Selecting a microscope

[mcarroll]

Boot camp ur max. That's what broadfield and I do

I've been known to, but I'm out of drive space like crazy – it's a 2007 imac. :) :) :)

Is the software on the Win side completely awesome or otherwise irreplacable?

Thanks for any feedback!!

 

[brett_schn]

I've been known to, but I'm out of drive space like crazy – it's a 2007 imac. :) :) :)

Is the software on the Win side completely awesome or otherwise irreplacable?

Thanks for any feedback!!

Depends on what it's for. Take any data u need and put it on an external drive and then add more ram to the Mac and wipe the storage. It will speed up ur make a ton more

 

[Jolanta]

@Jolanta I've seen your pics on the dino thread....any thoughts on what scopes might be better or worse? Or any other thoughts?

For what it's worth....

I'm planning to take my pics with a phone cam.....I've heard varying reports that this is just as good or better than a builtin cam.

I'm also on a Mac, which seems to mean very little software support for manufacturer cameras....

(thinking of who else to tag in here...) :)

My microscope is a toy microscope with 100x to 900x max and you can see dinos very well with it. I make a picture with my bad quality cell phone.

 

[mcarroll]

@Jolanta something like this US$40 scope?
AMSCOPE-KIDS 120X-240X-300X-480X-600X-1200X Educational Metal Arm Kids Compound Microscope Kit + Book

 

[Jolanta]

@Jolanta something like this US$40 scope?
AMSCOPE-KIDS 120X-240X-300X-480X-600X-1200X Educational Metal Arm Kids Compound Microscope Kit + Book

I think mine is even more bad quality :) its max is 900x and this from the picture is 1200x. I think to see if its dinos you really dont need much, I can see ostreopsis clearly with 200x

 

[Ghxst]

Haha, reading this reminds me of all my swirling thoughts when I bought mine. I am very happy with the b120b, I have a review with a picture from when I got it and the quality hasn't changed.

I WOULD NOT BUY A CAMERA from them. I got one and compared to my iphone the phone is way clearer. I hated the camera, Nikon adapter and dark phase adapter amscope sold.

Personally after doing this myself, get the scope you want in your range, master it then get the other later.

 

[mcarroll]

Ok, so lower-end trinocular scopes aren't "simul-focus"...which means re-focusing when you wanna switch between eyeballs and cam. There's an upgrade, but it isn't worth the price.

Ruling out trinocular scopes. :) :) :)

 

[mcarroll]

Looks like about $300 for a scope with darkfield capability.

Is darfield just a lighting attachment or also special lenses?

Is this an extra that's worth bumping the budget for?

 

[mcarroll]

Seems like top-lighting would be a nice added feature, but it seems like only low-end scopes come with it.

Gimmick?

 

[litenyaup]

Always wanted one as well but never knew anything about them.

 

[BCSreef]

Looks like about $300 for a scope with darkfield capability.

Is darfield just a lighting attachment or also special lenses?

Is this an extra that's worth bumping the budget for?

The darkfield condenser is explained here: http://www.microbehunter.com/what-a...een-brightfield-darkfield-and-phase-contrast/

Darkfield or the more expensive phase contrast option makes it easier to visualize difficult to see specimens without having to stain them. I think its worth the cost.

I bought many microscopes for my labs, but that was 20 or more years ago. For some more up to date info, you may want to PM jason2459. He has posted quite a lot on microscopes on R2R. He has some amazing photos. I'm sure he would help you out.

Bob

 

[Centerline]

I have the b160? Works as well as the 2k ones in lab on campus. I'll warn you, once you see all the things in your tank, you cannot unsee them. I now use gloves anytime I'm in or around my tank.

I have a friend who obsessively uses a scope on his tank. Like you he uses gloves as well and thinks nothing of hitting his tank with interceptor (Dr Gs as of late), peroxide (why?), etc. I do have to admit he has a really healthy looking tank though.

 

[mcarroll]

@jason2459 any thoughts on darkfield or top lighting? :)

 

[jason2459]

@jason2459 any thoughts on darkfield or top lighting? :)

Stereo scope with top light is great for fish dissection.

I'd much rather have a phase contrast over darkfield for our purposes of looking a ciliates, bacteria, amoeba, etc. Looking at algae cells neither are needed.

And really if you get a usb camera with live viewing with a decent capture software you can do a lot with boosting contrast, tint, brightness, etc and messing with tge iris will take you far with out a contrast or darkfield kit.

I personally like a trinocular so I can use both eyes and have a camera mounted. Until I get to the higher resolution and closing the iris to almost nothing to pull out finer details I can see closer up with my wf 20 or 25x eyepieces. Then switch over to live camera feed viewing so the exposure can be cranked up and can see things I can't see through the eyepieces anymore.

This is the kit I got
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01BPJJ70I/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I plan still to get a phase contrast kit and a usb3.0 18mp camera to get higher resolution when taking video. I have gotten a 60x spring lens and swapped it for the 100x spring and oil lens it came with so I don't have to deal with the oil as I "zoom" in and out quite a bit. I would like to get a 100x spring only as wel one day.

 

[jason2459]

.... (You can't see chemistry in a microscope, can you????)

Checking...

Sure you can.

TankWater_5mlVibrant_24hrs-0004 by Jason, on Flickr

Hair_Algae_From_ATS_Double_Dose-0016 by Jason, on Flickr

 

[mcarroll]

Darkfield or the more expensive phase contrast option makes it easier to visualize difficult to see specimens without having to stain them. I think its worth the cost.

I'm having a heck of a time deciding on a course of purchase here.....LOL. I started off looking at $9 compound scopes on eBay just to get started and get my feet wet.....now I'm trying to talk myself into a $300 scope. :D :P :rolleyes:

Here's the microscope options as I see em so far: (add any thoughts!)

1. Toy scope ($10+) – there are serious votes for this as a starting point. Goes up to 1200x, has LED light and comes with a basic kit.
2. The first upgrade level seems to be from the toy (old timey/field scope) design to modern binocular or compound designs ($45+). I don't think I've seen anyone here so far with a scope at this level. (Though @Paul B has a classic single magnification field scope.)
3. The next level is a basic scientific scope with an angled eyepiece. ($70+)
4. You can get a second eyepiece, aka binocular scope ($175+)
5. You can get a third eyepiece, aka trinocular scope ($244+)

Minimum features:

• fine focus
• iris light control
• dimmer light control
• ???

Extra extras:

• darkfield condenser
• phase contrast kit
• polarizing kit
• mechanical stage kit
• camera kit

@jason2459 Thanks for the depth on that! (The link came through as a link to an order instead of a product tho.)

 

[jason2459]

I fixed the link I think

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01BPJJ70I/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[jason2459]

Option 1 would be just fine to get a basic id of most pests in our tanks.

This was my first microscope. Still have it. Just took this picture recently.

My second microscope was a basic tungsten one up to 800x. So slightly better. I used it up until it finally broke and I got that one linked above.

 

[mcarroll]

Hm....amscope has refurbished stock online....

 

[jason2459]

Hm....amscope has refurbished stock online....

Amscope and Omax are very similar and good budget microscopes. My 60x lens is an Amscope. Its quality is ok. I find my omax lenses even the 100x clearer.