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What is a Compound Microscope?
A compound microscope is an optical microscope that uses two or more lenses to magnify an object. It is called "compound" because it is composed of multiple lenses that work together to provide higher magnification than a single lens microscope. The first lens, called the objective lens, is located close to the object being viewed and magnifies the image. The second lens, called the eyepiece lens, magnifies the image produced by the objective lens and presents the magnified image to the observer's eye. |
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Compound microscopes are widely used in various fields such as biology, medicine, and materials science. They allow scientists and researchers to observe small structures and details that cannot be seen with the naked eye, and can be used for a range of applications, including viewing living cells, analyzing microorganisms, and examining materials at a microscopic level. The use of multiple lenses in a compound microscope provides higher magnification, greater resolution, and improved contrast compared to a single lens microscope.
What is a Student Microscope? Compound optical microscope, A1 Compound, is the most important and basic category of microscopes. Many special microscopic observation methods and functional accessories are developed and changed on the basis of these basic models. For the basic models in this category, according to their usage and price, Opto-Edu first divides them into two categories: A11 Student, and A12 Laboratory. (Note: A11, A12 is not a strict classification, some A11 models can also be used in laboratories and universities) |
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Student Microscope A11 Student Microscope is an entry-level microscope with low price and simple structure among biological microscopes. Student microscopes are often purchased in bulk and provided to primary and secondary schools for students to use in biology teaching, allowing them to do it themselves, to understand and experience microscopes (recall the microscopes you saw in school).
Student microscopes are generally equipped with monocular or binocular head, clip working stage, 10x eyepieces and 4x10x40x achromatic objective lenses (without using the 100x oil lens, which is more complicated to operate), and can reach a maximum magnification of 400x. This magnification is enough to observe most of the common biological slices, and common observation objects such as blood, insects, and fibers in teaching. Although this level of microscope is simple and cheap, its imaging quality is much higher than that of lower-level toy microscopes because of the use of a true achromatic optical system and optical glass lens. |
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In addition, there are some student microscopes with better structural design and quality. We call them high-end student microscopes, which can be used in universities or professional technical colleges. They use semi-plan or plan objectives, which can provide better optical imaging quality. Equipped with 100x oil lens, it can reach a maximum magnification of 1000x. It can also be equipped with a trinocular head and a digital camera to take pictures and record the experimental results, but generally it will not be equipped with more complex observation function accessories (such as polarization, phase contrast, fluorescence, etc.).
The Factors to be Considered for Choosing? When choosing a student microscope, you generally need to consider the following important factors:
Price Because of the need for bulk purchases for schools, student microscopes are generally very sensitive to price, and often require the most cost-effective model. For the same specification requirements, you can choose plastic/metal through the body, body size, etc., and there will be different prices to choose from. |
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Head Generally, the heads of student microscopes are monocular or binocular, and high-end student microscopes are equipped with trinocular heads, which can be connected to digital cameras to shoot and output microscopic images in real time.
Objective Lens Generally, student microscopes will choose achromatic 185mm/195mm objective lenses with magnifications of 4x, 10x, and 40x. High-end student microscopes will choose semi-plan or flat-field objectives to obtain higher-quality optical images.
Working Stage The size of the workbench of a general student microscope is 90x90mm, 110x120mm, 120x130mm, etc. Spring clips are used to fix the slices, or an optional mobile working ruler is added to facilitate the movement of slices. However, high-end student microscopes can be equipped with larger double-layer mechanical worktables, such as 130x140mm and 140x140mm, because of their relatively large body size, which can simultaneously fix or move double slices.
Focusing Knob General student microscopes only have coarse adjustment handwheels, or separate coarse adjustment and fine adjustment handwheels, while high-end student microscopes use coaxial coarse and fine adjustment handwheels.
Illumination Generally, the student microscope will be equipped with a plano-concave mirror to provide illumination by sunlight reflection, or an external LED electric light source can be purchased. The high-end microscope uses a built-in LED or halogen light source, and is powered by an external AC power supply, or a rechargeable battery is provided at the same time for mobile outdoor use. Now more popular is the LED light source that supports low-voltage USB mobile power supply, which is safer and more convenient for mobile use.
How to Select a Student Microscope? According to the selection points above, we recommend some of the most popular student microscope models of different grades as follows for your reference:
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● Gift Set Student Microscope ● |
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These models are made of plastic or metal materials, with a full set of accessories for student experiments, with a gift box,which is popular to use in school or home for kids. |
| A11.1513 Toy Biological Microscope Gift Set ● Beginner compound microscope provides high magnification for educational applications ● Monocular viewing head with led and mirror illumination and built-in color filter wheel ● Forward-facing rotating turret provides 100X, 400X, 900X magnifications ● Coarse focus has a rack-and-pinion focus mechanism on a durable and stain-resistant white metals frame ● Comes with full set accessory kits and hard-sided plastic abs case |
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A11.1124 Student Microscope, Cordless Dual Light, Plastic Body ● Total 40x~400x Magnification ● Dual Up & Bottom LED Light Source ● Cordless Powered by AA 1.5V Battery 3 pcs ● Plain Stage 90x90mm With Clip & Disc Diaphragm ● Compact All in One Design for Easy Moving |
| A11.1526 Toy Biological +Stereo Microscope For Kids ● Compact Biological + Stereo All-in-One Design ● 20x~100x Zoom Magnification ● Round Stage Dia.82mm With Clips And Disc Diaphragm ● Upper + Bottom LED Light Brightness Adjustable ● Cordless Powered By 3xAAA Batteries |
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A11.1509 Digital Student Biological Microscope Gift Set, 1280x ● Full Metal Body + Glass Optical Lens Biological Microscope ● Total Magnfication 1280x, Eyepiece WF10x,16x, Barlow Lens 2x, Objective 4x,10x,40x ● Clip Stage 90x90mm, Vernial Scale Moving Ruler Optional ● Up & Bottom LED Light Source Both Brightness Adjustable ● Full Set Experiment Material Accessory Set Packed In Plastic Suitcase |
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● Primary Level Student Microscope ● |
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These models usually have monocular heads, triple nosepice with 4x10x40x objectives, working stage size under 90x90mm or 110x120mm, with coarse focusing knob. |
| A11.1505 Student Biological Microscope, Round Stage ● Straight Monocular Head Inclination Adjustable ● Total Magnfication 25x~675x, Eyepiece H5x,10x,15x, Objective 5x,10x,45x ● Separate Coarse & Fine Focusing Knob, Focus Range 27mm ● Round Stage Dia.12mm With Single Lens Condenser ● Plan-Concave Mirror Dia. 50mm |
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A11.1508-01 Student Biological Microscope, Vertical Monocular Head, 10X,12.5X Eyepiece ● Monocular Vertical Head, Whole Body Inclination Adjustable ● Total Magnification 40x~1600x Available ● Coarse & Fine Focusing Knob, Focusing Range 50mm ● Single Layer Stage With Vernial Scale Attached ● Plan-Concave Mirror Dia. 40mm |
| A11.1322 Student Biological Microscope, Binocular, Dual LED Light ● Classical & Popular Student Microscope Model In Amazon Market ● Binocular Head 45° Inclined, 360° Rotatable ● Eyepiece WF10x/18mm, Achromatic Objective 4x,10x,40x Spring ● Plan Stage With Vernier Scale, 90x90mm, Moving Range 30x50mm ● Dual LED For Up/Bottom Illumination |
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A11.1326 Student Biological Microscope, Round Stage ● Full Metal High Rigidity Body Total Magnification 40x~400x ● Fast Moving Round Rotatable Working Stage Dia. 90mm ● Single Lens Condenser, With 6-Holes Disc Diaphragm ● Transmit & Reflect LED Light Source, Both Brightness Adjustable ● Cordless 2xAA Batteries And External Adapter AC100~240V |
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● Middle Level Student Microscope ● |
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These models come with binocular or trinocular heads, mechanical stage size from 110x120mm to 130x140mm, coaxial coarse & fine focusing knob. |
| A11.1123-B Biological Microscope, Binocular Head ● Economical Binocular & Dual LED Biological Microscope ● Binocular Head 45° Inclined, 360° Rotatable Both Eyetube Diopter Adjustable ● Eyepiece WF10x/18mm, Achromatic Objective 4x,10x,40x,100x Spring ● Double Layers Mechanical Stage 100x90mm, Moving Range 30x60mm ● Dual LED Light, Up/Bottom Illumination, Brightness Adjustable |
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A11.1020-B Biological Microscope, Binocular ● Compact Design Full Metal Frame Student Biological Microscope ● Monocular, Binocular Head Available, With WF10x/16mm, WF25x/9mm Eyepiece ● 3 Holes Nosepiece With Achromatic Objective 4x,10x,40x(S) ● Plain Stage 95*95mm, Coarse Coaxial & Fine Focusing ● Up & Bottom LED Brightness Adjustable, 3xAAA Batteries/AC Power |
| A11.1521-B Student Biological Microscope, Binocular ● Monocular, Binocular, Trinocular Head Optional ● Totol Magnification 40x-1000x Achromatic Optical System ● Double Layer Mechancial Stage 115x125mm With Abbe N.A.1.25 Condenser ● Coaxial Coarse & Fine Focusing Knob ● Halogen 6V20W or LED Light Source Brightness Adjustable |
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A11.1531-B Biological Microscope, Binocular ● Monocular, V Teaching, Binocular, Trinocular Head Available ● Optional WF16x, WF20x Eyepiece Enable Utmost 2000X Optical Magnification. ● Abbe Condenser N.A. 1.25 With Iris Diaphragm And Filter Holder ● Quarduple Nosepiece With Achromatic Objectives 4x,10x,40x,100x ● High Brightness Light Source 3W LED Brightness Adjustable |
| A11.1551-B Biological Microscope, Binocular ● Monocular, Binocular, Trinocular And Teaching Head Available For Choose. ● Quadruple Nosepiece With Precise Click Stop. ● Intergrated Double Layer Mechanical Stage, Size 142x132mm, Moving Range 75x50mm. ● Abbe Condenser N.A.1.25，High Brightness 3W LED, Brightness Adjustable ● Infinity Plan and Achromatic Optical System Available |
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