Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Boom Stand Stereo Microscopes

A stereo microscope is a very practical microscope and certainly a great starter microscope for students and beginners. It is ideal for dissecting or low power magnification views of specimens. 

Stereo microscopes with a boom stand are ideal for industrial inspection. Boom stand microscopes include single and dual armed stands or articulating arms usually averaging 20-50 pounds in weight. The benefits of having a microscope with an articulating arm are that you can move the microscope to just about any area of your work space for technical projects that require a larger work surface.

The main benefits of a boom stand microscope are:

  • Extra work space
  • Simple to use
  • Increased working distance
  • Increased field of view

Check out our Boom Stand 3.5-9.0X Binocular Zoom Microscope with 54 LED Light









Monday, February 25, 2013

Inverted Microscopes

Inverted Microscopes are not your conventional microscope, however, their purpose and functions are far more useful when observing live cultures and organisms. An inverted microscope differs from a conventional compound or stereo microscope because the lens is below the stage and the light source is illuminating from above instead of below the stage. Some of our inverted microscopes also have options for using a digital camera for viewing images on a TV/ PC. 


Inverted Microscopes are ideal for specimens that are larger, thick in consistency, multidimensional, or collect on the bottom of a flask or dish. Viewing techniques from an inverted microscope are extensive with bright field and polarized light observation capabilities. 

Check out our Inverted Infinity Metallurgical Microscope with 40X-400X and a 9MP Camera

Features Include:

  • An Inverted Optical System
  • Larger stage and extended plate for larger specimens
  • Widefield Eyepieces
  • A 9 MP High Resolution Digital Camera
  • 30 Watt Halogen Bulbs 
  • Bright Field Light Settings
  • Polarized Light Settings




For more information and product specifications regarding our selection of inverted microscopes visit our website at the link here.


Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Polarized Microscopes

Polarized microscopes are ideal for optical mineralogy because it makes the light contrast with the background and illuminate the sample strongly. Illumination with a polarized microscope is similar to that of a brightfield illumination microscope, however a polarized microscope can also distinguish between iso and anisotropic substances. Polarized microscopes provide very detailed images that help with mineral identification and characteristic analysis.



Polarized light occurs when light is absorbed by an object such as a mineral. A polarized microscope has a polarizer and an analyzer, both which work together they cross making no light pass through the microscope. The polarizer and analyzer are key pieces to a polarized microscope. Other accessories you may be interested in purchasing for your microscope include a specialized stage, stain free objective lens, revolving nosepiece, and a compensator. 


For product information and features check out our website for a wide selection of polarized microscopes and accessories. 



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Darkfield Microscopes

A darkfield microscope is when the background is dark and/or blacked out and the viewed image or specimen appears brighter in color and intensity. This type of microscopy is ideal for viewing live specimens, such as bacteria and blood cell samples. We have microscopes to suit your darkfield needs in microscopy. If you already have a microscope with us we also offer microscope accessories and supplies that can be incorporated into your existing compound microscope for darkfield capabilities. You can upgrade with a higher intensity light and illuminator. 



The way a darkfield microscope works is the light from the bottom of the microscope is blocked in between the condensing lens below the stage. This blockage of light allows for light to enter from the sides of the stage. The viewer will only see the scattered fragments of light illuminating the specimen; The background will appear dark. Advantages of darkfield microscopy are that you will get quality, high contrast images using cost effective equipment.



Suggested Microscope:
40X-1600X Compound Darkfield 2MP Digital Microscope
Model No: M824-A191-C20C



This model offers binocular viewing with both darkfield and brightfield system options. It comes with a 2.0 megapixel digital camera system that allows for still and live image capturing via USB connection to a computer. This microscope also offers eight magnification settings and is idea for students, laboratory purposes, and experiments.


For more information and product features check out our selection of darkfield microscopes
Shop now: http://bit.ly/11Rl53n

Monday, February 18, 2013

Inspection Microscopes


Inspection Microscopes

Inspection microscopes offer a wide field system. Our model comes with a USB digital camera that can be used with a TV and/or computer. These microscopes are good for labs, gemologists, and engravers. They are also useful in semiconductor and manufacturing industries.

OMAX 3D Rotary Inspection Microscope
This microscope has many useful features including:
  • ·         A bright LED ring light
  • ·         A 360 degree panoramic view with 3-D inspection
  • ·         A wide field view of specimen
  • ·         A view of live and still images
  • ·         A built in camera; no computer and/or TV hookup is needed


With this microscope you have many options for views and settings. You can slide the attachments in and out for a 2-D and 3-D view.  It also allows you to have live or still slide viewings of organisms.  You can also have side by side comparisons on one screen, which is ideal for lab research and observation purposes. 



Check out our 3 dimensional rotary inspection microscope with 7:1 Zoom capability
Model No: PD512VGA


Sunday, February 17, 2013

Selecting a Stereo Microscope


To select a stereo microscope you must consider these seven factors before deciding on which one is right for you. Keep in mind your specific microscope needs and/or wants prior to making your selection. Different fields of microscopy require different setting options, magnifications, and technical pieces and added accessories. 

1. Magnification

2. Zoom power

3. Eyepieces

4. Illumination

5. Lens Quality

6. Light Source

7. Accessories



Shop Stereo Microscopes: http://bit.ly/UotSp2
Read more on selecting a Stereo Microscope: http://bit.ly/14Ao11V

Friday, February 15, 2013

Microscope Accessories

     So you've purchased a microscope from us? Chances are you've already tried your hand at viewing various objects at high and low magnifications. Now you want to know all the upgrades and further potential your microscope is capable of. Some possibilities include looking into purchasing more accessories to increase the potential of your existing microscope.

Accessories you may be interested in from our website include: 

a. CCD camera for watching though computer monitors or your TV
b. Camera and video monitor adapters.
c. Condensers and sets such as bright field, darkfield, aspherical lens, and polarization set
d. Illumination Sets
e. Thermal control stage (keeps the stage at a certain temperature to make the specimen alive)
f. Attachable mechanical stage
g. Extra eyepieces
h. Slides, covers, prepared slides, and immersion oil
i. Spare bulbs

Check out some of best selling microscope accessories at www.microscopenet.com



Prepared and Blank Microscope Slides http://bit.ly/VnkIeq



6 Watt LED Illuminator http://bit.ly/XTMN9e




Halogen Bulbs with Reflector 21V/150 http://bit.ly/VljoWU

Monday, February 11, 2013

How to Make a Slide for a Microscope: Making Your Own Prepared Slides

You have a microscope--now what? With the directions in this Teaching Tip you can get started right away making your own microscope slides.

  • Cork Cells
  • How to Make a Smear of Cheek Cells
  • Looking at Root and Stem Sections
  • Leaf Cells
How to Make Simple Microscope Slides
  • Making Simple Slides
  • How to Use the Microscope
  • Other Simple Microscope Slide Ideas

How to Make a Slide for a Microscope: Making Your Own Prepared Slide
Learn how to make temporary mounts of specimens and view them with your microscope. Below are a few ideas for studying different types of cells found in items that you probably already have around your house. 

Cork Cells
In the late 1600s, a scientist named Robert Hooke looked through his microscope at a thin slice of cork. He noticed that the dead wood was made up of many tiny compartments, and upon further observation Hooke named these empty compartments cells. It was later known that the cells in cork are only empty because the living matter that once occupied them has died and left behind tiny pockets of air. You can take a closer look at the cells, also called lenticels, of a piece of cork by following these instructions.
Materials Needed:
  • a small cork
  • plain glass microscope slide
  • slide cover slip
  • sharp knife or razor blade
  • water
How to make the microscope slide:
Carefully cut a very thin slice of cork using a razor blade or sharp knife (the thinner the slice, the easier it will be to view with your microscope). To make a wet mount of the cork, put one drop of water in the center of a plain glass slide - the water droplet should be larger than the slice of cork. Gently set the slice of cork on top of the drop of water (tweezers might be helpful for this). If you are not able to cut a thin enough slice of the whole diameter of the cork, a smaller section will work.
Take one cover slip and hold it at an angle to the slide so that one edge of it touches the water droplet on the surface of the slide. Then, being careful not to move the cork around, lower the cover slip without trapping any air bubbles beneath it. The water should form a seal around the cork. Use the corner of a paper towel to blot up any excess water at the edges of the coverslip. To keep the slide from drying out, you can make a seal of petroleum jelly around the cover slip with a toothpick. Begin with the lowest-power objective to view your slide. Then switch to a higher power objective to see more detail. Use this same wet mount method for the other cell specimens listed below.

How to Make a Smear of Cheek Cells
You can even check out cells from your own body! The cells on the inside of your cheek are called Squamous Epithelium cells and can be easily viewed with a compound microscope.
Materials Needed:
  • toothpick (flat ones work best)
  • plain glass microscope slide
  • slide cover slip
  • methylene blue
How to make the microscope slide:
To make a cheek smear, take a clean toothpick and gently scrape the inside of your cheek. Then wipe that part of the toothpick in the center of your slide. Hold the coverslip with one end flush on the slide and gently wipe the edge of the coverslip along the middle of the slide's surface. This will smear the cells along the slide, making a layer thin enough to view clearly. Let the smear air dry.
Once your smear is dry, add a drop of methylene blue stain to the center of the smear so you will be able to see the cells more clearly. Gently set a coverslip over the smear and scan your slide under low power to locate the cells, then observe them more closely under high power.

Looking at Root and Stem Sections
Vegetables are a great way to learn about plants. Did you know that carrots are actually roots, and celery stalks are stems?
Materials Needed:
  • celery stalk (stem)
  • a carrot (root)
  • plain glass microscope slides
  • slide cover slips
  • water
How to make the microscope slide:
Cut a few extremely thin slices out of the middle of the carrot, and some from the middle of the celery stalk. Make a wet mount of the best slice from each vegetable and view them one at a time using your microscope's 4x objective. Compare and contrast what you see in each one, then switch to the 10x objective to look a little more closely. To see details of the amazing structure of plants, use the 40x objective and scan each slide, carefully observing all of the parts and different cells.

Leaf Cells
Learn even more about plants by studying different sections of real leaves.
Materials Needed:
  • a fresh leaf specimen (use one without many holes or blemishes)
  • plain glass microscope slide
  • slide cover slip
  • sharp knife or razor blade
  • water
How to make the microscope slide:
Before you begin, make sure the leaf is clean and dry. Lay it out flat on your working surface and slice about a 1'' section crosswise out of the center using a sharp knife. Then, starting at one of the short ends (the edges that you did not cut), tightly roll the leaf section. Carefully make several very thin slices off one end of the roll with a razor blade or knife. The slices should look almost transparent. The cells surrounding the central vein of the leaf are what you will want to look at; depending on the size of the leaf, you might have to cut the slice again so that the central part is the part you will actually see on your slide. Make a wet mount on a plain slide with the inner part of the leaf section facing up (so the inner cells are visible). Look at the slide with the 10x objective to see the general structure, and higher power to see details of cells.
A tool called a microtome is extremely helpful for preparing specimens for slide mounting. A microtome allows you to expose a small amount of the specimen at a time and cut it off against a solid edge using a very sharp razor blade type knife.
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Monday, February 4, 2013

Microscope 101:

Microscopy..whether it be for educational purposes, research, or just plain curiosity..we all have to learn the basics. After this tutorial you will be able to identify the various aspects of a basic microscope and be able to know how to adjust the settings and magnification accordingly.

Microscope Component Overview:

  • Binocular Eyepieces: Looking lens for your microscope
  • Objectives: Usually consisting of 3 magnification settings 
  • Stage: Hold your slides in place
  • Light source: Illuminate image at hand
  • Fine focus control: fine focus adjustments
  • Rough focus control: rough focus adjustments
  • Stage control Adjustments: adjusts stage closer and farther and from side to side
  • Dimmer switch: Controls light source level and intensity

Adjusting Your Microscope:
  • Turn on light source
  • Adjust stage and light settings
  • Start off on lowest magnification setting
  • Adjust focus on image under slide

Now that you have a better understanding about the basics of a compound and stereo microscope you can browse our inventory to find out which microscope suits your personal and educational needs.

Read purchasing guide: http://bit.ly/14Ao11V
Shop microscopes: http://bit.ly/Yyvs6t