Sonlight microscope?

[StephanieZ]

I am about to hit purchase on the SL microscope. . .

 

Tell me if I'm doing the right thing! I hate to spend the $$ but am thinking it's time. . .

 

Dh is a vet & owns his hospital, so we have ready access to a $1000 microscope there, but it is a hassle bringing it home on the weekend or going to work to use it midweek . . . I'd like one to have available easily. . . This year, we'd use it for a few weeks of experiments. . . and then next year dd13 will either be doing high school biology w/lab or AP bio. . . and two more bio-loving kids to follow. . . So, we'll get use out of it, for sure.

 

We have an ancient microscope (from when I was a kid!) that is probably decent quality optically but it is a simple pain in the rear to use when you've been spoiled by the $1000 scope at work. (A MIRROR for a light source -- good grief, etc, etc.) I just can't stand it. It makes me want to poke my eyes out.

 

I am thinking it makes sense to go ahead & just buy the SL scope. We have the discount on our account, so it's $207 (free shipping). . .

 

Is there any reason not to go with this one? Is there a significantly better one (for comparable price) out there I should consider? Will this one do all we need through AP Bio?? (I could see taking the work one for a few days' lab at some point if needed. . . but the whole point of getting one for home is to avoid messing with the work scope regularly.)

 

THANKS!!!!!!!!

[Julie of KY]

After looking at lots of microscopes, I'd buy one from Sonlight or Home Science Tools. Some others sell cheaper, but too often you get what you pay for. HST does a good job of describing the differences and I think the SL one falls in line pricewise with similar ones from them.

[MGK]

We purchased the SL microscope this year after a great deal of research. It's so easy to use, and seems well made and durable. We are happy with our purchase. We are using it for biology. My understanding is that it will be adequate for all high school level courses.

[StephanieZ]

Good grief. I mentioned this to my dh just now and he says, "I didn't even know they made microscopes w/o a binocular eye piece. . ."

 

I am on the home science tools website now. . . Good grief. Nothing is ever simple in my home school!

[meet me in paris]

We got ours last year and we LOVE it! We use it all the time. Whenever we come across something cool we pull it out and look at it under the microscope. It's also been more than enough power for any science activity we've been called to do so far, and I bought it planning on using it all the way through AP Bio. I have no doubt it will be fine.