Lighted microscope for home use?

[Tactically Fat]

Well, with the way the world is and is going... My kids might be doing a lot more at-home learning over the course of the next several months.

And being the science-y dude that I am, I fondly remember the microscopy that I did throughout my schooling. Both in viewing already prepared slides as well as preparing my own the further I went along in school.

Anyhow - I think some at-home microscopy would be fun for my kids! Let's enhance that science knowledge!

Anyone have recommendations on brands and/or models that I can look into? Hopefully there's not anything that'll be too highly priced.

I've also asked the 2 science teachers that I know what they use in their classrooms.

Wants: Lighted, adjustable diopter, and probably a way to send the signal to a computer monitor and/or TV screen.

 

[NKBJ]

Gonna watch this with interest.
Haven't had my own microscope since elementary school and I'd love to!

 

[Tactically Fat]

Gonna watch this with interest.
Haven't had my own microscope since elementary school and I'd love to!

Right? Think of all the things to examine!

 

[shibumiseeker]

Not as good as a proper microscope, but I use the crap out of these in the field and remember using the older types when I was a kid. They are so much better now. I give these to all of my friends with kids.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5TNSCA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Leadeye]

Not as good as a proper microscope, but I use the crap out of these in the field and remember using the older types when I was a kid. They are so much better now. I give these to all of my friends with kids.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5TNSCA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Those are handy, I've got one at work that plugs right into the computer.

 

[JettaKnight]

Not as good as a proper microscope, but I use the crap out of these in the field and remember using the older types when I was a kid. They are so much better now. I give these to all of my friends with kids.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X5TNSCA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm not sure the fact that you buy a four-pack is a good omen. Well, maybe if you have four children...



At work we have a USB based one that is quite handy for looking at solder joints on very fine pitch chips. But, those would be pretty awkward for slides.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Right now, I'm open to many options.

My kids don't have their own smart phone or tablets, so I guess those devices aren't going to be nearly as handy as stand-alone scopes. Those hand-held ones seem pretty neat.

And I've thought about one of the USB borescope things as kind of a microscope, but that's essentially a glorified magnifying glass.

Ideally I'd like something where we could look at cellular structure in addition to magnifying "regular" things like hair, finger nails, dirt, leaves, petals, worms, insects, etc etc. I do realize that a 5x device for looking at the setae on an earthworm is a whole other ballgame than the 400x needed for cells.

 

[shibumiseeker]

I'm not sure the fact that you buy a four-pack is a good omen. Well, maybe if you have four children...

I have them everywhere. My gold panning backpack has two because inevitably whoever I am with will be asking me to look at stuff for them. My geology kit has one. There's one in each vehicle. The goat and chicken yards each have one so I can check poop for worm eggs.

My goddaughter got one, as have about a dozen kids various friends have.

The fact that kids aren't being raised to be curious about and explore the world around them is a large part of what is wrong today.

As a kid the cheapies weren't very capable, but now they are almost as good as the $100 bench scopes were back then.

 

[natdscott]

Add one of these though:

https://www.amateurgeologist.com/triplet-loupes/

I have a 10x and a 20x. The 20 is nice, but only rarely as useful. FOV and focal distance are just pretty small.

 

[jkaetz]

I didn't see a price range so here you go:
Microscope: http://amzn.to/2iLrE16
Barlow lens: http://amzn.to/2yMKdKf
LED light: http://amzn.to/2nzfPT2

Guy I've watched on youtube uses these to show/do electronics repair.

 

[Clay Pigeon]

American Science and Surplus.

I bought more stuff from them when my boys were in school.
They have a usb microscope, regular and digital microscopes.

https://www.sciplus.com/Optics-c/Microscopes-Accessories-s

 

[WhitleyStu]

The guys on the knife sharpening forums rave about the USB microscope/cameras. Just did a search and there are inexpensive to high end units.

 

[Dean C.]

https://microscopecentral.com/products/leica-dm300-led-microscope

It's not super cheap but we used these in college and they are awesome. Make sure to get the 100x oil option you can see some really cool stuff if you culture right.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I've had my teacher friends give me a few suggestions, too.

Oh - and it appears there are some high rollers in this thread.

Yes - I should have stated a budget in my OP. However, I didn't expect prices to be as high as they are (As linked for lab-quality instruments) - but I should definitely have known.

I want to be around $150 or less for the 'scope - which leaves some more $ around for buying pre-made slides and stuff.

Thanks!