Recently wanted to get serious on bryophytes, and some other stuff that requires microscopy like Xyris so I’m going to invest in a microscope. Problem is, I have not used one since high school so I don’t know what to look for. I have pretty much decided on a compound scope because I think it would b…

Some of the suggestions here may be helpful for you: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-look-for-in-a-dissecting-microscope/17440 [image] palustrisbotany: I have pretty much decided on a compound scope because I think it would be the most convenient I don’t know much about identificati…

I would suggest you take a look at r/microscopy on Reddit too. Do you know if you want/need a compound microscope (light passes through a slide you have to prepare, usually with 40x-1000x magnification) or a stereo microscope (light usually illuminates a probe from the top and you most often look a…

Years ago, I purchased an Omax microscope on Amazon and I’ve been very happy with it. I’ve used it e.g. to look at spores. It’s a little more than you want to spend but very conveniently has a built-in camera that hooks up to a computer via USB cable. I was thrilled to find out I could also use it t…

I second looking for secondhand ones. Sometimes these are on ebay or occasionally at local auctions. You can also purchase some cameras that can attach to older scopes depending on the setup, but digiscoping can work pretty well too.

I agree second-hand can be a bargain. If you have a local university, you could ask if they have any to sell. If they have updated or gone digital, there might be a cupboard full of old ones. They might lend you one long-term, until you decide what you need. I’m mainly an entomologist but have just…

Guidance on purchasing microscopes, especially for bryophytes/liverworts

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Guidance on purchasing microscopes, especially for bryophytes/liverworts

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