low power microscope (1 Viewer)

[Steve Babbs]

Hi all

has anyone got a recommendation for a good low power microscope. No set budget but keen not to spend more than necessary.

Regards

Steve

 

[King Edward]

What do you want it for? Some of the Motic ones aren't bad, such as the SMZ-140 and SMZ-168. If you're anywhere near Oxford, it's worth a visit to Microscope Services.

 

[chris butterworth]

Quite a way from you but I found http://www.business-southampton.co.uk/details.asp?comp=Hampshire+Micro&cno=01388 have one if the best selections of microscopes ( budget stereos to research quality ) in the UK.

 

[Bob Philpott]

Steve, Depending on what you are wanting to use it for, but I have just downloaded a microscope/magnifier app for the mobile phone and my tablet. I used it today whilst out looking for Brown Hairstreak eggs and was reasonably impressed with the result. I am going to try and set it up indoors next.

There do seem to be a few cheapish USB / WiFi microscopes you can use with a computer or tablet.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Definitely looking at the budget end of the market. It's be used for insect identification.

I presume this one is so cheap that it's probably not very good:

http://www.mydigitalslrcameras.com/bresser-microscope-5802000-biolux-icd-20x/

 

[Robert S J Smith]

The ones Jon Cliffton sells at Anglian Lepidopterist Supplies are very good. I've got AJ05 (20/40 mag) which has been great so far on a wide range of Beetles, Bugs and Mosses.

http://www.angleps.com/microscopes.php

 

[etudiant]

Hi all

has anyone got a recommendation for a good low power microscope. No set budget but keen not to spend more than necessary.

Regards

Steve

If all you need is a quick close up view of something, most monoculars serve as quality loupes if inverted and binoculars would do likewise.
Stamp collectors, probably another endangered species, use low power scopes and loupes extensively. You might find some attractive options there.
Zeiss used to sell a mount to make their 8x monocular into a low power microscope. The field of view was much better than a standard microscope, at least at the modest powers available.
Full scale microscopes are a very different breed and afaik, even modest optical performance will be $500 and up, way up if you have alpha tastes.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Thanks for the information. I frequently invert my binoculars for in the field use; it is a very useful tool when I don't have a hand lens. I do have 'alpha' tastes but it's for beetle id. I want to get into them more but I suspect they'll always remain a way behind birds. mammals, butterflies and dragonflies as my main priority and so a 'budget' stereo microscope will probably do the job. especially as I've just blown a lot of money of a new pair of 'alpha' bins. The Anglia Leps site does look like my best bet.

 

[bally]

keep your eyes on ebay I just got one of these
http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/bally796/media/002.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Paid £197 including post as new condition

 

[Steve Babbs]

keep your eyes on ebay I just got one of these
http://s1132.photobucket.com/user/bally796/media/002.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0
Paid £197 including post as new condition

I bought the field stereo microscope from here:

http://www.angleps.com/microscopes.php

Not up the level of yours but good enough for my purposes.