i need a microscope

[Detritivore]

he everyone,

i need a microscope. can anyone give me a good recommendation on brand/model? it needs to have at least three separate magnifications and a max mag of at least 400x. also needs fine focus separate from coarse focus.

TIA

[gqjeff]

PM Mesocosm...

[mesocosm]

Greetings All !

PM Mesocosm...

Yeah ... This is how the madness starts ... ... ...

jonah310,
What is the toy for? Without knowing the general intended use for the microscope (... and the potential range of uses as your skill level/needs progress ...), it's hard to give any good, specific recommendations or sources ... But here are some excellent places to start a generalized search ...


Relatively Good Propaganda Links:

Great Scopes
Free downloadable eBook:
How to buy the Right Microscope. A free, illustrated guide to the Microscope.
http://www.greatscopes.com/important.htm

Microbus' Microscope Buyer's Guide
http://microscope-microscope.org/basic/buyers-guide.htm



Good, "Reasonably" Priced "General" Sources Links:

Microscope World. The Microscope Superstore (Carlsbad, California)
http://www.microscopeworld.com/

Great Scope's Homepage (Jamestown, North Carolina)
http://www.greatscopes.com/index.html

Microbus' Comprehensive Listing of Microscope Suppliers ... and I mean comprehensive:
http://dmoz.org/Science/Instruments_...t_Microscopes/



Higher End, "Unreasonably" Priced (... but VERY cool toys ...) Source/Portal:

Microscopy.Info (AKA "MicroWorld") Homepage
http://www.mwrn.com/default.htm

Microscopy.info's Vendors Search Page
http://www.mwrn.com/product/default.htm

Microscopy.info's Manufacturers & Vendors Search Page
http://www.mwrn.com/company/search.htm

i need a microscope. can anyone give me a good recommendation on brand/model? it needs to have at least three separate magnifications and a max mag of at least 400x. also needs fine focus separate from coarse focus.

I know I've been jibbering about "toys", but good microscopes are in fact precision optical instruments ... bring your credit card. FWIW, in the Land of Microscopy, you definitely get what you pay for ... and IME, the cost of quality is worth every penny. But if your needs for microscope performance are basic, you can get a good, durable unit for $300 - $400. Good, basic university laboratory level scopes will run you $650 - $900. Good, basic research level toys start in the $1500 range.

If you're planning on any kind of photographic application(s), you're going to want a good university level scope.

This is a link to a scope that meets your minimum criteria. It's a "student" scope, so you'll save some bucks. Definitely consider paying the extra $40 to get a mechanical stage (allows finer control of the slide on the scope's stage using knobs instead of your hands ... trust me on this).
http://www.microscopeworld.com/high/155-microscopes.htm

The next level up is this one ... oh yes, you can feel, as well as hear, the cash register's Ka-Ching in the background.
http://www.microscopeworld.com/high/157-microscopes.htm

Just some examples ... HTH.


Please let me know if I can be of more specific help ...

FYI

[Detritivore]

well, the microscope is supposed to be for school, HS biology (excuse) but i want to use it to poke around the micro world of my tank (real reason)

oh, i also whant to be able to stick a camera to it.

[mesocosm]

Greetings All !

well, the microscope is supposed to be for school, HS biology (excuse) but i want to use it to poke around the micro world of my tank (real reason)

I used to teach HS Biology ... ... so no excuse necessary ...

This series of scopes should have a unit which meets your needs nicely without costing a fortune. They should be very functional in terms of poking around in your tank. Price range $195 - $349.
http://www.microscopeworld.com/high/hpin.htm

HTH

[Detritivore]

thanks meso,

i was looking at one of the links you provided, and those zeiss scopes are just...

it looks more high-tech than a nuclear reactor!!!