# Portable microscope **URL:** \ **Category:** Nature Talk\ **Tags:** microscopy\ **Created:** [February 27, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166 "2026-02-27T11:16:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leschij](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/leschij/32/5396_2.png) [@leschij](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/leschij)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 11:16am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/1 "2026-02-27T11:16:22Z")
Интересно, кто-нибудь работал с похожим прибором? [https://optizona.by/mikroskopy/mikroskop-cifrovoy-discovery-artisan-1024.html](https://optizona.by/mikroskopy/mikroskop-cifrovoy-discovery-artisan-1024.html) Насколько он полезен для фотографирования мхов, лишайников, водорослей? I wonder if anyone has used a similar device? How useful is it for photographing mosses, lichens, and algae? ---
**Author:** ![ilenisaatio](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/ilenisaatio/32/42564_2.png) [@ilenisaatio](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/ilenisaatio)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 12:45pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/2 "2026-02-27T12:45:42Z")
I have used a cheap bare bones one, that you plug on your phone. It’s been okay for something that cost me 25 €, so I would imagine the one you have on the link might be worth it. Mine only goes up to 100x, but it’s easy to take along. As to how useful it is to your case, I don’t know. I have no clue as to the level of magnification those would require. ---
**Author:** ![phma](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/phma/32/54376_2.png) [@phma](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/phma)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/3 "2026-02-27T19:00:59Z")
If I understand the Russian right, it’s made in the USA (КНР для Levenhuk, Inc. (США)). But I looked up КНР and found it stands for People’s Republic of China. Does that mean it’s made in China for Levenhuk, which is in the USA? Being in the USA, I wouldn’t buy something from Belarus that’s sold by an American company. Can I buy it locally, or would you suggest another? “100–240 В, 50/60 Гц” took me a while to figure out. Why don’t they use the international symbols V and Hz, if they can type “Levenhuk”? I don’t have a microscope, but I’d like to get one to take photos of critters found in lettuce, things growing in the toilet, etc. ---
**Author:** ![wy\_bio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@wy\_bio](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/wy_bio)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/4 "2026-02-27T19:40:56Z")
Foldscope is portable microscope made with paper that has been around since 2010s. It is low cost option for people who can’t afford expensive microscope. [https://foldscope.com](https://foldscope.com) ---
**Author:** ![broacher](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/broacher/32/52883_2.png) [@broacher](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/broacher)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2026, 11:55pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/5 "2026-02-27T23:55:14Z")
![00_40_679 frame=1017_Radiant_Photo_Radiant_Photo_Radiant_Photo](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/5/d/5d8fc3b55a17c67b47139b97e300942a6f3e6641.jpeg) ![VideoCapture_20231124-220406-01](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/9/f/9f3b7c4aaa23fd4e277ede6427a58986ab05a994.jpeg) ![432579904_2033110390404415_4163461349519352887_n](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/a/0/a0df12ddd81b50d30ce09912f7fc1cd8d0bb91ea.jpeg) ![432646608_2033110357071085_7271176082180835498_n](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/6/f/6f4f7e44e256a6a92efff638c2b0d155a5e62868.jpeg) ![2025-09-15-194745127_Radiant_Photo](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/b/a/ba0ae22d5d98290b4bc7cb99b3495faef7ac715b.jpeg) ![VideoCapture_20250919-143047_Radiant_Photo](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/3X/2/9/2987ad1c4e3bc7f5364c58cc19946a993d9d059e.jpeg) These were all taken with a ‘toy’ wireless (wifi) to phone microscope. 40 dollars of fun! I actually keep it in my jacket pocket as an emergency cure for the times when I don’t or can’t drag my Olympus TG along. It takes some practice to use off the stand and in the field. Also, I’ve got lots of image editing software to milk all the detail I can get out of this little 2MP device. I find it to actually be a liberating challenge to get the most out of a device most people would quickly dismiss. ---
**Author:** ![henryy1355](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/henryy1355/32/7573_2.png) [@henryy1355](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/henryy1355)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2026, 5:38pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/6 "2026-02-28T17:38:16Z")
This [stick on lens]([https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/qingyingetllc/imicro-q2-an-800x-microscope-for-any-smartphone](https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/qingyingetllc/imicro-q2-an-800x-microscope-for-any-smartphone)) looks interesting. Have not purchased or used. ---
**Author:** ![AdamWargon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/adamwargon/32/44649_2.png) [@AdamWargon](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/AdamWargon)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2026, 11:10pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/7 "2026-04-15T23:10:06Z")
Should this post be tagged “microscopy”? ---
**Author:** ![jhbratton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jhbratton/32/3718_2.png) [@jhbratton](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jhbratton)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/8 "2026-04-16T07:41:35Z")
I hope you will start a project of Things growing in toilets. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2026, 7:41am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/portable-microscope/76166/9 "2026-06-15T07:41:37Z")
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