please give me some tips on how to use a microscope...

[Dancing Fire]

i need to learn how to use a microscope to identify parasites just in case my koi get sick. i won one on Ebay auction and should be here this week.

 

[HVVS]

http://shs.westport.k12.ct.us/mjvl/biology/microscope/microscope.htm

You''ll probably need the 100x oil immersion lens to see much, and that might even not be very good at times. I was pretty frustrated with the scopes we had for A&P and microbiology in college. I wanted to see MORE detail, LOL!

 

[kama_s]

I''d be damned if I remember...sorry DF

 

[Callisto]

I definitely suggest internet articles as they are probably more helpful than me, but I would buy some slides(probably some single depression slides- they have small wells on them to hold water better), coverslips, and oil for oil immersion.

Always remember to start at the lowest viewing power and focus there first, then move on to successively higher powers and focus at those. It can be somewhat difficult to focus right away at a higher power.

 

[kenny]

Does it have two eyepieces?
If so, is it true stereo or does it just split up one optical path into two?
What is the power and the manufacturer?

Avoid eye strain by learning to relax your eye muscles, letting the microscope do the work.
Look out a window at the horizon, then look down into the microscope without refocusing your eyes.
Use the focus knob to focus while keeping your eyes relaxed.

I say this because it is possible to some degree to use your eye muscles to pull an image into focus that is not quite in focus using the microscope''s optics.
This leads to eyestrain.

If there are two eyepieces and one of them has focusing ability push them apart and only look into the one that CANNOT focus.
With both eyes open relax your eyes and use the focus knob to focus.
Now adjust the distance between eyepieces so you can see the brightest image possible with both eyes.
Focus the eyepiece with the focusing ring without touching the main focus knob on the microscope.

If the scope has only one eyepiece keep both eyes open and either learn to ignore the other eye or get a black eyepatch at a pharmacy.

 

[JSM]

What is the greatest magnification on the scope you bought?

I would imagine that there is so much *stuff* in non sterile samples that it is going to be tough to recognize what is parasitic and what isn''t. Especially in pond water!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/7/2010 4:14:25 PM
Author: kenny
Does it have two eyepieces?
If so, is it true stereo or does it just split up one optical path into two?
What is the power and the manufacturer?

same model as this one that was made in the mid 70's,but thinking about bidding on an Olympus or a Nikon.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190395914937

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/7/2010 6:12:39 PM
Author: jsm
What is the greatest magnification on the scope you bought?

I would imagine that there is so much *stuff* in non sterile samples that it is going to be tough to recognize what is parasitic and what isn''t. Especially in pond water!

i heard you can pick up most koi parasites at 400x

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

Resist the urge to use the coarse adjustment knob while looking through higher power lenses... it won''t help you and you''ll probably end up breaking a slide and/ or scratching the lens.

Familiarize yourself with the knob and how it makes the stage move up and down, and only use the coarse adjustment on low power. I tell my students to start with the stage as high as it can go, make sure that they know which way to turn the coarse knob to make the stage go down, then look through the eyepiece as you SLOOOOWLY turn the coarse adjustment. Once you see something sort of, only use the fine adjustment from that point on.

I am assuming your microscope is adjusted so that once you are in focus in a lower power lens, switching to a higher power will take minimal adjustment of the fine knob to keep in focus.

Good luck!

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/7/2010 9:22:56 PM
Author: Guilty Pleasure
Resist the urge to use the coarse adjustment knob while looking through higher power lenses... it won''t help you and you''ll probably end up breaking a slide and/ or scratching the lens.

Familiarize yourself with the knob and how it makes the stage move up and down, and only use the coarse adjustment on low power. I tell my students to start with the stage as high as it can go, make sure that they know which way to turn the coarse knob to make the stage go down, then look through the eyepiece as you SLOOOOWLY turn the coarse adjustment. Once you see something sort of, only use the fine adjustment from that point on.

I am assuming your microscope is adjusted so that once you are in focus in a lower power lens, switching to a higher power will take minimal adjustment of the fine knob to keep in focus.

Good luck!

the lenses move up and down on this microscope not the stage.

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

that''s good to know! the advice still applies, regardless of which part moves. Just be careful as you are adjusting if you''re looking through the eyepiece... even experienced people accidentally break the slide or damage the lens.

Also, get special lens paper for wiping the lenses. Even normal wipes or paper are not good to use because the tiny scratches will show up in your field of vision.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 6/7/2010 11:12:19 PM
Author: Guilty Pleasure
that''s good to know! the advice still applies, regardless of which part moves. Just be careful as you are adjusting if you''re looking through the eyepiece... even experienced people accidentally break the slide or damage the lens.

Also, get special lens paper for wiping the lenses. Even normal wipes or paper are not good to use because the tiny scratches will show up in your field of vision.

are eye glass wipes bought from Costco ok to use on the objective lenses?