| QUESTION | ANSWER | |
| Are demo microscopes available? | Yes, please give us a call or email us what you need. | |
| Do microscopes just magnify things? | No, microscopes both magnify and clarify. They allow us to see small objects clearly. | |
| What is resolution in microscopy? | Bringing the fine details into focus. | |
| What is a Stereo microscope? | A microscope that uses two light paths to give a true 3-D view of a large specimen. Mainly used in macro biology or dissection. Limited magnification range, 10x to 200x. | |
| What is the difference between a Stereo and a Dissecting microscope? | There is no difference. Those are different names for the same microscope | |
| What is a Stereo Zoom microscope? | A stereo microscope as described above that changes magnification like a zoom lens on a camera, allowing the specimen to stay in focus as magnification changes within a range. | |
| What is a compound microscope? | A microscope with one light path going through compound parts providing high magnification (40x to 1,000x or more) through each part. Mainly used with microscope slides. Jenco Model BC-211 for example. | |
| What is an upright microscope? | A microscope that looks down on the specimen. The objective lenses are above the stage. Jenco Model BC-311 is an upright compound microscope. | |
| What is an inverted microscope? | A microscope that looks up at the specimen from underneat the stage. Commonly used in tissue culture with specimens particularly influenced by gravity like cells in suspension. The objective lenses are below the stage. Jenco Model CP-2A1. | |
| What are metallurgical microscopes? | They are microscopes that look at objects using reflected light. They are useful for anyone who wants to look at rocks or metal or something that isn't transparent. Jenco Model MET-233 | |
| Do eyepieces add magnification? | Yes. The standard eyepiece adds 10X magnification | |
| Do microscopes have the option of increasing magnification through eyepieces? | Yes. All compound microscopes have a 15X option and the Stereo Zoom microscopes have a 15X and 20X option. | |
| What is the difference between monocular, binocular, and trinocular microscopes? | Monocular microscopes have a single eyepiece, binocular microscopes have two eyepieces, and trinocular microscopes have three eyepieces. The trinocular third eyepiece is generally used for photography and video applications. | |
| What microscopes can be used wiith video or digital camera equipment? | We recommend only those models with trinocular heads because they are more stable and we have adapters to fit the trinocular tube, not the eyepiece, Jenco Model BC-311 | |
| What is a boomstand? | A microscope stand used for routine inspection of large samples, e.g. mice or circuit boards with a stereo zoom microscope head. It allows for adjustment both in and out and up and down. Jenco Model GL7-307. It also requires a fiber optic light source and light guide. | |
| What is a polestand? | A microscope stand used for taller samples, e.g. flowers or machined parts, with a stereozoom microscope head. Jenco Model GL7-305 for example. It allows for up and down adjustment of the microscope and requires a fiber optic light source and light guide. | |
| What is the working distance on your boomstand and polestand microscopes? | 100mm. | |
| What does the working distance on a microscope refer to? | The working distance is from the end of the objective to the top of the specimen when the specimen is in focus. | |
| Do your microscopes come with built in lighting? | All microscopes come with their own attached lighting except the stereozoom boomstand and polestand. | |
| On dual illuminated fluorescent/halogen stereo microscopes, where is the fluorescent light located? | On the bottom or base of the microscope. | |
| What is a condenser? | The piece closest to the light source designed to collect and condense the light and then to focus it onto the specimen. | |
| What does Kohler Illumination do? | Kohler illumination produces an even field of illumination over the whole specimen. | |
| What is a mechanical stage? | A flat plate for placing the slide/specimen with controls to easily move the sample both vertically and horizontally in small increments. | |
| What is a nosepiece or turret? | The part of the microscope where the objectives are attached. It is either reversed, with the objectives pointing away from the operator, giving better access to the sample, or standard with objectives pointing toward the operator. | |
| What is parfocal? | Parfocal means the center of your specimen will stay in focus as you change magnification. | |
| What is an iris diaphragm? | The piece on the specimen side of the condenser that controls contrast and depth of field. | |
| What is an objective? | The part of the microscope that magnifies and resolves the image. It is a lens closest to the specimen. A polished chrome plated component with a barrel shape and threads on one end for threading into the nosepiece. | |
| What is the difference between achromatic, semi-planachromatic, and planachromatic objectives? | Each type of objective is color corrected to a higher degree than the previous one. In everyday terms, achromatic objectives afford approximately 80% of the field of view in focus from the center out to the edges. Semi-planachromatic afford approximately 90% and planachromatic afford approximately 100%. The better the color correction, the more cost. | |
| Why do some objectives have retractable lenses? | To provide protection against damage caused by a collision of the objective and the slide. | |
| What do the numbers on the outside of the barrel of the objective stand for? | They identify five specifications: magnification (60X), aberration correction (PlanAchro), coverglass thickness recommended (0.17), numerical aperture (.85) and specialized optical properties (Phase, (PHP), fluorite (FL), etc. | |
| Why use immersion oil? | If an objective is designed to use oil, you must use oil to get an acceptable image. Oil provides an improved path for the image to travel between the specimen and the objective | |
| What objectives can you use immersion oil with? | Only those objectives designed for it with an oil specification clearly marked on it's barrel (100X OIL), otherwise the oil creeps up into the microscope causing problems. | |
| How do you use immersion oil? | Put a drop of oil on top of the slide's cover slip and move the objective down until it touches the oil and you have the specimen in focus. | |
| Can you use an oil objective on an inverted microscope? | No, because the objective is below the slide and the drop of oil could only sit on top of the slide. | |
| What is a LWD objective? | Longer Working Distance for when you can't get close enough to focus on what you want to see. They are included with Jenco brand inverted microscopes. | |
| Can you put a 4X objective on an inverted microscope? | Yes, but you must use a frosted filter to be able to get a clear image. | |
| What is a reticle? | A group of lines, shapes, circles, or angles that are inserted in the eyepiece (usually on a disc) that provide either a standard of measurement or a focal point for the observer. | |
| What is a micrometer? | The same as a reticle, only more specific to a group of lines used as a scale for measuring. | |
| What is a stage micrometer? | A graduated scale placed on the stage to be used as a standard of measurement for the specimen. | |
| Can you use a 35mm camera with your microscopes? | We do not suggest using a 35mm Camera as we have found that a digital camera provides a clearer picture. | |
| What is a green filter used for? | Since achromatic objectives are best corrected spherically for green light, a green filter improves the performance of your achromatic objectives. | |
| What is a light blue filter used for? | Blue filters are used to change he color of the light from the bulb to a cleaner white light | |
| What industries use metallurgical microscopes? | Manufacturing companies doing welding or using a variety of different metals. Also, metallurgists and semiconductor inspectors use this kind of microscope. | |
| Do you have teaching heads for your microscopes? | No. | |
| Do your microscopes come with rubber eyecups? | Yes |