Lab Microscope Buying Guide
The key to selecting a lab microscope is to clearly define the purpose of your experiments and the objects you want to observe. Are you observing biological structures such as cells or bacteria? Is it for dissection, assembly, or quality inspection? Or is it for analyzing the surface structure of materials? Additionally, you should consider whether special hardware or software features are required. Does the stage need to be temperature-controlled? Is measurement functionality needed? Should the system include digital imaging capabilities?
If, after reviewing, you still cannot find the ideal product within our provided categories, or if you have any questions about our products, please do not hesitate to contact us! We will provide you with free consultation to help you find the product you desire.
The Three Most Essential Types of Microscopes
| Feature | Metallurgical Microscope | Biological Microscope | Stereo Microscope |
| Illumination Method | Reflected illumination | Transmitted illumination | Reflected / transmitted illumination (optional) |
| Optical Path Characteristics | Light is directed through the objective and reflected back from the sample | Light passes through the specimen from below | Two independent optical paths |
| Objective Characteristics | Serves as both objective and condenser; no cover glass required | Optimized for 0.17 mm cover glass | Long working distance, typically with zoom capability |
| Magnification Range | Medium to high (50X – 1000X) | Medium to high (40X – 1000X) | Low (5X – 200X) |
Polarizing Microscopy
Adds a polarization system and is suitable for samples with birefringent properties, such as crystals, minerals, and biological tissues.
Fluorescence Microscopy
Incorporates a fluorescence illumination system and filter sets. It is widely used in biomedical research for cell labeling, protein localization, and pathological analysis, suitable for samples that naturally fluoresce or can be tagged with fluorescent molecules.
Phase Contrast Microscopy
Creates an annular light beam in the condenser to overcome the invisibility of transparent samples. It is ideal for observing low-contrast specimens such as live cells and unstained tissue sections.
| Microscope Type \ Imaging Technique | Polarization | Fluorescence | Phase Contrast |
| Biological Microscope | √ | √ | √ |
| Metallurgical Microscope | √ | X (rare) | X |
| Stereo Microscope | √ | √ | X |
Polarizing Microscopy
Fluorescence Microscopy
Phase Contrast Microscopy
Upright Microscope
The specimen is placed below the objective, suitable for solid sections and transparent samples.
The specimen is placed above the objective, ideal for petri dishes, liquid samples, and live cell imaging.
