“What do I want to observe? “is the best question to ask yourself before choosing any microscope. The type of microscope appropriate for the kind of observation you want as well as the sample preparation will be dependent on the answer to this question. A microscope is an instrument used to take magnified image/details of very small objects. Whether you are a student, teacher, scientist, or just a plain hobbyist, the microscope is a versatile tool to have.
Beginning microscopes could either be a compound or a stereo microscope. A compound microscope produces images that are upside down and reversed right to left and the working space between the slide and the lens is very small. Stereo microscopes produce images that are upright and correct right to left, just as seen without a microscope, and have ample room under the microscope to observe slightly bigger specimens. Magnifications are low, so focusing is not as critical as it is in the higher magnification compound microscope.
Microorganisms and cells are very small subjects that need a lot of magnification. A glass slide also needs to be prepared in order to observe them. The slide is then used with a compound light microscope at magnifications anywhere from 40x all the way up to a maximum of 1500x, depending on the subject. The most familiar type of microscope is the compound light microscope. It is the one people think of when you mention the word “microscope”. It is the microscope students first used in a science class. A glass slide with the specimen is placed on the microscope stage and is first viewed at low magnification, then at higher magnifications by rotating a nosepiece which has 3 or 4 objective lenses attached.
A beginning microscope for small specimens should at least have minimum features like a 200x magnification which is adequate for viewing cells and pond water microorganisms. It should also have two focusers instead of only one since a single focuser is a sign of a cheap beginning microscope and would mean difficulty adjusting to higher magnifications. Illumination system could be mirror or a built-in illumination via a power source, usually 110V. A binocular eyepiece is preferable to a single or monocular eyepiece since this would prevent eye fatigue.
Large subjects, like twigs, rocks, leaves, flowers, gems, industrial parts and so on, don’t require the magnification of a compound light microscope, but they do require much more room under the microscope to observe them. A stereo microscope or a dissecting microscope is the type of beginning microscope that is used to examine these subjects since the specimen can be observed, cut, or operated upon at the same time. It is extensively used in science, industry and is also a favorite of hobbyists.
Beginning microscopes for viewing large subjects usually have low magnification. A higher magnification is not needed since this would mean a compromise on the field of view and depth perception. Stereo microscopes with fixed magnification, from 20x to 40x, are least expensive. It is also advisable to have binocular eyepieces to reduce eye fatigue and improve the visual acuity of the specimen. For stereo beginning microscopes, illumination is not important since magnification is lower, but, built-in illumination is also available in some models.
