MicroViewer/Microscope/Magiscope ???

[Pen]

I am hoping to find something suitable for my son who is now in 5th. I could use guidance on the possibilities such as a MicroViewer (rainbow resource cat. # 049923) that somehow magnifies things onto the computer, a regular microscope (which?), or a Brock Magiscope (RR cat. 029486--apparently with upgrades possible).

 

A relative is interested in possibly making this a present for Christmas so long as the price is under, or not much over, $100. Is it possible to get something that will be good at that price? If so, what?

 

My son found a microscope in a catalog called Museum Tour claiming 1000x magnification for under $100, and the relatives say they found a binocular microscope on Amazon claiming 2000x magnification for just over $100. But I have heard (and BFSU/Nebel says) that such are likely to be expensive toys that do not actually work well.

 

I would like my son to start being able to see things like cells and so on, and do not know what will work well, not be too expensive, and so on.

 

What says the hive?

 

Or should this be on General or High School perhaps instead of here?

[Farrar]

We have this one. The price keeps coming down on it so it's now a little cheaper than when we got it. It's not a toy - it's a real microscope and Celestron is a solid brand. There may be other good options though.

[NittanyJen]

I used to do microscopy for a living, and I am delighted with the Brock Magiscope for grades through at least 8. The optics are first rate, and it is so easy to handle that what you are viewing s the star of the show rather than the instrument.

 

It is very sturdy, and because it does not require batteries or electricity, you can bring it with you easily on trips and hikes. It can be used for transparent slides or as a dissecting scope (opaque objects) without modification.

 

Here is a picture I took this morning by just pointing my (hand-held) iPad camera lens right through the eyepiece -- no special equipment required for basic photography (a point and shoot digital camera works as well or better). There is ample time in high school to learn the relatively simple task of using a basic laboratory scope. Once in a while I have missed having a mechanical stage and par focal lenses, but not often enough to make giving up this kid-friendly, high quality, sturdy and portable instrument worthwhile!

[Pen]

Thank you to both of you.

 

 

I used to do microscopy for a living, and I am delighted with the Brock Magiscope for grades through at least 8. The optics are first rate, and it is so easy to handle that what you are viewing s the star of the show rather than the instrument.

 

It is very sturdy, and because it does not require batteries or electricity, you can bring it with you easily on trips and hikes. It can be used for transparent slides or as a dissecting scope (opaque objects) without modification.

 

Here is a picture I took this morning by just pointing my (hand-held) iPad camera lens right through the eyepiece -- no special equipment required for basic photography (a point and shoot digital camera works as well or better). There is ample time in high school to learn the relatively simple task of using a basic laboratory scope. Once in a while I have missed having a mechanical stage and par focal lenses, but not often enough to make giving up this kid-friendly, high quality, sturdy and portable instrument worthwhile!

 

 

Thanks! What model or package Magiscope (amount of magnification?) and what is it that I am looking at in the picture you took?

[NittanyJen]

If my memory is correct, there is no difference in models other than which lenses and eyepieces come with it. You want at least 400X magnification.

 

In the above photo you are looking at a prepared slide of paramecium from Home Science Tools, through a 10X eyepiece and 10X objective, for 100X total magnification.

 

The guy who builds these microscopes is very responsive and will answer questions if you send him email; his address is on the website.