Low Power Microscopes is the premier microscope store for purchasing stereoscopic microscopes. We carry a large selection of stereo microscopes for a wide variety of applications. Select from our microphotography capable trinocular port stereoscopes, our binocular stereo microscopes, our zoom stereomicroscopes, and our fixed magnification models. We carry microscopes with all the options and accessories you need.

Lowpower microscopes are used for applications such as entomology, insect identification for hobby and professional study, repair of circuit boards, watch repair, botanical study, field nature trips, coin collecting, viewing coin errors, coin overstrikes and coin mint marks and rare stamp collecting.

A low power microscope differs from a high power microscope in several ways. Obviously, the magnification is different. Magnifications on a low power stereo microscope typically are 7x and up to 45x with the use of 10x eyepieces. The common objectives are 1x, 2x, 4x, and zoom objectives that give continuous magnification of 0.7x to 4.5x (7-45x with 10x eyepieces) or up to 6.5. The resultant magnification is the objective multiplied by the eyepiece power. If higher power is needed, sometimes 15x, 20x, and 25x eyepieces are inserted to increase power by as much as 2.5x. Sometimes an extra bottom Barlow objective lens is installed to affect microscope magnification. A 2.0x lens will double magnification again. Low power microscopes can go up to 200x by using combinations of higher power eyepieces and bottom objective lens. However, depth of field suffers, and the amount of illumination needed increases. A high power microscope uses a different type of objective lens. The common objectives are 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 60x, 80x, and 100x. These are multiplied by the eyepiece magnification to get the resulting microscope magnification. If used with a 10x eyepiece, a 100x objective will give 1000x.

Low power microscopes are also typically stereo microscopes that give a 3D stereoscopic view. This is done by having two microscope objectives picking up the light, and each having its own independent light path to the eyepiece (ex. objective on the left goes only to left eyepiece). This gives a more realistic view of the specimen as it yields depth perception. A high power microscope is never stereoscopic, and instead, has one microscope objective that picks up the light and splits it equally two both eyepieces. Often, high power microscopes are monocular, meaning they have only one eyepiece. Low power microscopes usually have the two eyepieces to avail of the stereoscopic effect. The stereoscope must have the prisms precisely optically aligned in order to prevent double vision in a stereo microscope. This is the most common damage during impact.

Low power microscopes also have much longer working distances, as much as 100mm, and even more if used with bottom reduction objective lens. This allows room to get tools such as soldering irons under the objective for doing microscopic work. High power microscopes typically have small working distances, in the range of 1 or 2 mm.

High power microscopes typically use only bottom transmitted illumination, where the light passes through the specimen. Low power microscopes use both transmitted and incident illumination, and often have both an upper and a lower halogen microscope bulb light source. Metallurgical microscopes use epi-illumination (light through the objective from above). A low power microscope may also use a darkfield condenser, which gets its light from below, and mirrors it to the sides of the specimen to yield a dark field background. This is common when viewing gemstones such as diamonds in gemological microscopes.

High power microscopes are typically used for medical applications where cells and tissue samples are viewed on microscope slides. Low power stereomicroscopes view much larger specimens such as circuit boards, coins and insects.

Our microscope company can provide you microscopy accessories for attaching digital and film cameras for microphotography. Video microscope systems can be achieved by connecting video ccd cameras and viewing on a CCTV monitor. We also provide a wide selection of computer connected microscope cameras that connect via USB port and provide digital image capture and full motion video on computer.

Allow us to serve you. Simply pick up the phone and speak directly with a skilled microscope salesperson who will be happy to assist you.