Help purchasing a microscope

bh750 · Mar 31, 2017

Hi all,

I have zero experience with scopes to identify things. But I'm thinking I need to get a scope. I've spent the last 10 years in the hobby dealing with one outbreak or another (GHA, Cyano, Dinos) to the points I've rarely enjoyed the hobby. So I'm thinking I really need to learn to identify things before I treat. And it can sounds fun!

I've been to the Amscope site but its sooooo overwhemling I have no idea how to choose. Only guidance I have is a post by @twilliard saying that 2500 magnification is probably the minimum.

Any recommendations on a reasonable scope that would allow me to look at specimens from my tank and post pictures for help with identification? Dont need a ton of bells and whistles but also hate to get one and then want a better one

My budget is around $300-$400.

Thanks!

jsker · Mar 31, 2017

#reefsquad @Anirban could also help.

Anirban · Mar 31, 2017

bh750 said:
Hi all,

I have zero experience with scopes to identify things. But I'm thinking I need to get a scope. I've spent the last 10 years in the hobby dealing with one outbreak or another (GHA, Cyano, Dinos) to the points I've rarely enjoyed the hobby. So I'm thinking I really need to learn to identify things before I treat. And it can sounds fun!

I've been to the Amscope site but its sooooo overwhemling I have no idea how to choose. Only guidance I have is a post by @twilliard saying that 2500 magnification is probably the minimum.

Any recommendations on a reasonable scope that would allow me to look at specimens from my tank and post pictures for help with identification? Dont need a ton of bells and whistles but also hate to get one and then want a better one My budget is around $300-$400.

Thanks!

Are you sure he mentioned X2500? Can you link me to the post? Whats your budget?

bh750 · Apr 2, 2017

Anirban said:
Are you sure he mentioned X2500? Can you link me to the post? Whats your budget?

This is where I read it. Maybe I misunderstood it. Budge is $200-$400. Thanks!!!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/cheap-microscope-suggestions.243381/#post-2855795

Anirban · Apr 2, 2017

These are some good options and also in your range....
http://www.amscope.com/compound-microscopes/laboratory-compound-microscopes.html?p=6
Just remember clean the objectives with good lense paper

bh750 · Apr 3, 2017

Anirban said:
These are some good options and also in your range....
http://www.amscope.com/compound-microscopes/laboratory-compound-microscopes.html?p=6
Just remember clean the objectives with good lense paper

Thanks so much for replying. But oh my there's so many on just that one page? So next question:

What are the key specs I need to care about most when comparing?

- Magnification: when it says 6 level is that good? Do I really need to go to 2500 like Twilliard says?
- Widefield - whats this and whats the dfference in other types?
- Whats "Abbe condenser with iris diaphragm"
- "mechanical stage"?
- "Coaxial coarse fine focusing with tension control and stopper"

Wow, it goes on. I have no idea how to sort through these.

Maybe help me figure out why these 3 2500x are different in price?

1) http://www.amscope.com/compound-mic...biological-compound-microscope-40x-2500x.html

2) http://www.amscope.com/compound-mic...0x-3w-led-trinocular-compound-microscope.html

3) http://www.amscope.com/compound-mic...und-microscope-with-1-3mp-digital-camera.html

I'm gonna attempt to do a side by side of what I think are they key specs.

(Sorry when I spend a couple hundred $ on something I want to make sure I get the right one for me)

thanks!
Bryan

Anirban · Apr 3, 2017

Lol, you are pretty much lost in the microscope world.

I will suggest you can get any of the top two scopes. They are fine for your application unless you want a digital camera to take image. In that case the third one. The differences between them are not major but more of fine details like, stage size, interpupillary Distance,Stage Traveling Range, Coarse Focusing Range, filters etc. With increasing price these modifications will be finer and better. But you dont really need all of that. So, possibly the second one suits your application perfectly.

bh750 · Apr 3, 2017

Anirban said:
Lol, you are pretty much lost in the microscope world.

I will suggest you can get any of the top two scopes. They are fine for your application unless you want a digital camera to take image. In that case the third one. The differences between them are not major but more of fine details like, stage size, interpupillary Distance,Stage Traveling Range, Coarse Focusing Range, filters etc. With increasing price these modifications will be finer and better. But you dont really need all of that. So, possibly the second one suits your application perfectly.

thank you!! just the level of feedback I was looking for. I would need to take pictures and post them on here to learn and identify things. But I heard I can even place my iphone up to the lens and take a pic. Or do I need something like the 3rd one?

ie - right now I want to identify if something is cyano or spirulina or dinos or all 3! Id love to know definitively by placing it under the scope and posting pics.

Anirban · Apr 3, 2017

Ok you can buy the third one or may ask them if they can bundle a camera with the second one.

bh750 · Apr 3, 2017

Just spent some time chatting with someone from Amscope. I have a somewhat better understanding of these scopes. Like you said all 3 are good scopes and differ in the cameras. Looks like this:

1) T360C - $279.98. Really nice model. I can buy an $88 dollar adaptor to connect my Cannon DSLR.
http://www.amscope.com/compound-mic...biological-compound-microscope-40x-2500x.html

2) T380C - $334.98. same thing as the first one, just a newer model. So $55 more for a newer model. Same deal with the adaptor.
http://www.amscope.com/compound-mic...0x-3w-led-trinocular-compound-microscope.html

3) t380C-M - $414.98 same as the 2nd one except it comes with a built-in 1.3 Mexapixel camera.
http://www.amscope.com/compound-mic...und-microscope-with-1-3mp-digital-camera.html

Sounds like all 3 of these will allow me to really see what's going on inside my tank, identify invasive stuff, etc.
Just need to figure out which one I want for picture-taking purposes right?

jason2459 · Apr 3, 2017

Sorry, I think you PM'ed me too on this. I've been extremely busy. Any of those your link to will work. If you already have a DSLR I would get the scope and a camera mount for it. That's an easy way to save some money and get good pictures.

bh750 · Apr 4, 2017

jason2459 said:
Sorry, I think you PM'ed me too on this. I've been extremely busy. Any of those your link to will work. If you already have a DSLR I would get the scope and a camera mount for it. That's an easy way to save some money and get good pictures.

No worries Jason!

You've provided so much insight to last a long time for me. Thanks for the feedback, I think I'll go with one of the first two scopes and get a mount for it. So do you think the 2nd scope is worth the extra $$ for the newer model? I'm tempted to just buy the first one for $280 since I dont know if the newer model has better features/quality?

jason2459 · Apr 4, 2017

I don't see any reason not to get the cheaper one. They look to have the same mechanics, optics, and led light source.

bh750 · Apr 4, 2017

awesome. so just to confirm b/c I'm gonna pull the trigger after this post: aside from the obvious fun and insight into my tank I've never seen, this scope is right to help me identify invasive "stuff" like dinos, algae, cyano, spirulina, etc in my tank so I can properly combat it?

EDIT: is this the correct adapter for my Nikon D40 DSLR?

http://www.amscope.com/nikon-slr-dslr-camera-adapter-for-microscopes.html

Dr Blue Thumb · Apr 5, 2017

Following along this is the scope I was thnging of not sure if it is in your price range it could be more towards a $1000? Need more info too. I guess the light allow the specimen to be alive while studying it and keep the heat away from the specimen?

Charterreefer · Apr 5, 2017

If you want to look at things right inside the tank there is another device called an Ogles mesoscope. Unfortunately, their site says they are having a problem with their manufacturer. You could look into a used one if this sounds interesting. I have one and love it. It sticks to the glass and can focus from ~ 70mm to over 3 feet deep...very cool.

jason2459 · Apr 5, 2017

Dr Blue Thumb said:
Following along this is the scope I was thnging of not sure if it is in your price range it could be more towards a $1000? Need more info too. I guess the light allow the specimen to be alive while studying it and keep the heat away from the specimen?

Is that a stereo scope? That would be good for dissection.

The amscope linked to above and like the scope I have uses LED that produces very little heat and I can watch my smears alive for hours.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/our-tanks-biology-up-close.239838/

Charterreefer · Apr 5, 2017

Its only for viewing things in the tank. Doesn't sound like what you want to use it for.

BCSreef · Apr 5, 2017

bh750 said:
Hi all,

I have zero experience with scopes to identify things. But I'm thinking I need to get a scope. I've spent the last 10 years in the hobby dealing with one outbreak or another (GHA, Cyano, Dinos) to the points I've rarely enjoyed the hobby. So I'm thinking I really need to learn to identify things before I treat. And it can sounds fun!

I've been to the Amscope site but its sooooo overwhemling I have no idea how to choose. Only guidance I have is a post by @twilliard saying that 2500 magnification is probably the minimum.

Any recommendations on a reasonable scope that would allow me to look at specimens from my tank and post pictures for help with identification? Dont need a ton of bells and whistles but also hate to get one and then want a better one My budget is around $300-$400.

Thanks!

I have been working with microscopes professionally since the late 70s. It is not physically possible to reach more than 1,000 X magnification with a visible light microscope. I don't know where they got 2,500 X? 1,000 X is really only good for examining stained slides of bacteria and a few other uses.

Broadly speaking, there are two main types to consider. I have both at home.
1. A compound scope. - A maximum power of 250-400 X or so would be fine. You'll also need slides and coverslips and possibly fixatives and stains depending on what you want to look at. This may be a bit much for what you want deal with.
2. A dissecting stereoscope. - 7X - 40X is the most common. Easier to use than the compound. you can put a whole piece of coral or a fish under it and take a look.

Take a look at this to help you get a better idea of you are after: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-12/feature/index.php

You need to decide what types of specimens you want to examine before deciding on scope type.

Just reply after reviewing and I can give you more feedback.