Compound microscopes are usually also known as traditional microscopes since these microscopes are the ones that are mostly used in labs for close observations and analysis.
They have the power to magnify an image up to 2000 times larger than what a naked eye can see.
Now that we have read all about what a compound microscope is, we will be reviewing 9 of the best compound microscopes that are out there, with their pros and cons on the line,
So you won’t have any trouble in picking out your favourite one without having to worry about wasting your money on the wrong tool.
Top 10 Compound Microscopes Reviews
I will be answering some of the most asked questions in the easiest way possible so you can have all the information you need before you go on and buy a compound microscope.
This one is going to be a long ride, my friends! Make sure you stick through it all!
1. The OMAX 40X-2500X Compound Microscope
The OMAX store is a well-known company; not only do they makeup to mark products but also keep in mind the comfort of their customer’s that’s why they always have such a big fan base.
Looking at this compound microscope, I must say I found myself quite impressed by its sliding adjustable interpupillary distance as well as its ocular diopter that’s adjustable on both eye tubes.
Let’s not forget that this compound microscope also allows you to adjust the intensity and focus;
However, you want to and take live shots of the specimen by the given camera, which has software that compatible with both Windows and Mac OS X systems, how incredible right?
Pros
- Comes with a Digital Camera
- USB cable included
- Adjustable focus & intensity
- All metal mechanical components
Cons
- Delivery errors
- Mechanical stage wobbles
- Low-quality product
2. TELMU 40X-1000X Compound Microscope
Bringing a new flavor to the game this 40x – 1000x lab compound microscope by TELMU, having this as your lab partner will definitely upgrade your grades, fun, and game.
You are built beautifully with a magnification of 5 lenses and a double intensity illumination system and finely made with caution, inserted with a metal frame so that the microscope won’t budge or shake.
You also have these adjustable hand wheels so you can lift the stray up and see more clearly and in detail.
Like most of the decent microscopes, this one too comes with a cell phone adapter so you can share your experience on social media or in your lab class, or you can transmit it to your laptop and save your progress in science one by one.
When you are buying this microscope, you are not only buying this microscope, but you are also getting this free amazing gift set that has four prepared and six blank slides for your own comfort and learning reasons;
You also get a sample of animal legs, onion, wood, and cotton. How so thoughtful!
Pros
- 5 lens magnification
- Metal frame construction
- Adjustable wheels
- Cell phone adapter
- Free gift
Cons
- Does not work properly
- Faulty focusing
3. The AmScope B120C-E1 Compound Microscope
Last but not least, another major hit from The AmScope company, let me tell you one thing. The AmScope company sits on top of the throne while its products carry its legacy;
This compound microscope is no different with its five wide field magnification settings and the strong, sturdy framework construction that would not let the microscope shake or break under pressure, also.
Let’s talk about its fine focusing and the powerful single bulb it comes with, and let’s not forget about the iris diaphragm and color filter as well as the 1.3MP camera it comes with to take live shots of your specimen;
It is advanced and 100% compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and Windows 10.
Pros
- 5 magnifications
- Professional binocular head
- Strong frame
- Powerful light bulb Comes with camera
Cons
- Missing LED light
- Not durable
4. KiZHXLo Monocular Microscope
If you are not a newbie in this field or if you already have read the previous reviews, I’m sure by now you probably know a lot about this company and the way it works and how big of a name it has for providing quality products, worldwide.
We have already reviewed one of the microscopes from this series, so let’s start with this one.
With 1600x magnification, this tool looks like it will sit perfectly on your kid’s study and help him focus more on the science field by growing his interest and curiosity.
The dual LED light system is specifically designed to help students see more detailed and clear work.
The starter of the microscope is constructed with eight different color wheels to help change the luminance to whatever more comfortable for you.
Also, the kit the microscope comes with includes specimen slides and an empty pipette, tweezers, hatchery, measuring cup, microtome, and an instruction manual.
Pros
- Multiple magnifications
- Complete accessories bag
- Dual Illumination System
- Educational gift
- 8 different color wheel
Cons
- Takes batteries to run
- Not for college students
- Poorly built
5. The AmScope Store M102C Microscope
Dressed in white metal, this compound microscope by The AmScope is an absolute stunner. Working its way in the industry and winning hearts on the way, name it, this microscope has done it all!
It is constructed with an LED light source and a monocular that offers up to 5 magnifications! And that too with a power that goes up to 1000! How amazing right?
Just wait till you hear the other features like its classy and sleek all-metal framework joined in with optical glass lenses and an LED illumination that is being powered by the power wall.
Last but not least its also has five black and five prepared slide sets for your own convenience and learning process.
Pros
- Constructed with white metal
- 5 Magnifications
- 1000 Power
- All-optical glass lenses
Cons
- Problematic wiring
- Poorly made
6. KiZHXlo Monocular Compound Microscope
Are you trying to give your child a healthy yet genius gift that will not only benefit both of you but from which your child can actually learn and grow?
Well, I’m excited to tell you that your search is over; look at this monocular compound microscope by KiZHXlo. This kid’s microscope will ignite children’s interest in the field of science.
Although it’s a kid’s microscope, it still has all cool and upgraded features like a rotatable monocular head that allows you to switch and choose from 6 levels of magnifications!
Also, this microscope comes with a complete accessory kit with it, which means you won’t have to buy any more extra stuff for your kid to start-up with it.
Another excellent and very thoughtful feature is the cell phone adapter attached with the eyepiece that allows you to take live pictures and make videos of specimens that you observe on your microscope, which you kid can later share with all of you and even on social media.
Pros
- Comes with an all accessory kit
- Rotatable monocular head
- 6 Levels of magnifications
- Cell phone adapter
Cons
- Not durable
- Faulty adapter sometimes
7. The Vision Scientific Compound Microscope
Reviewing this product, I found it to be lacking nothing;
Without making a huge dent in your pocket, this compound microscope can actually be a major help with such amazing features such as the head that rotates 360 and an LED illuminator with intensity control, and an eye-piece that has in the built pointer.
4 Achromatic are specifically placed to give you the correct detailed magnified images.
Ideal for use in labs of middle or high schools or even if you would want to keep it in your office or living space, built-in with the mechanical stage,
It’s a low profile microscope that is also portable. Its slip-clutch focusing system protects gear from damage and accidental miss-haps.
Pros
- 360 rotary
- LED illuminator
- 4 Achromatic
- Low profile
- Slip clutch focusing system
Cons
- Loose deck
- Slide shafts are hard
8 The Celestron Cb2000cf Compound Binocular
Another big brand name in the industry of microscopes, CELESTRON, has never failed to put up with great expectations that were coming for their tools from all around the world.
Weighing 9 pounds, CELESTRON has constructed this microscope down to perfection.
Not to mention its all-metal binocular head and finely made focus knobs, and oh, did I tell you about how it has four fully achromatic lenses;
This means this microscope is completely lab-ready, that too with an adjustable lower illumination system and 2000xpower.
Pros
- 2000x power
- Lab ready
- 9 pounds
- 4 fully achromatic lenses
Cons
- Cheaply constructed
- Difficult to focus
- Light Issues
9. Swift SW380T Compound Microscope
If you are someone who is into sleek looking yet efficiently working tools, I’m not going to lie; this is the perfect piece for you.
A multi-purpose compound microscope with a professional Siedentopf head, which is fully rotatable, allowing more than one person to use it at a time, perfect for group projects.
Not only this, but its ergonomic design helps you reduce neck pain and muscle tension that you might come across using another microscope.
With fine adjustments and six magnification levels, this is a perfect go-to microscope.
Pros
- Multi-purpose
- Fully rotatable
- Ergonomic design
- Ultra-precise focusing
Cons
- Not durable
- Defective lens
10. OMAX 40X-2500X Compound Microscope
If you’re searching for a multi-task microscope, OMAX 40X-2500X is certainly the right pick for you.
Although the result isn’t publishing quality, however, it is a great tool for amateurs and experienced professionals alike.
The mechanical stage is quite robust and once put in place, it does the job correctly. The camera specs is quite good as well and is easy to read even directly from the lens itself.
Pros
- Multi-purpose
- Easy step-up
- Good build quality
Cons
- The mechanical stand is a bit wobbly
- Black spots in lens
Buyer’s Guide
The focal goal of the buyer’s guide is to make you aware of the important features of the tool you are about to buy,
So you can analyze and see which of the features are more important to you and which ones suit you or your work more.
I will be naming all the important features that you should be looking for in a microscope and will be telling you why they are important in the first place, so you don’t feel like you are wasting your money at any point.
Comfort
Comfort is hands down one of the most important factors that we should be mentioned here.
Since you will be working for so many hours hunched over a microscope, make sure you put your comfort first.
Since you probably don’t want to get your neck sprained or neck muscle tensions because of all the awkward hunch over poses, your microscope would force you to do.
Neither do you want your eyes to hurt because of the sharp colored light bulbs or uneven eye-glass design; you don’t want that, right?
Well, that’s why you should be putting comfort first before any other thing.
There are many companies that build ergonomic designs and put the comfort of their clients first; these are the brands you would want to shop from if you are looking for a decent and healthy deal.
Construction
They say construction is what makes or breaks a product, and I can’t help myself to disagree.
Construction is, after comfort, yet another important feature since your entire tool and its working is dependant on the construction of it.
If let’s say, the tool you bought is poorly made, it will not even mark a month before it starts to wear off or starts to fall apart.
I have seen many people ignoring this major factor and then regretting it later, but what’s the use of crying over spilled milk?
So, choose wisely when buying, especially for tools like microscopes as they are more fragile and require more strong body frame; make sure you check the construction of it before you take it home!
Versatility
Although our main goal here is to find a good and decent working compound microscope, what if we find a compound microscope that goes out and helps you in more than one way?
Would it not hurt anyone, would it? So, as good as it finding a tool that goes perfectly with your wish list, you might want to go for something more modern, more versatile.
A little helping hand never hurts, right? As you will be using your compound microscope for a long period of time after buying, you might look for one that has more than one ability that can work in more than one way?
Like instead of just giving you a magnified image and a detailed specimen, it may also give you a camera or a USB as a bonus or, who knows, an accessory kit so after you are done spending your money on the microscope,
You won’t have to spend any more money on the same cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best brand of the microscope?
It honestly depends upon what design, features, and factors are important to you. For the top 9 best compound microscopes, read the article above.
What’s the highest magnification of a compound microscope?
The highest magnification of a compound microscope is from 1000x to 2000x
What type of microscope is a compound microscope?
A compound microscope is a professional type of microscope since it comes with more lenses.
What can you see with a 100x magnification microscope?
You will be able to see 2mm at a magnification of 100x
What’s a good microscope magnification?
A good microscope magnification is between 1500x-2000x
What are the disadvantages of a compound microscope?
The disadvantage in a compound microscope is that the wavelength of light waves that give light to the specimen limits the resolution.
What’s the correct path of light in a compound microscope?
The light should pass through the main collector lens into the illuminator, then the light will be reflected by the beam-splitter, and it will illuminate the specimen
What’s the magnification range in a compound microscope?
The compound microscope usually has a 3-5 lens, and all of them have a magnification of 4x to 100x.
What types of specimens are viewed under a compound microscope?
You can view plant cells or even pond water etc. under a compound microscope.
What’s the resolution of a compound light microscope?
As I said before, the wavelength of light waves illuminating the specimen limit the resolution; the wavelength, though, of visible light ranges from 400 to 700 nanometers.
Why do we call the microscope a compound light microscope?
Since it has more than one lens and its own light source system, that’s why it’s called a compound light microscope.
How do compound light microscopes work?
A compound light microscope gets its help from a compound lens so that it then has more than one lens,
Then the objective lens magnifies the specimen, and the ocular lens magnifies the image from the objective lens.
What’s the advantage of a compound microscope over a simple microscope?
Its convenience is its biggest advantage, not to forget the fact that this microscope has its own light source and more than one lens.
Conclusion
Now that we have reached the end of the article, I am sure by now you know all about the Top 9 best compound microscopes.
I hope that you have already chosen and picked out your favorite one from the list because I have!
If you still haven’t, don’t worry, take your time!
If you have any questions regarding the compound microscopes, I suggest you go read the introduction and the buyer’s guide once again, thoroughly.
Good luck!
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