipulation, I would recommend a 'stand' ... preferably with hand-rests.

MichaelG.

.
Here are a few classic designs: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.o ... icroscopes
Last edited by MichaelG. on Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MicroBob
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#7 Post by MicroBob » Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:57 pm

Hi Shawn,
that is a fake product, no triplet, not 30x magnification. But there are quite nice 10x and 30x real triplet=three lens design for a similar amount of money:

[urlhttps://www.ebay.de/itm/221175099033?hash=item3 ... a1Q66Nmurl]
Bob

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#8 Post by viktor j nilsson » Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:05 pm

A good 10x or possibly 15x folding loupe is extremely useful in the field. I use a Belomo 10x, extremely good value Belarusian loupe.

I would never buy a 30x loupe. Even 20x is too much, IMHO. Dim, small field of view, razor thin focus depth. Works better if it has a built-in LED light, but even then it's not very user friendly.

But a hand loupe is not a replacement for a stereo microscope. But depending on what you want to do, a 10x or 15x might be useful to you.

MichaelG.
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#9 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:28 pm

Please forgive the slight digression, but I found this fascinating page whilst searching for suitable examples to show Shawn:
http://microscopist.net/TeasdaleW.html

MichaelG.
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#10 Post by DonSchaeffer » Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:15 pm

I have watch repair glasses that led lights. Interchangable lenses go up to 20x or so. I use 2.5x lenses on it. Sometimes it's useful for teasing apart plants.

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#11 Post by Scarodactyl » Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:40 pm

Nothing beats the ergonomics of a stereo microscope for the things it does best, even if you can get by with a hand loupe or a visor.

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#12 Post by shawn perez » Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:19 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:53 pm
shawn perez wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:28 pm
MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:56 am
Are you thinking of this classic style ?
https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/di ... 38233.html

… in which case, the lenses are usually just a decent ‘magnifying glass’

MichaelG.
I'm thinking about this one
https://www.amazon.in/Generic-30x21mm-M ... xt_vrnc=hi
It should give adequate [possibly excessive, depending upon what you are dissecting] magnification ... but the working distance will be short, and one hand will be occupied holding it.

If you are actually doing dissection, or manipulation, I would recommend a 'stand' ... preferably with hand-rests.

MichaelG.

.
Here are a few classic designs: https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.o ... icroscopes
Yes I was wondering about the one hand occupied part too. okay ill check it out, thank you
Shawn P.

shawn perez
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#13 Post by shawn perez » Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:21 pm

MicroBob wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 7:57 pm
Hi Shawn,
that is a fake product, no triplet, not 30x magnification. But there are quite nice 10x and 30x real triplet=three lens design for a similar amount of money:

[urlhttps://www.ebay.de/itm/221175099033?hash=item3 ... a1Q66Nmurl]
Bob
Oh I see, thanks for letting me know, ill check this one out too thank you :)
Shawn P.

shawn perez
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#14 Post by shawn perez » Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:26 pm

viktor j nilsson wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:05 pm
A good 10x or possibly 15x folding loupe is extremely useful in the field. I use a Belomo 10x, extremely good value Belarusian loupe.

I would never buy a 30x loupe. Even 20x is too much, IMHO. Dim, small field of view, razor thin focus depth. Works better if it has a built-in LED light, but even then it's not very user friendly.

But a hand loupe is not a replacement for a stereo microscope. But depending on what you want to do, a 10x or 15x might be useful to you.
Oh okay thank you I'm just looking for options before I actually get one. Its true that its not a replacement for a stereo microscope. thank you
Shawn P.

shawn perez
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#15 Post by shawn perez » Mon Jun 21, 2021 3:28 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:28 pm
Please forgive the slight digression, but I found this fascinating page whilst searching for suitable examples to show Shawn:
http://microscopist.net/TeasdaleW.html

MichaelG.
This is quite interesting, Thank you Michael
Shawn P.

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#16 Post by DonSchaeffer » Mon Jun 21, 2021 9:08 pm

I also bought a large illuminated magnifyer on a standd. It was only about 3x, with a more powerful loop built into the glass. It was clumsy to use and just added clutter.

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#17 Post by shawn perez » Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:15 pm

DonSchaeffer wrote:
Mon Jun 21, 2021 9:08 pm
I also bought a large illuminated magnifyer on a standd. It was only about 3x, with a more powerful loop built into the glass. It was clumsy to use and just added clutter.
Oh okay will keep that in mind, Thank you.
Shawn P.

DonSchaeffer
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#18 Post by DonSchaeffer » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:14 pm

I was using the stereo microscope (at 45X) for dissection. That gave me great precision but it was difficult to manipulate my tools when everything was magnified so much. I have since bought a digital microscope at roughly the same magnification. It allows me to take pictures to a memory card and to see my specimen on a screen instead of looking through lenses. I don't use it for dissection though--I do that pretty much by naked eye.

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#19 Post by Scarodactyl » Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:49 pm

Typically for tasks done under the stereo scope people use a 0.5x auxiliary lens to increase working distance and depth of field while putting mag into a more useful range. You might find one allows you to streamline the whole process, and they are not that expensive for the generic chinese stereos.

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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#20 Post by shawn perez » Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:28 am

DonSchaeffer wrote:
Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:14 pm
I was using the stereo microscope (at 45X) for dissection. That gave me great precision but it was difficult to manipulate my tools when everything was magnified so much. I have since bought a digital microscope at roughly the same magnification. It allows me to take pictures to a memory card and to see my specimen on a screen instead of looking through lenses. I don't use it for dissection though--I do that pretty much by naked eye.
That is exactly what is happening to me, manipulating tools is difficult hence I was thinking of alternative suggestions
Shawn P.

shawn perez
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Re: alternatives for a dissecting microscope

#21 Post by shawn perez » Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:29 am

Scarodactyl wrote:
Fri Jun 25, 2021 11:49 pm
Typically for tasks done under the stereo scope people use a 0.5x auxiliary lens to increase working distance and depth of field while putting mag into a more useful range. You might find one allows you to streamline the whole process, and they are not that expensive for the generic chinese stereos.
Oh okay I will look into this, Thank you.
Shawn P.

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