My Favourite Microscope

My Favourite Microscope - Tony Saunders-Davies

Not really my favourite microscope, but definitely a favourite.

I have a large (46 X 34 X 19cm) camera case which I have fitted out to take a modified Russian Biolam, a Nikon trinocular head, a cut down Beck stereo, lighting unit, slides, dishes, compressoria etc., etc. With it I can do (almost) anything I can do at home with my large Russian research stand. But it weighs a ton.

What I needed was something really light, so when many years ago this Meopta portable came on the market I snapped one up. I can't remember exactly how much it was - about £50 I think. I was sceptical at first; the objectives weren't real objectives, with an R.M.S. thread, and everyone knows - don't they? - that all the books say that if you do buy a microscope make sure it's a proper microscope which can take proper (RMS thread) objectives. This is advice with which I profoundly disagree, but more of that later.

And here it is:

What is it?

Well, it's light - just over 1kg (2.2lbs), and it's fairly small - the 15cm (6 inch) ruler in front shows the scale.

Off comes the top - it's a microscope!

Now it's assembled you can see the main features. The focussing knob actually moves the stage. The movement is a simple friction device, but it is quite smooth. The original stand just had a convex mirror, but I felt the objectives deserved something better, so I fitted a front surface mirror and a home-made condenser, which has proved very worthwhile.

Here's a close up of the objective turret: the three objectives are X3.3, X6.7 and X20. I have not measured the NA, but the image quality is fully comparable with most standard objectives of those magnifications. I use wide field Meopta X10 or X15 eyepieces.

So there you have it. A thoroughly practical instrument which you can take anywhere with minimum effort.

Later I shall try to publish some pictures taken with it to show the image quality.

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	What is it? Well, it's light - just over 1kg (2.2lbs), and it's fairly small - the 15cm (6 inch) ruler in front shows the scale.
Off comes the top - it's a microscope!
	Now it's assembled you can see the main features. The focussing knob actually moves the stage. The movement is a simple friction device, but it is quite smooth. The original stand just had a convex mirror, but I felt the objectives deserved something better, so I fitted a front surface mirror and a home-made condenser, which has proved very worthwhile.
Here's a close up of the objective turret: the three objectives are X3.3, X6.7 and X20. I have not measured the NA, but the image quality is fully comparable with most standard objectives of those magnifications. I use wide field Meopta X10 or X15 eyepieces.