By definition, value is to provide a fair equivalent in money, etc. for something sold or exchanged. At Lab Essentials, our promise to you is to provide the best microscope value available. There are many places to purchase microscopes and accessories, and each one will tell you they are the best. We choose, however, to inform our customers of our offerings, service your needs before and after the sale and, should a problem ever arise, respond immediately and effectively until you are once again, completely satisfied.

Our hope here is to simplify your decision on which educational microscope best suits your needs and budget. As much as everyone would like to own our top-of-the-line Revelation 2100 lab microscope, it is best suited for the lab, university, or research center. Much more in line for the home schooler, hobbyist or educator are our microscope kits, the Explorer II and Observer III and IV compound microscopes, and our Achiever and Paragon Stereo microscopes.

Probably the first question we are asked is "do I need a stereo or compound microscope?" If you can see it with the naked eye, you can see it better with a stereo microscope. If you cannot see it with the naked eye, then you must use a compound microscope. Here are the basic differences:

A stereo microscope always has two eyepieces (the lenses you look through) and two objectives (the lenses nearest the object being viewed), one for each eye. Because of this, you will always see the object you are looking at in "3-D. A stereoscope is always a lower magnification than a compound microscope. Our Achiever is offered in either the 10x/30x or the 20x/40x magnification and is self- illuminating. The Paragon has the same optics as the Achiever, but does not come with its own illumination and is therefore less expensive. With either model, you will be able to look at an object 10 times or 30 times larger than it would normally appear with the naked eye with the 10x/30x (or, 20 times or 40 times with the 20x/40x.) To change magnification, you simply twist the front nosepiece. You can also purchase an optional 15x eyepiece ($49) and, by simply switching eyepieces, achieve a higher magnification of 15x/45x (15 times or 45 times magnification) with the 10x/30x, or 30x/60x (30 times or 60 times magnification) with the 20x/40x. Most users purchase the 10x/30x because it offers the most versatility. Unless you have a specific requirement for the higher magnifications, the 15x eyepiece is not needed. Besides, you can always add it later.

One of the appealing benefits, especially to younger children (and their parents), of a stereo microscope is that it rates very low on the "frustration" factor. No slides are needed, and it is easy to focus and has a wide field of view. An everyday object, such as a leaf or rock, takes on staggering proportions when viewed under the stereo microscope. The Achiever offers top and bottom self-illumination utilizing a cool-to-the- touch fluorescent lighting system. Unlike halogen, it will not burn you or heat the specimen you are viewing. Or, take the Achiever or Paragon outside and use ambient light, it works just as well. A dollar bill, when viewed with the top illumination of the Achiever, shows the intricate details that are difficult to see with the eye alone. When using the bottom illumination, you can literally see though it. The only limitations for using it are your own imagination. A stereo microscope is the instrument of choice for those seeking to view larger specimens at lower magnification.

The compound microscope is used for viewing specimens at higher magnification. Again, if you cannot see your specimen with the naked eye, you must use a compound microscope. Typical magnifications are 40x, 100x, and 400x. The different objectives are mounted on the nosepiece and are rotated to line up with the eyepiece. Each specific objective has its own particular magnification. The microscope can be equipped with its own illumination, or can be equipped with a mirror to reflect light through the eyepiece. It may have either one or two eyepieces to view with, but unlike the stereo microscope, it will not view the specimen in "3-D," only in two dimensions. Having two, or binocular, eyepieces reduces eyestrain and enables you to work at ease much longer. (Most lab microscopes are binocular.) Light must pass through the specimen and thus, the specimen must be mounted on a slide. The microscope will have a focus adjustment, and the better ones have both a coarse and fine focus. In the dark days before cable TV, some of you may remember the fine tune adjustment on your television set. You set the dial to the station, but "fine-tuned" it to get the best reception. This is much the same as the fine focus. The coarse focus gets you close, the fine focus gets you closer. That is not to say that you cannot focus with only the coarse, but it is much easier to have both

We offer six models of educational compound microscopes. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of all of them.

The Travel Lab ($80)-- A very nice starter scope, built as all of our scopes with metal construction and glass optics with a coarse focus. It is not a toy. Open the box and you have all you need to get started: specimen containers, blank slides, starter kit with stain and instruments and the "World of Microscope" book. It has a disc diaphragm, which allows you to dial in via different diameter holes below the stage the amount of light passing through the eyepiece. It is not self-illuminating, but uses a mirror for reflected light. It does, however only offer one magnification, 200x, which limits your viewing capacity.

The MicroQuest ($110)--Virtually identical in features and accessories as the Travel Lab, but offers 40x, 100x and 400x magnifications. This is a plus. There is nothing you cannot see with this microscope that you can see with our Explorer II or Observer III.

Both of the above are recommended for anyone of any age just starting out in microscopy. They will offer years of enjoyment and are sturdily constructed. If your budget is in the $100 range, you will be very pleased with either one. This is a good gift idea also. However, if your child is in the age range of 10-12 years old and has exhibited a more serious interest in science, you may be better served to invest in at least the Explorer II.

The Explorer II, Observer III and Observer IV are the workhorses of our educational lines. All are sold to both public and private schools throughout the country and are built to be durable and forgiving. They are all built upon the same tough frame, but there are some differences between them. Each has an adjustable iris diaphragm, which, like a camera lens, is infinitely adjustable to increase or decrease the amount of light passing through the eyepiece. This is a very important feature, because some specimens require a lot of light, while others require very little. The ball-bearing head rotates 360 degrees allowing viewing flexibility. All are self-illuminating, but include a mirror attachment for field use.

The Explorer II ($164)--offers 40x, 100x and 400x magnification with coarse focus only. It has a fixed Abbe condenser. This sturdy instrument is an excellent choice if your budget does not allow for the Observer series. In every sense, it is a true educational microscope. Perhaps it’s only limitation is the lack of a fine focus. Again, you can focus on any object with this microscope, but at higher powers, it does become somewhat more difficult.

The Observer III ($215) and IV ($260) are identical in every way except that the III offers 40x, 100x and 400x magnification, while the IV offers an additional 1000x (oil immersion) magnification. To view individual blood cells, you are required to have the 1000x oil immersion option. You could purchase the Observer III and add the 1000x later for about $90, but it is cheaper to buy it with the Observer IV should it be a requirement. Both offer coarse and fine focus for ease of use and have a moveable Abbe condenser that offers unlimited adjustment of light control when used with the iris diaphragm. This feature is usually found only on more expensive scopes. Either of these will take a student through high school and will probably suffice the first year or two of college. You will not find a better value than either the Observer III or IV.

We also offer the Observer IV Binocular Microscope ($435.) It is the same microscope as the Observer IV but is mounted with a binocular head. These binocular microscopes are sold into many universities for use by students who will be spending a lot of time viewing specimens. If you are truly interested in pursuing microscopy, but your budget is not quite in the $700 range, you will find this to be a very good investment.

As far as options, there are really none for the Achiever or Paragon. The MicroQuest and Travel Lab include all you need in the kit, other than additional blank or prepared slides. I would highly recommend the mechanical stage ($39) for the Explorer and Observer series. It allows up/down and left/right manipulation of the slide by use of dial calipers. It is almost a necessity at higher magnifications. It is easy to mount and allows you to move the slide without having to look up from the eyepiece. The teaching head ($49) is a good option that allows two people to view at the same time. In some applications, i.e. the classroom, a teaching head is most helpful, but may be something to add later if you are not quite sure. The Starter Kit ($21.95) and Stain Kit ($8) will add to your enjoyment if you do not already have instruments, slides and teaching information.

The only problems we have encountered with the Observer and Explorer microscopes is that sometimes the bulb is loose or broken due to shipment. When this happens we immediately replace the bulb at no charge. Some have complained that the eyepiece is cracked on the Explorer or Observer Series, but it actually is a pointer built into the eyepiece. Again, another plus usually found on more expensive microscopes. Occasionally, the stage will drift, or lower, on its own, but a phone call and simple adjustment takes care of this problem. The microscopes have a one-year warranty on the electronics (lighting) and a lifetime warranty against defects. If your microscope does not function properly, it will be replaced.

Advances in medicine, computers and telecommunications have made the microscope a prominent tool of research. Future job skills can only be enhanced by a working knowledge of the microscope. Learn to use your instrument correctly, for not only could it be an educational resource now, but it could also be a skill sought after by employers in the future. A family usually purchases only one microscope and it does no one any good sitting in the closet. If you invest in a microscope, use it to explore the incredible micro-world that surrounds us. Take the time to find the best possible value. Our hope is that you will find us to be a reliable source.