Have you ever thought about getting a microscope to use at home for fun? You can use a compound microscope to explore microorganisms such as pond microbes, tardigrades, and even organisms as small as bacteria.
With all of the options for sale out there, you might be wondering which microscope you should choose. Below, you’ll find out the best compound microscopes for looking at bacteria and what microscope features to consider when making your purchase.
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What’s the best compound microscope for looking at bacteria?
If you’re looking to buy a compound microscope but don’t know what to look for, read on.
What is a compound microscope?
A compound microscope is a microscope with higher magnification than a simple microscope. It can be used to investigate small objects not visible with the unaided eye, such as cells and bacteria, and even see some details of certain organisms. Compound microscopes can be used for basic scientific research or a microscopy hobby at home.
Compound microscopes use two lenses to enhance image resolution compared to a single lens. The eyepiece or ocular lens magnifies to 10X, and the objective lenses can magnify to 4X (scanning), 10X (low power), 40X (high power), and 100X (oil immersion), so combined, they magnify an image to 40X, 100X, 400X, and 1000X.
Some microscopes include a second eyepiece with a magnification of 25X, claiming to provide a total magnification of 100X, 250X, 1000X, and 2500X. But in reality, 2500X on a compound microscope does not work well and actually produces a lower quality image (I’ve seen it firsthand) than 1000X using a 10X eyepiece. Eyepieces can also be 5X or 15X.
Compound microscopes collect and focus visible light through the objective lens, which is located above the stage holding the sample to be observed. The light source is located below the specimen and passes through it before the objective lens. With more than one objective lens, you can look at an object at different magnification levels. That way, you can use the same microscope for both low- and high-magnification views.
Compound Microscope Features To Consider
Abbe condenser
If you want crisp images and to be able to see bacteria, you’ll need an Abbe condenser. It becomes the most important at 400X and above.
The Abbe condenser is the large black circular object located below the stage that you can use to adjust the light as you increase the objective lenses you’re looking through, going from the 4X objective up to the 40X and 1000X.
Mechanical stage
The mechanical stage is a must-have for a microscope, in my opinion, because it allows you to use knobs to control the movement of the slide while you’re hunting for microbes. If you don’t have a mechanical stage, you have to manipulate the slide with your fingers, which becomes tedious. Plus, it’s difficult to make the fine adjustments you’ll need when you are at high magnification. So, opt for a mechanical stage for microbe hunting.
Siedentopf head
A Siedentopf head allows you to change the interpupillary distance without affecting the focus. Everyone’s eyes are different distances apart, so you’ll need to adjust the interpupillary distance to fit your face.
Without a Siedentopf head — and using a sliding head instead — you would have to refocus the eyepiece each time you adjust the interpupillary distance, which would be problematic with groups using the same microscope. So, a sliding head is okay if only one person uses the microscope. But if more than one person uses it, like in schools or homeschooling with multiple children, you’ll want a microscope with a Siedentopf head.
Light Source
Pay attention to the light source. An LED light source will produce let heat than halogen, so it’s something to consider.
With that background info, you are now ready to move on to finding the best compound microscope to suit your needs.
Best Compound Microscopes
| Rank | Microscope | Type of Microscope Head | Camera Options* | Magnification | Light Source | Price |
| 1 | Swift SW380T | Siedentopf Trinocular Head | can attach high-quality microscope camera to trinocular head, c-mount adapter included | 40X-2000X | LED | check price |
| 2 | Swift SW380B | Siedentopf Binocular Head | phone adapter or 1.3 or 5MP eyepiece camera | 40X-2500X | LED | check price |
| 3 | AmScope B120C | Siedentopf Binocular Head | 0.3 – 5MP camera add on | 40X-2500X | LED | check price |
| 4 | AmScope T490B | Siedentopf Trinocular Head | can attach high-quality microscope camera to trinocular head, c-mount adapter included | 40X-2000X | halogen | check price |
| 5 | OMAX MD82ES10 | Sliding Binocular Head | 1.3MP camera included | 40X-2000X | LED | check price |
| 6 | OMAX M82ES-SC100-LP100 | Sliding Binocular Head | phone adapter or eyepiece camera | 40X-2000X | LED | check price |
The Swift SW380T provides 40X-2000X magnification and an LED light source. It has an Abbe condenser and a mechanical stage, so it has two features that will make looking at bacteria simple and larger microbes even better. Another feature that helps with looking at bacteria is the ultra-precise focusing knob that allows you to zoom in and out in small increments when you are at higher magnifications, so you can easily focus on exactly what you want. The trinocular head lets you attach a high-quality microscope camera, and a c-mount adapter is included.
The Swift SW380B is very similar to the Swift SW380T but has a binocular head instead of a trinocular head. It provides 40X-2500X magnification, an LED light source, an Abbe condenser, and a mechanical stage. So, it’s also great for looking at bacteria and other larger microbes. The ultra-precise focusing knob lets you easily and smoothly zoom in and out when you are at higher magnifications. You can attach a phone adapter or eyepiece camera for taking photos.
The AmScope B120C has the necessary features for viewing bacteria and other larger microbes, including 40X-2500X magnification, an Abbe condenser, and a mechanical stage. And it has an LED light source. However, it lacks the ultra-precise focusing knob and has a standard fine focus knob, but that shouldn’t be a significant problem if this microscope’s price point works better for you. You have the option to add on an eyepiece camera, which can range from 0.3 to 5MP. But you can also attach a phone adapter.
The AmScope T490B is an upgraded version of the AmScope B120C, so it has the features necessary to look at bacteria and other larger microbes: 40X-2000X magnification, an Abbe condenser, and a mechanical stage. The upgraded part is the head, being trinocular rather than binocular, so you can easily attach a high-quality microscope camera, and the c-mount adapter is included. The only drawback of this microscope is the halogen light source because it will generate more heat, which is why many people prefer microscopes with an LED light source.
The OMAX MD82ES10 includes the features you’ll need for viewing bacteria and other larger microbes: 40X-2000X magnification, an Abbe condenser, and a mechanical stage. The best part of this microscope is that it has a built-in 1.3MP camera, so you never have to fuss with adding a camera or attaching one to a phone mount or eyepiece. The drawback with this microscope is that it has a sliding binocular head, making using it in groups more difficult (see the section about why a Siedentopf head is preferred for multiple users.)
The OMAX M82ES-SC100-LP100 is a good microscope for a single user and for looking at all types of microbes as small as bacteria. It provides 40X-2000X magnification, an Abbe condenser, and a mechanical stage and has an LED light source. Like the OMAX MD82ES10, it has a sliding binocular head, so it’s best for one person, as explained in the section above about the Siedentopf head (which microscopes 1-4 have). You can attach a phone adapter or eyepiece camera for taking photos.
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Are you ready to explore the microbial world with a new compound microscope?
For those who want to get into the world of microscopy, a compound microscope is an excellent place to start. Selecting the best compound microscope will largely hinge on your budget, how you’d like to take photos with it, and if you’ll use it with groups or not. Consider the different features when selecting a model so you can make an informed choice based on your needs and preferences.
No matter what you’re looking to study under the microscope, there are a variety of different compound microscopes to currently choose from, each one with its own pros and cons. Using this information is sure to inform you as you make a decision about which microscope best suits your needs.
Want to explore all of the microscope camera options available? Check out this post about how to attach a camera to your microscope.
Microbiology Activities for High School Students: Jessica Popescu
Hey Justine, thanks for the great article.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it, Raphael!