Selecting a microscope

[jason2459]

Any thoughts on this scope? The price is right but not sure if it provides any advantages over the toy scope @mcarroll and others are using. Could I use a camera phone with this setup do you think?

http://www.amscope.com/40x-1000x-bi...QObpZeUxKV7M-oQrW2ZwFdM-KMIDtPIgaApK6EALw_wcB

It maybe a bit sturdier and slightly better optics. I'd imagine you could use your phone camera with any microscope.

 

[mcarroll]

Could I use a camera phone with this setup do you think?

I'd imagine you could use your phone camera with any microscope.

My camera phone mount is much nicer than my microscope.

I have the GoSky Telescope Camera Adapter:

• It's solid as a rock and works equally well on my microscope and binoculars.
• I'm pretty sure it'd work on my telescope too.
• Highly recommended cellphone/scope adapter.
• A tripod adapter would be recommended for non-stationary items like binoculars.
• I got mine in a package with a bluetooth shutter release for about half their list price, FYI.
  • BTW, my toy scope's lack of mass or weight is the scope's #1 problem so far. It wobbles and vibrates like...a toy microscope.
  • I think this mount would be twice as awesome on a stable scope.
  • Clamping a cellphone on top of my toy scope does work (I've posted photos and a movie that were all decent) but it also exacerbates the issues to using the scope is a little harder than usual.
  • I literally think clamping it to a table top or gluing it to a piece of wood for weight/stability would almost make it a whole new scope. Doubt I'll put much effort into trying since a real scope isn't more than $50.

 

[mcarroll]

This scope has the light source on a rack and pinion mount....not sure it's clear from the pic where the light almost looks like an old-school light/mirror setup, but this light doesn't rotate or move, except via the rack and pinion, which is controlled by the lower knob. Very useful during viewing.

 

[ItsAName]

I know it's never this simple, but has anyone summarized it as easy as:

Best microscope:
Under $50
$50-$100
$100-$200
$200-$300
$300-$500

 

[mcarroll]

I know it's never this simple, but has anyone summarized it as easy as:

Best microscope:
Under $50
$50-$100
$100-$200
$200-$300
$300-$500

The closest I've seen to this is the 2-3 summaries I made starting (I think) with post #53.

Tried to do Amscop and Omax......it was a pain in the neck since I barely know what I'm reading about....then I ran into AccuScope that also had a great looking range of scopes.....that's when I folded the effort and bought the $12 toy scope.

I needed a little experience under the belt so I could have some goals in mind when spending "real money". Otherwise it seems like "the best scope" is >$,$$$. Everything south of that leaves me wondering if I'm missing the single-best feature...or maybe whether I'm still paying for way more features than I need...since I have no idea which feature(s) will really be important.

 

[jason2459]

Omax/Amscope same maker different logos. Great value microscope. Better then most Chinese cheap scopes.

Here's a good break down for different features and brands. Accuscope would be with the Motic and Meiji. A step up from the Omax/Amscope but still not considered a Nikon or Zeiss.

http://kv5r.com/microscopy/buying-a-microscope/

 

[mcarroll]

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[Mjl714]

How about this one? In the trinocular version?

https://www.microscope.com/student-microscopes/omano-om36-compound-microscope.html#description_tab

 

[mcarroll]

Looks similar to others I've seen folks use so feature-wise it ought to do OK. I haven't heard of that brand yet though.....have to wait for someone else to chime in.

 

[jason2459]

Should be fine. I got LED as it's not as hot.

 

[Mjl714]

I found this buying considerations helpful

https://www.microscope.com/education-center/buyers-guides/how-to-buy/

 

[Mjl714]

Should be fine. I got LED as it's not as hot.

I like that, not as hot.

 

[mcarroll]

Standard hair algae from my tank, along with some other critters.

Some bright maroon cyanobacteria growing on the top of one of my pumps. It looks like the strands are too fine for me to see a useful amount of detail at 1200x though.

Should I need 2400x for cyano?

 

[Ghxst]

You should see it perfectly at 1200, something looks amiss to me.

 

[BCSreef]

Is it a wet mount? Looks like one. Are you viewing through a cover glass? If so, how thick is it? Any other details would help.

Regardles,s at around 1,000-1,200X you have maxed out resolution with visible light. Going any higher won't allow you to visualize any better.

Out of curiosity, which scope did you buy?

 

[mcarroll]

This is still the toy scope. And you're right that cyano shot was in a concave glass slide with nothing over it. The other two samples were sandwiched between two (barely) concave slides....more like a coverslip mount I suspect.

Guessing from the questions that a flat slide with a cover slip will be better so I'll give that a try next...just haven't gotten into those boxes yet.

(So little time....have to try one thing per session.)

 

[mcarroll]

@Ghxst Still getting the videos uploaded to post....the clarity is a little better on the cyano video, but somehow I expected to see at least some features. Will have to see how a sample looks under a coverslip.

Any of you guys have a video that shows the best way(s) to mount something like algae? (Including getting the best sample to look at.) It's fun winging it at figuring it out, but it's also nice to get a tip.

Thanks for all the comments so far – still just getting started with this tool!!!

 

[BCSreef]

I think you have two issues.
1) at the high magnifications the depth of field is quite narrow. I think some of the subject is in focus, while the rest of it is not. A thin cover slip will "flatten" it all out and force most of the subject into a single focal plane.
2) I don't think a 100X will focus through the top slide of a "slide sandwich". The focal plane may lie within that top slide versus between the slides.
I think a cover slip would help fix both issues.
Another option is to dry and fix (and possibly stain) the subject. Quite a bit more work. Also, the stains are hard to get out if they get on hands, cloths, etc.

 

[mcarroll]

@Bob Stohrer All very interesting – I hadn't considered a lot of that!

I will post again when I have some time to squint – and next time I'll break out the standard glass slides and cover slips.

 

[kinetic]

I will probably never need a microscope again. Is it really required to buy $100+ microscope? Can I get away with really cheap ones? If so, what would be acceptable?