What are /r/microscope's favorite Products & Services?

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There are a bunch of products basically like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T9SVYP4/

I have used them a little and they might be pretty close to what you are looking for. Super simple. Some are cheap and some are not, I'm guessing the quality will be proportional to price, but you might need to figure that part out. At least some, like this one claim to me mac compatible.

Vision Scientific Binocular Compound Scope

Things get weird, mathematically, when you introduce a camera. What I did was to buy a calibration slide. There are other ones that are cheaper and they are probably fine as well.
The one I got is here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FG89F0M/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_asin\_title\_o00\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I put the slide on the stage and set up the camera. I took pictures at each magnification. Since I was using a smartphone with an adapter, I made sure to not zoom in with the camera. This way I could know what size things were on the samples I was looking at by comparing the appropriate calibration image. I took it another step by creating a small photo that I could layer onto the photos of the samples by using Photoshop.

Is there is a c-mount, and you get a c-mount camera, it should put the image plane pretty close to the sensor surface. This would mean you can usually just screw on the camera and you're good.

You can usually magnify or demagnify it with a relay lens between the camera and the microscope. Here is an example of one for a random Leica microscope: https://www.amazon.com/Mercury_Group-Microscope-C-Mount-Reducing-Trinocular/dp/B07VHVQFW4

You can see it has threads for attaching the camera on one side (c-mount thread) and a dovetail on the other side that would be specific to that line of Leica microscopes. This one would demagnify the image you see on the camera by a factor of 0.55, as it says. This would make the image you see take up less of the camera sensor, allowing you to have a bigger field of view. I would not add one of these unless you you know you need it, just showing what one looks like.

Anyway, if you DO have a c-mount thread on the top there (which I cannot tell, not the right angles), you should be able to attach a c-mount camera there or possible another camera with the right adapter.

Here is an example of a camera that might work for you microscope: https://www.amazon.com/HAYEAR-Industry-C-Mount-Microscope-Control/dp/B07DYV815S/ Look through the amazon reference images to see this camera mounted on a similar microscope.

You might find that the eyepieces and camera are not parfocal with each other (both in focus at the same time). If they're only off by a little, just adjust your focus when you go back and forth. Otherwise, you can usually adjust the camera focus to match the eyepieces or the eyepieces to match the camera. I don't know that microscope specifically though.

This one seems good. Actually there are many similar models on amazon, you may take a look, popular brands like amscope, swift. Here is the link of swift SW200DL which is perfect for beginners: https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-Magnification-Wide-Field-Capability-Dual-Light/dp/B07PCHV4NY

I imagine for larger art pieces, a compound microscope with a small and shallow stage won't cut it. For 3D objects (with depth), stereoscopic microscope is the way to go. Something with a long boom arm may give you longer reach. Here's an example, not an endorsement since I don't own one.

But, but, but, this one has the Kohler light that I didn't know I "need" .

Then there's this one with a better fine adjustment. I'm going to get a DSLR adapter on it, so fine adjustment is good.

I'm in the market for a cheap microscope too and I've never own one. I put this on my list because I wanted to take pictures.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082Y5G8RP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_c4ytFbK8DXJEH

They make them about the size of a sheet of paper. I happen to have a really large one on my porch. Fresnel lens I was thinking you could simply tape one to the front of the tank and get some magnification that way. Here's one on Amazon--although I don't recommend shopping there. A business supply store where you live will have one.