| Most of us remember using microscopes when we | | | | without built-in lighting. Built-in lighting involves an |
| were in biology class, watching microscopic organisms | | | | upper illuminator for reflected light (episcopic) and a |
| moving around, bumping into each other. Although | | | | lower illuminator for transmitted (diascopic) light. The |
| we thrilled to watch the action under the lens, we | | | | most common lighting is by halogen lamps, but you |
| really didn’t pay much attention to the | | | | will find a lower fluorescent lamp in some models. |
| microscope itself. If you were to purchase a | | | | Fluorescent illumination is used for examining |
| microscope today you might be surprised to learn | | | | heat-sensitive specimens such as in embryo |
| that there are several different types of | | | | transplant work. Accessory light can also be added |
| microscopes available depending on your use. | | | | to dissecting microscopes in the form of a ring light, |
| The most common microscope is the compound | | | | coaxial illuminator or fiber optic light pipes. Various |
| microscope, which is meant for measuring at higher | | | | color filters can be added for specific applications. |
| magnifications from 40X up to 100X. The other | | | | You can also vary the stand that your dissecting |
| type of commonly used microscope is called a stereo | | | | microscope body sits in, thus changing the working |
| or dissecting microscope. It uses two eyepieces and | | | | distance. A typical dissecting microscope has a fixed |
| two paired objectives. It may use a built in light | | | | stand with a rack & pinion for moving the body |
| source from above, below, or none at all. | | | | up and down. This gives you a smaller working |
| Magnification is usually from 10X to 40X. | | | | distance in which to work. You can also purchase |
| Stereoscopic dissecting microscopes have separate | | | | your dissecting scope on a boom stand, which |
| optical pathways for each eyepiece. When viewing | | | | greatly increases the space under the scope. This |
| your sample you get a three -dimensional view of | | | | also allows you to have the microscope stand out of |
| your specimens at relatively low magnifications. | | | | the way when you are working with larger items |
| These microscopes also have a large field and a | | | | which may normally interfere with the position of the |
| longer working distance than what you find on | | | | stand. |
| compound microscopes. Whereas compound | | | | Although dissecting microscopes always have at a |
| microscopes are used for looking at slides, dissecting | | | | minimum two eyepieces, you can add a third |
| microscopes are meant for viewing larger samples. | | | | “eyepiece” or port for a camera system. |
| There are two basic types of dissecting | | | | There is a wide array of camera systems available, |
| microscopes. One style allows you to read at two | | | | running from digital to video. Most cameras can be |
| fixed magnification settings, such as 10X and 20X or | | | | attached to this trinocular port with an adapter, and |
| 10X and 40X. The other style has the capability to | | | | then linked through a USB port to the software in |
| magnify at many settings, or “zoom” rather | | | | your computer. |
| than to be set at two stationary magnification | | | | Whether you are a biologist performing dissections, a |
| points. By turning a dial you can literally look at | | | | technician building or repairing circuit boards, a |
| every magnification between two end points, usually | | | | paleontologist cleaning and examining fossils or a |
| 7X and 45X. This greatly increases your ability to | | | | hobbyist who needs to work with your hands on |
| view samples. | | | | small objects such as rocks & bugs, you will find |
| Dissecting microscopes can be purchased with or | | | | a dissecting microscope to be a very useful tool. |