Microscope purchase advice

Starting out in microscopy? Post images and ask questions relating to the microscope and get answers from our more advanced users on the subject.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

phil_H
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:50 am
Location: Grimsby

Microscope purchase advice

Post by phil_H »

Hi all

I would like to purchase a microscope new or second hand and my budget is approx £2000. My main interests are photography and would like to take images of crystal structures (eg citric acid etc) and also general biological specimens to 100x.

Could anybody point me in the right direction as I am new to this world.

Many thanks

Phil

Alan Wood
Posts: 381
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:09 pm
Location: Near London, U.K.
Contact:

Re: Microscope purchase advice

Post by Alan Wood »

Phil

For that amount of money you could easily buy a used trinocular microscope with good objectives from one of the big 4 companies, Leica/Leitz, Nikon, Olympus and Zeiss. For example an Olympus BH-2 with SPlan objectives. There are free PDFs of Olympus catalogues and instructions here:
http://www.alanwood.net/olympus/downloads.html

Links to sources of documents on other makes are here:
https://www.quekett.org/resources/links/manuals

You could also buy a new Chinese trinocular microscope from a reputable supplier such as Brunel Microscopes. They also sell used equipment and are happy to give advice over the telephone.
http://www.brunelmicroscopes.co.uk/

Alan Wood

phil_H
Posts: 24
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2015 11:50 am
Location: Grimsby

Re: Microscope purchase advice

Post by phil_H »

Hi Alan
Thank you for the advice, yes I keep looking at the Olympus BH-2 and have been watching some on Ebay, the problem been that there are lots of different models and the condition of some do not look good. One company has come up with a Euromex iScope, but I am unsure of the optical quality as I want it for photography. I will keep doing my research and also contact Brunnels when they reopen on the 11th.
Once again thank you for replying and your website is very helpful.
Phil

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic