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Need a Microscope...

identifying microscope

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30 replies to this topic

#1 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted January 10 2017 - 3:10 PM

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I need a microscope for my ants to identify to species-level. I don't want a super mega zoom thing, I just want to see stuff like how many segments the antenna contains, or if their are short hairs on the gaster, and to see all the mandibular teeth clearly without having to squint, stuff like that. Any recommendations? I am completely new to microscopes and cameras and such, don't even know where to start. My budget is around 500 bucks.

#2 Offline gcsnelling - Posted January 10 2017 - 3:29 PM

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Try Amscope.



#3 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted January 10 2017 - 3:58 PM

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Try Amscope.

I'll look into that, thanks.



#4 Offline Mads - Posted January 10 2017 - 4:29 PM

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I just got one off of microscopes.com. They were great to deal with. This is the particular one that I bought: http://www.microscop...pe-package.html . 

 

Mads



#5 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted January 10 2017 - 4:38 PM

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Does anyone think this microscope is good enough?

 

http://www.amscope.c...gen-lights.html


I just got one off of microscopes.com. They were great to deal with. This is the particular one that I bought: http://www.microscop...pe-package.html . 

 

Mads

I'll check that one out too.


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#6 Offline Martialis - Posted January 10 2017 - 6:08 PM

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Does anyone think this microscope is good enough?

 

http://www.amscope.c...gen-lights.html


I just got one off of microscopes.com. They were great to deal with. This is the particular one that I bought: http://www.microscop...pe-package.html . 

 

Mads

I'll check that one out too.

 

It's great for it. On my microscope, I just use the lowest setting possible.


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#7 Offline dspdrew - Posted January 10 2017 - 6:55 PM

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Actually, I think a zoom microscope IS probably what you want if you are trying to look at ants.


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#8 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted February 9 2017 - 7:50 AM

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I know this topic's a little old, but I found a nice zoom microscope. Would this work? 


Edited by Nathant2131, February 9 2017 - 7:51 AM.


#9 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted February 9 2017 - 11:48 AM

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Why spend a lot of $. I look at my ants through a carson micromax, $25



#10 Offline Bracchymyrmex - Posted February 9 2017 - 12:02 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...



#11 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted February 9 2017 - 12:13 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Bargain



#12 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted February 9 2017 - 1:21 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Bargain

Ooooh. I might get one of those and then upgrade to a stereo microscope if all goes well. Thanks.

#13 Offline gcsnelling - Posted February 9 2017 - 3:18 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Don't waste your money, this style scope is pretty much worthless.



#14 Offline drtrmiller - Posted February 9 2017 - 3:22 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Don't waste your money, this style scope is pretty much worthless.

...by virtue of the inferior clarity of the optics and poor diffusion of lighting.

A standard tabletop scope would be a superior instrument in all respects.
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#15 Offline Nathant2131 - Posted February 9 2017 - 3:45 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Don't waste your money, this style scope is pretty much worthless.

...by virtue of the inferior clarity of the optics and poor diffusion of lighting.

A standard tabletop scope would be a superior instrument in all respects.

 

No reason not to try it out. It is cheap anyway. Plus, CrazyLegs said he uses it. I'll order one and see how it goes, then upgrade to a stereo microscope if I feel it is not enough.


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#16 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 9 2017 - 5:12 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Don't waste your money, this style scope is pretty much worthless.

 

 

Yeah. I actually have that one. I keep it in my backpack just in case I want to get a slightly better look at something in the field. But yeah, worthless for anything else. A magnifying glass would probably be better.


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#17 Offline gcsnelling - Posted February 9 2017 - 5:43 PM

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https://www.amazon.c...0/dp/B000P8AUMULooks like a great deal...

Don't waste your money, this style scope is pretty much worthless.

...by virtue of the inferior clarity of the optics and poor diffusion of lighting.

A standard tabletop scope would be a superior instrument in all respects.

 

No reason not to try it out. It is cheap anyway. Plus, CrazyLegs said he uses it. I'll order one and see how it goes, then upgrade to a stereo microscope if I feel it is not enough.

 

 

Feel free to just send me your money instead, you will get about as much value out if it.



#18 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted February 9 2017 - 5:49 PM

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Hahaha, I thought he just wanted to get a closer look at distinguishing features of ants not write a scientific paper. For $8 you can hardly call it a waste of money, if so I have wasted a huge amount of money in my lifetime. I was able to identify a mite no bigger than a fraction of a mm with this little gimmicky microscope. I would be very embarrassed at the least to say I spent $500 to casually identify an ant.


Edited by CrazyLegs, February 9 2017 - 5:54 PM.

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#19 Offline dspdrew - Posted February 9 2017 - 6:21 PM

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I spent  $400 on my microscope and it is still one of my favorite investments. I don't only use it for ID'ing ants, I use it for all sorts of stuff. It's a great tool to have. I've used it about five times to pull microscopic splinters and metal shavings from my fingers. The ones you normally just have to put up with for a few days until it finally goes away.


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#20 Offline CrazyLegs - Posted February 9 2017 - 10:15 PM

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I spent  $400 on my microscope and it is still one of my favorite investments. I don't only use it for ID'ing ants, I use it for all sorts of stuff. It's a great tool to have. I've used it about five times to pull microscopic splinters and metal shavings from my fingers. The ones you normally just have to put up with for a few days until it finally goes away.

I agree microscopes have many uses however as with most things, I always start with a modest investment and proceed from there.


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