What Microscope (Type) Should I Plan On?

[Mitch]

What types of a microscope should I have? What kinds are you folks using?

Any input much appreciated...

Thanks,
Mitch

[Blammo]

At the house I use a Nikon 1000 but out in the field...why don't they call it...out at the pond ???...OH..!!!.
I use a National 109L Monocular that goes to 400 power.
Cheap scope, very well made.Decent light.
I use it several times a week.
I like monocular scopes for beginners.
www.microscopesfromnightingale.com

[Lee B]

Mine has a flourescent light versus incadecent (sp?) The flourescent doesn't get hot and cook my live specimens, which gives me a longer time frame in which to find them. A mechanical stage is a MUST. Most "beginners" scopes cover the 10x, 40x, and 400x ranges; these are good for most parasites. Over 400x, you get into the need for oil immersion, and that's really above and beyond what a koi hobbyist needs. Get glass optics, not plastic. Something called an "abbe condenser" is an infinity iris that opens/closes to allow the light to go through the specimen. The (cheaper) alternative involves "stops" that only gives you a limited choice of light options (like small, medium and large!). It's definitely something you will grow to appreciate. Buy a good serviceable scope now: you can buy add-ons (like a video camera to show your bugs on a TV screen, or USB cameras that will take .mpegs, offer phase filtering or allow you remote access or video conferencing to your "project") later and at relatively smaller $$ than ones that come with it built in. There are ALWAYS toys for your toys ;)

Lee B

[cindy]

I bought the one Lee recommended. The company is awesome on getting it to you and shipping is free.

[Sarge]

Hey, were is the best place to get slides and covers? I looked on AES and did not see em

[Lee B]

AES *does* have them: they're on Page 161 of the catalog for this year. The slides are Part No. M24 (72 slides for $3.95 per box); the glass coverslips are Part No. M26 (100 slips for $4.25 per box). A lot of times people will suggest the use of plastic coverslips because you can use them to scrape with, then apply the coverslip directly to the slide - with a drop of pond water. However, the difference in the optics between glass and plastic is enormous. If the fragility of the coverslip spooks you regarding its useage to scrap, just use a regular slide for the scrape and move the "gunk" with the coverslip into a position you can use for scoping. AES doesn't carry the plastic coverslips, but Pond Rx does . . .

Now, if you have a few extra $$ to burn, they (AES) also have a slide that has a depression (well) in it (Part No. M30, 12 slides for $3.95/1 well or #M31 for $6.65/2 wells) that your kids would like: put some funky ***** ditch water in the well, cover it with a slip, and look at all the creepy crawlers! It's also a good training tool to learn the depth focus of your scope. It's surprising how much depth is in a gunk of slime coat . . . and even more in one of those "well" slides.

Hope this helps.

Lee

[Blammo]

AES *does* have them: they're on Page 161 of the catalog for this year. The slides are Part No. M24 (72 slides for $3.95 per box); the glass coverslips are Part No. M26 (100 slips for $4.25 per box). A lot of times people will suggest the use of plastic coverslips because you can use them to scrape with, then apply the coverslip directly to the slide - with a drop of pond water. However, the difference in the optics between glass and plastic is enormous. If the fragility of the coverslip spooks you regarding its useage to scrap, just use a regular slide for the scrape and move the "gunk" with the coverslip into a position you can use for scoping. AES doesn't carry the plastic coverslips, but Pond Rx does . . .

Now, if you have a few extra $$ to burn, they (AES) also have a slide that has a depression (well) in it (Part No. M30, 12 slides for $3.95/1 well or #M31 for $6.65/2 wells) that your kids would like: put some funky ***** ditch water in the well, cover it with a slip, and look at all the creepy crawlers! It's also a good training tool to learn the depth focus of your scope. It's surprising how much depth is in a gunk of slime coat . . . and even more in one of those "well" slides.

Hope this helps.

Lee
Lee...
Great advice....................:D