LOVE our new microscope!!

[ChandlerMom]

After a couple months of obsessively researching microscopes, I ordered my dream scope from microscopenet: a trinocular LED lit compound scope, 40-2000x, iris diaphragm, abbe condenser, awesome mechanical stage, even a reversed nosepeice (wasn't a big deal to me, but now I appreciate that the lenses are turned away from the back away from grubby little fingers :D).

 

DH and I even let our kids use it (though they have to elbow their way past us! :lol: ). I didn't install the 100x objective lens (too easy to break slides with it and you need to use immersion oil, so save that for later), but even at 400x power the paramecium looks amazing.

 

The scope was $280 delivered (model M8311), the binocular version is $250. They and Amscope have nice options around $100 as well. I also ordered (from Amscope) a hs slide set (100 slides for under $50) and a 2mp USB scope camera (Celestron 42221 from newegg for $40). All work great and if you get any scope, definitely consider those add-ons: I'll never make a stained slide of dog cardiac muscle and the camera (in my 3rd port on the scope) means I can show the images on my computer so even my 5yo can enjoy (on a Mac you use ichat to view and photobooth to record).

 

I was nervous ordering from an unknown, but it's solid and works perfectly. There's no major manufacturer in the US anymore, and few even in Japan, so whether you order from a small hs company or any other source, the scopes are all made in China, most likely in the same factories and the same quality control. I'm glad I didn't pay a middleman $100 to buy a scope, and I couldn't have afforded this scope if I'd bought it elsewhere. One shopping hint: both Amscope and microscopenet have Ebay stores and their own internet stores - check both the online and ebay store prices as they aren't the same. The Amscope slides were cheaper on ebay and the scope was cheaper buying directly from microscopenet's site.

 

My 2cents.