Re: Quality of imported microscopes?

From: Aaron (nghy_at_comcast.net)
Date: 10/03/04 

Date: 3 Oct 2004 17:58:21 -0500

Hi Earl,

Yours is a very intersting answer to the questing posed. It takes
some experience to appreciate really exccellent optics. Our brain
processes and interprets the data coming from our eyes. There is a
learning curve. To a newbie most maginfied images appear wonderful
for the added information. The exceptions are the indadequate
instruments with gross distortions.. However, once one has spent
time with a really good instrument, the short commings of a meiocre
or poor instrument are revealed i.e. poor contrast, washed out, color,
missing detail, fuzzy edges, rainbow fringes at regions of high
contrast etc.. Slight misalignments of the optics and slight
differences in the focus bring on headaches with extended use.

In most cases the initial outlay for the microscope is the primary
issue that clouds the decision making process.. I recommend that
buyers investigate used industrial grade microscopes that are within
20-40 years of their original date of manufacture. Industry purchases
massive quantities of top quality light microscopes, uses them for
5-10years and having amortized then consigns them to the used market
in favor of newer instruments... These older scopes can be purchased
for between 5 to 20 cents on the dollar of original cost and they
retain most if not all of their original optical performance. .They
are the answer to providing top performance at hobbyist prices.

IMO, we each need to be in touch with what will make us happy and what
will meet our specific needs. Optics have a lot in common with sound
systems in this respect. One can start out with a less capable system
and be satisfied for life, or find that as one uses the instrument
the limitations are discovered and one grows dissatiffied with its
limitations.

In your case you have been very candid about your expectations and use
pattern. For causual fied use, you would not want to bring an
expensive insturment into the field. Likewise you may not spend hours
at the eyepieces.

Aaron

 

On Sun, 03 Oct 2004 20:26:06 GMT, "EarlCox"
<earlcox@earlcoxreports.com> wrote:

>I have a friend who runs an engineering design company and he bought two of
>these stereo-microscopes on eBay. For his work they are just fine. I also
>use one of them on my field trips to collect and classify myxomycetes (slime
>molds). I find, for this kind of field work, the optics and the movement are
>fine. Anyway, for a 160 bucks, they are pretty nice and are almost a
>disposable scope. If you don't like the optics or the movement, you can
>probably sell it for part of your original costs and move up to one of the
>name brands in the $500 to $800 range I suspect, however, that my pragmatic
>approach to what is "fine" (that is, measuring the scope quality on
>something akin to an economic utility function) will not sit well with a lot
>of people. And, of course, any time you buy a non-name brand instrument
>(especially on eBay) you run the risk of getting something that is far, far
>less than fine.
>
>Earl
>
>
>"Michael A. Covington" <look@ai.uga.edu.for.address> wrote in message
>news:416043fc$1@mustang.speedfactory.net...
>> What is the quality level of the (apparently imported, maybe Chinese)
>> microscopes that are sold by companies such as Bargainmicroscopes and
>> Precision*World on eBay?
>>
>> No brand name is given. They look good but are a little skimpy on optical
>> specifications (e.g., I don't see the eyepiece design or the eye relief).
>> An example of one:
>>
>>
>http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48740&item=3843509169
>&rd=1
>>
>> This is not a troll. I am not connected with either of these sellers.
>I'm
>> genuinely curious about the quality of the merchandise.
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>>
>

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