Is this microscope good for looking at cells and other small things?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the suitability of a specific microscope for observing cells and other small specimens. Participants evaluate the microscope's specifications, potential performance at high magnifications, and its features relevant to biological imaging.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses interest in upgrading to a microscope with a maximum magnification of 2500x, questioning its effectiveness for viewing human and plant cells, as well as other small specimens.
  • Another participant notes the impressive specifications and suggests that the microscope would be an excellent choice for the intended use, although they have not personally used it.
  • A suggestion is made to consider an upgraded 3MP camera for better imaging quality.
  • A different participant raises concerns about the mechanical stability of the microscope, suggesting that vibrations could affect high-magnification imaging and that the z-stage may have backlash issues affecting fine focusing.
  • Another participant mentions that the microscope may be limited to viewing stained sections or colored specimens, as it lacks phase contrast or darkfield capabilities, which are important for observing unstained materials.
  • Concerns are also raised about the quality of the objectives and whether they would produce clear images at high magnifications without oil immersion lenses.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism regarding the microscope's capabilities. While some believe it is a good choice for the intended applications, others highlight potential limitations and concerns, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations related to the microscope's mechanical stability, imaging capabilities without specific techniques, and the quality of the objectives, which may affect performance at high magnifications.

labprofess
Hi all

So I am planning to save up for this microscope because I am trying to 'upgrade' from my microscope whos max magnification is 1000x (keep in mind Its not clear at max the highest it would be a good image at is 500x)
http://www.amscope.com/40x-2500x-le...d-microscope-w-3d-stage-1-3mp-usb-camera.html

This is exactly a microscope I am searching for, correct magnification and camera but anyone ever used this? Is it a good microscope? And how is it at the max magnification?

(Not sure if important but mostly going to look at cells (human cells and plant cells) and other small things (sperm,etc.)

Thanks!
 
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I never used this microscope but I just looked at the list of specs and I am impressed. The x2500 magnification is quite impressive and with half price discount, I would say this is a very successful choice. For your planned use, this will be an excellent choice. Good luck and let me know how it goes once you use it.
 
They also sell a 3MP camera. I would highly suggest getting the upgraded camera.

BoB
 
SciencewithDrJ said:
I never used this microscope but I just looked at the list of specs and I am impressed. The x2500 magnification is quite impressive and with half price discount, I would say this is a very successful choice. For your planned use, this will be an excellent choice. Good luck and let me know how it goes once you use it.

will do
 
labprofess said:
Hi all

So I am planning to save up for this microscope because I am trying to 'upgrade' from my microscope whos max magnification is 1000x (keep in mind Its not clear at max the highest it would be a good image at is 500x)
http://www.amscope.com/40x-2500x-le...d-microscope-w-3d-stage-1-3mp-usb-camera.html

This is exactly a microscope I am searching for, correct magnification and camera but anyone ever used this? Is it a good microscope? And how is it at the max magnification?

(Not sure if important but mostly going to look at cells (human cells and plant cells) and other small things (sperm,etc.)

Thanks!

I like that it has a substage condenser, with the ability to align and focus the condenser lens, and I like the use of LED illumination. However, I suspect the microscope and stage itself aren't sufficiently mechanically stiff- vibrations will severely impact your ability to perform high-magnification imaging. Also, the z-stage will possibly have a lot of backlash, making fine focusing a headache.

The objectives all seem very 'standard', it's unclear what their quality is. The good news is that you can get replacements that will work better for very little money on ebay.
 
Looks like this is a very reasonably priced microscope, however I would expect it to only be very useful for looking at stained section, or things already colored like blood smears on slides.

It does not have (as far as I can tell) any phase contrast of darkfield capabilities. It would therefore not be too useful for looking at unstained material, many aspects of which are revealed through phase contrast or darkfield illumination. This rules out looking at things like pondwater without some kind of treatment.

I am not sure how well these higher magnification lenses would work with using oil immersion lenses, which they don't appear to be. They may just produce kinda blurry images.
 

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