Perhaps you want to buy a microscope for you or someone special in your life. If this is the case, there are some important details that you need to be aware of. Microscopes can be quite expensive, so it is important that you have all of the facts that will allow you to make an intelligent decision before making such a large investment. Ideally, you should buy a model that comes with microscope accessories which are easily replaced. Here are a few tips that should make your microscope shopping go much smoother.

1. High power microscopes

If you or the person you are buying the microscope for want to be able to see bacteria, amoebas, blood cells and other things that are similar in size, you will need to buy a microscope that is high powered. You should avoid buying a toy microscope made of plastic as a gift for a child. The child will be disappointed that he or she can’t see anything very small. You should focus on a real microscope that contains glass optics and metal frames. These are usually not sold in stores. You will most likely need to order one online from a manufacturer of professional microscopes. You should also be certain that the model you purchase includes its own light source.

2. Low power microscopes

Low power microscopes normally come equipped with a light on the top and bottom. They are ideally suited to look at objects that are opaque or transparent. Larger objects are traditionally looked at through this type of microscope, such as electrical components, sand, fabric, stamps, soil, wings of insects and stamps. The ranges of magnifications of these low power models typically range from 10X to 80X. You will find “dissecting” and “stereo” low powered microscopes that contain an objective lens for each of the eyepiece lenses. This enables there to be triangulation and a 3-D image.

3. Which type of microscope should you buy?

The type of microscope you decide to purchase should depend on what you intend to use it for. If you are going to give it to a child, a microscope that is high powered will have a larger amount of educational value. While it will be more expensive, the child will end up using it a lot more in the long run. Also, if your child is using a microscope in school, he or she will most likely be using a high powered model. Therefore, if you buy a low powered model for the child to use at home, your child will probably be disappointed.