Greetings all,
Do any of you good folk out there have experience with the Carl Zeiss Axiostar Plus microscope? I'm looking into purchasing one and would like to get opinions, good and bad, regarding this microscope. I plan to do microscopy as well as photomicrography.
Cheers,
Robert Kummerer
Opinions of the Axiostar Plus
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rjlittlefield
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Robert,
Welcome to the forums!
I suspect you'll get some feedback about the Axiostar -- I see from searching our forums that it is mentioned in numerous postings.
In the meantime, you might be interested in a couple of articles published by MicScape Magazine a couple of years ago. Go to http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/search/frames.html and search for "Axiostar". The first hit should be for "Carl Zeiss Axiostar binocular microscope. A personal review", linked at http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... ostar.html . It's a fairly long and detailed article with numerous comparisons. Near the bottom of the article appears this sentence "Having used the Zeiss Axiostar for some time now I am pleased with its performance both optically and mechanically and it will now become my scope of preference."
You might also want to search the archives and/or ask the membership at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Microscope/ .
I have not used the Axiostar personally and cannot offer any opinions. I don't even know whether the Axiostar Plus is the same or similar to what is described in the MicScape articles.
It would help to know why you are asking the question.
What is that you want to look at? For what purpose? What is your budget? What other options are you considering? (One standard advice is to consider buying used, through a reputable dealer.)
Again, welcome aboard! We're happy to have you here, and you won't find a friendlier and more helpful group on the web.
--Rik
Welcome to the forums!
I suspect you'll get some feedback about the Axiostar -- I see from searching our forums that it is mentioned in numerous postings.
In the meantime, you might be interested in a couple of articles published by MicScape Magazine a couple of years ago. Go to http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/search/frames.html and search for "Axiostar". The first hit should be for "Carl Zeiss Axiostar binocular microscope. A personal review", linked at http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... ostar.html . It's a fairly long and detailed article with numerous comparisons. Near the bottom of the article appears this sentence "Having used the Zeiss Axiostar for some time now I am pleased with its performance both optically and mechanically and it will now become my scope of preference."
You might also want to search the archives and/or ask the membership at http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Microscope/ .
I have not used the Axiostar personally and cannot offer any opinions. I don't even know whether the Axiostar Plus is the same or similar to what is described in the MicScape articles.
It would help to know why you are asking the question.
What is that you want to look at? For what purpose? What is your budget? What other options are you considering? (One standard advice is to consider buying used, through a reputable dealer.)
Again, welcome aboard! We're happy to have you here, and you won't find a friendlier and more helpful group on the web.
--Rik
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Charles Krebs
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Ahem...someone mention my name? 
Ah, the Axiostar Yes indeed, absolutely love it. I have had mine for at least three years, I think 
, maybe a little more. Has never given me anything other than outstanding service and for the price, you could not ask for a better full featured introductory microscope. You see the Axiostar is built around a system of optics that can take you from basic brightfield, all the way to epi fluorescence and anywhere else in between. With the right camera equipment attached to the optional photo head assy., you can even do photomicrography, though I myself am happy with "digiscoping" through a 10X Zeiss eyepiece installed the photo tube. If you have the big bucks, there is the Axiocam HR for around $5,000.00US, 50 million mega pixels with fiber optic image transfer to your computer (I think, you may want to check on that data, I maybe wrong but that seems to be what I read in the info sent to me from a Zeiss rep. before my purchase of the Axiostar from him. If you are planning to purchase this scope, then you are definitely not wasting your time or your money in my opionion. 
The article in Micscape is indeed the Axiostar that I have, I don't know what all was said in the article because I have had no problems with my scope nor has it given me any, so I did not bother to read it. I'm satisfied. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer those that I can.
Oh! By the way, Welcome to the site forums. We have a very talented and friendly bunch here, always read to help if they can. I am sure you will enjoy your membership.
Ah, the Axiostar Yes indeed, absolutely love it. I have had mine for at least three years, I think , maybe a little more. Has never given me anything other than outstanding service and for the price, you could not ask for a better full featured introductory microscope. You see the Axiostar is built around a system of optics that can take you from basic brightfield, all the way to epi fluorescence and anywhere else in between. With the right camera equipment attached to the optional photo head assy., you can even do photomicrography, though I myself am happy with "digiscoping" through a 10X Zeiss eyepiece installed the photo tube. If you have the big bucks, there is the Axiocam HR for around $5,000.00US, 50 million mega pixels with fiber optic image transfer to your computer (I think, you may want to check on that data, I maybe wrong but that seems to be what I read in the info sent to me from a Zeiss rep. before my purchase of the Axiostar from him. If you are planning to purchase this scope, then you are definitely not wasting your time or your money in my opionion. The article in Micscape is indeed the Axiostar that I have, I don't know what all was said in the article because I have had no problems with my scope nor has it given me any, so I did not bother to read it. I'm satisfied. If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer those that I can.
Oh! By the way, Welcome to the site forums. We have a very talented and friendly bunch here, always read to help if they can. I am sure you will enjoy your membership.
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Charles Krebs
- Posts: 5865
- Joined: Tue Aug 01, 2006 8:02 pm
- Location: Issaquah, WA USA
- Contact:
Typo 
Fifty mega pixels, hows that 