I am just getting back into the hobby of micrography so I bought an Amscope M500 as a Christmas present for me. After fiddling with it for the past couple of weeks, I am very disappointed. In observing a blood smear (a small sacrifice for science), I find that at 40x and 100x I get a good clear image through the eyepiece, but at 400x it is nothing but a low contrast blur. No matter how I adjust the condenser, I can't get the right balance between sufficient light to see the subject and the right contrast to be able to make out any forms. I have even played around with a couple of darkfield filters, but that really didn't help much. Of course at 1000x, I can't see anything at all (I did use a drop of oil on the coverslip for experimenting at this magnification).
Should I be getting better results than what I am experiencing or is this scope just not up to the task? I am already shopping around for a used Nikon Labphot or Alphaphot, but my financial advisor, I mean my wife, won't let me spend much on this new endevor.
Am I Expecting Too Much?
Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau
Of course there are much better microscopes, but with any true microscope you must be able to see clear images with the 40X objective (for specimens adequately mounted and with cover glass). The 100X oil is more difficult but again with a good slide you must see a good image if both the slide and the microscope adjustements are adequate.
- Are you sure that the objectives front lens is clean? (a reversed eyepiece used as hand magnifier is great to inspect it)
- is the slide mounted with liquid or adequate mountant medium under the coverslip and is the coverslip clean?
- is the condenser at its higher position or very near it? (this is fundamental with high power objectives)
(all this issues are very common with my students, I comment them because you post in the beginners forum)
- Are you sure that the objectives front lens is clean? (a reversed eyepiece used as hand magnifier is great to inspect it)
- is the slide mounted with liquid or adequate mountant medium under the coverslip and is the coverslip clean?
- is the condenser at its higher position or very near it? (this is fundamental with high power objectives)
(all this issues are very common with my students, I comment them because you post in the beginners forum)
Pau
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Charles Krebs
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I would strongly recommend starting out with subjects that are much easier to work with than blood smears. And I would certainly say hold off on the 100X (which must be used with oil) until you are comfortably working with the 4X, 10X, and 40X.
Unless something is "wrong", even a basic model microscope like the one you mention should give a very pleasing image with the 4x, 10x and 40x. (100x oil immersion work takes a little practice, and a more carefully prepared subject).
Find a detailed contrasty subject (perhaps the wing or antenna or leg from a dead insect found on a window sill) and place it a drop or two of water and cover it with a coverglass. (If you have immersion oil you could also use that for the "medium" under the cover slip). Start with the 4X and work your way up to the 10X and 40X. (Be sure you did not accidentally get immersion oil of the front to the 4, 10 and 40x objectives and that they are clean).
Let us know if you make any progress and things start looking better.
Unless something is "wrong", even a basic model microscope like the one you mention should give a very pleasing image with the 4x, 10x and 40x. (100x oil immersion work takes a little practice, and a more carefully prepared subject).
Find a detailed contrasty subject (perhaps the wing or antenna or leg from a dead insect found on a window sill) and place it a drop or two of water and cover it with a coverglass. (If you have immersion oil you could also use that for the "medium" under the cover slip). Start with the 4X and work your way up to the 10X and 40X. (Be sure you did not accidentally get immersion oil of the front to the 4, 10 and 40x objectives and that they are clean).
Let us know if you make any progress and things start looking better.
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MuffinHead
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Thank you Mr. Krebs for your advice. You are certainly right that I need to take a little time and practice more. I am however going to look for a bi/trinocular scope because I find that using a monocular is very tiring for my old eyes. I have seen some Olympus, Nikon and Leica scopes at very reasonable prices at auction that I may look into.
In the interim I will practice with what I have with simpler subjects.
In the interim I will practice with what I have with simpler subjects.
Just to repeat what Pau and Krebs said, any modern compound scope, even a low-cost one like yours, should provide acceptably sharp images to the eye through the 10x/40x/100x objectives they come with. They may not be great for microphotography or as good for direct viewing as higher quality scopes. So unless your lenses are dirty or your technique is incorrect, your problem may be a bad scope. If it's new/under warrantee, I'd consider sending it back. 
Nick
Nick
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specious_reasons
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- Location: Woodridge, IL
I'm inclined to agree that there's something wrong with the microscope itself. It shouldn't be hard to get at least a decent image out of the 40X objective.
I can't add much to the great advice already given, but it might be useful to see if you can find a good beginner's instruction book. (I might suggest Exploring with the Microscope by Werner Nachtigall as it's got a lot of basic setup instructions.)
I can't add much to the great advice already given, but it might be useful to see if you can find a good beginner's instruction book. (I might suggest Exploring with the Microscope by Werner Nachtigall as it's got a lot of basic setup instructions.)