How to purchase a biological microscope
Microscopes are essential instruments for laboratories, especially biological laboratories, with a large amount of equipment. Therefore, it is important to choose microscopes correctly, as they not only meet the needs but also save funds. How to purchase a biological microscope can generally be considered from the following aspects.
(1) Microscopes can be divided into monocular, binocular, and tricular microscopes based on the number of eyepieces used. Generally, if users require a relatively simple microscope and only want a cheaper one, they choose monocular microscopes. Generally, monocular microscopes are more suitable for primary and secondary school students, and some small clinics use them. Parents also purchase them for their children, which are commonly used and have a relatively affordable price. The general transaction price is around 500 to 800 yuan. The price of a binocular microscope is definitely higher than that of a single lens, which can be viewed with two eyes. Therefore, the average transaction price is around 1500-2000. The general transaction price of a three purpose microscope is around 3000 yuan
(2) Optical part: The core of the quality of a microscope is its optical part, which is the eyepiece and objective lens. For objective lenses, they can generally be divided into several levels. Firstly, there is an achromatic objective lens. When using this objective lens, not all areas of the image are clear, only about 60% of the central field of view is clear, and there will be certain defects in the 40% of the peripheral area. Usually, we place the observation part in the center of the field of view, so it does not affect the observation. But if you want a 100% field of view without defects, you need to use a flat field achromatic objective. Relatively speaking, this type of lens is much more expensive and is generally used in medical and scientific research. There is also a semi flat field achromatic objective that lies between the two. Students can choose the first two levels of microscopes to use. The generally cheaper lenses are ordinary achromatic lenses, with a transaction price of around 2000 yuan. The better ones are either achromatic lenses or infinite achromatic lenses, with a transaction price of around 3000 yuan. If it is for three purposes, the price will be more than a thousand yuan. So it is relatively simple for users to choose eyepieces, which are based on the size of their field of view. It is recommended to use a large field of view eyepiece because it has a larger opening and better visual effect compared to regular eyepieces. As for whether to choose a single tube or a double tube, it depends on your purpose and funding situation. In middle school, a single tube microscope can generally meet the requirements. In universities, it is best to choose a dual tube microscope.
(3) Structural materials: The service life of microscopes is very long, some can reach more than 10 years, so high-quality components and tight assembly become the guarantee of their service life. Therefore, a microscope with a stable and sturdy frame should be chosen, preferably made of alloy to reduce deformation. In addition, the lens should be made of optical glass, and the exterior paint layer should be smooth and uniform. Also, make sure that the microscope you purchased is produced according to relevant general standards, so that you can easily purchase relevant accessories in the future.
(4) Light source: There are generally three types of light sources for microscopes: tungsten filament lamps, fluorescent lamps, halogen lamps, and tungsten filament lamps, also known as incandescent lamps. The advantage of this type of lamp is that it is cheap and can provide a stable light source. The disadvantage is that the light emitted has a clear yellow color, which can affect observation. In addition, it generates too much heat, which can affect some materials after long-term observation. So if the microscope is a tungsten filament lamp, the price is relatively cheaper. Fluorescent lamps can provide a light source similar to sunlight, generating very little heat, and fluorescent lamps of the same power are much brighter than incandescent lamps. Therefore, fluorescent lamps will be more energy-efficient and more expensive in terms of price. Generally, the price is more than 10000 yuan for a whole family, some of which are 20000 yuan, while imported ones are even more expensive. Halogen lamps can provide a very bright and white light source, which is usually more expensive when paired with microscopes. Therefore, for universities, it is not necessary to choose them.
