List Price: $700.00
Sale Price: $144.98
Today's Bonus: 79% Off
I purchased this after much research for use with my stamp collection. I was a bit hesitant at the low price, $144 when valued at $650, thinking it was a come-on and would turn out to be cheaply made, but I am not disappointed--indeed am delighted at obtaining such a bargain! I can see this easily as a $650 item. The microscope has a heavy industrial feel to it. The frame is all or mostly metal and very sturdy with nice heft. The focus mechanism (knobs on the sides) are smooth and precise in their operation. The knob in the back allows for gross adjustments should you have large object on the stage. There are two lights, one above to illuminate the top item on the dual sided black/white stage base plate and one beneath the stage for use with the included translucent base plate. The power cord is heavy duty and grounded, adding to the "this-is-not-a-toy" feel of the instrument.
The instrument arrived carefully packed in molded styrofoam, but be careful opening it as the extra lenses and other parts, two extra bulbs, a small wrench, and two sets of rubber eye pieces, can fall out. AmScope also includes a medium duty dust bag which is an excellent addition to the set. The eyepieces are each held in place by a tiny Phillips tip screw and you will need a jeweler's screwdriver to loosen the screws and changes lenses.
I was a bit concerned that the magnification levels (10x, 20x, and 40x) would be too much for use with my stamps, but they are perfect. I am amazed at the detail visible under 20x and am having a much easier time distinguishing between the various types of a large number of 1894 Washington 2 cent stamps. I don't expect I will have to change to the 5x lenses much since with the 10x lenses in, I can go from 20x to 40x simply by turning the objective lens from 2x to 4x. By the way, that also has a sturdy, professional feel to it, rotating smoothly and snapping into place. The stereo eyepieces make viewing things SO MUCH BETTER!
One thing I wish would have been included is a small box to store extra lenses and the additional tools. Of course, AmScope offers nice aluminum cases with plenty of storage for additional items as optional accessories.
Finally, I purchased the reverse model, which most people would say is the 'normal' model with the stage in the front. I was concerned that I might have a difficult time manipulating the stamps on the stage if they were between me and the microscope, but am glad I ordered this model. The other version has the stage to the rear which would seem to make the stage more accessible, but it also means you have to reach around the microscope to adjust things and the power cord will come out of the instrument toward you rather than being in the back of the instrument.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletestereo microscopes- The information that you provided was helpful for readers. I will have to share your article with others.
ReplyDelete