The compound monocular microscope is one of the most versatile and commonly used instruments in a lab setting. It is essentially a microscope with two lenses, one for viewing the specimen, and one for viewing the image produced by the first lens. This type of microscope allows for viewing of both the specimen and the image at the same time, which is why it is so widely used. There are many different types of compound monocular microscopes on the market, and some of the most popular brands are Olympus, Nikon, and Leica.
Choosing the right compound monocular microscope is difficult as there are many different factors to consider, such as budget, brand, magnification, and features. To make it easier to find the exact compound monocular microscope you’re looking for, we rounded up the best compound monocular microscopes on Amazon, according to thousands of customer reviews.
Check out our favorite compound monocular microscopes in the list below, and keep reading for our buying guide.
Our Editor’s Best Compound Monocular Microscopes Reviews
- Constant Temperature Mechanical Stage: The stage allows temperature adjustment between 10-50 degrees, ensuring optimal conditions for observation.
- 7'' LCD hanging screen: offers enhanced convenience while watching specimen image, as the screen rotation is more flexible. The hanging screen image effectively resolves the issue of limited viewing angles.
- Enhanced Magnification: Equipped with 10X and 25X widefield eyepieces, this compound microscope offers versatile magnification options, including 40X, 100X, 250X, 400X, 1000X, and 2500X.
- Premium Achromatic Objectives: The microscope features four high-quality DIN 195 achromatic objectives (4X, 10X, 40X, and 100X) that produce sharper and clearer images.
- NA1.25 Abbe Condenser: The condenser includes a filter for adjusting aperture size, enhancing image sharpness while accommodating various objectives.
- Magnification: The M150 series microscope delivers 40X, 100X, 250X, 400X and 1000X magnification for educational and hobbyist exploration
- Versatile & Portable: Use this portable microscope with LED illumination at home, school or in the field; use with an outlet or with batteries
- Durable Construction: Features all-metal framework and a 360 rotatable monocular head, ensuring reliable performance for students and enthusiasts
- Optical Precision: Equipped with full optical glass elements and a precise ground glass lens, the compound microscope offers sharp, high-resolution images
- About AmScope: We have the industry's leading collection of microscopes, microscopes cameras, accessories, and other related products
- 【MAGNIFICATION SETTING】Available magnification settings of 40X, 100X, 250X, 400X, and 1000X through aberration-correcting 4X, 10X, and 40X glass objectives with wide-field 10X and 25X eyepieces
- 【Dual lllumination】Dual illumination system allows you to examine both transparent and solid specimens; cool LED lights protect eyesight and live specimens
- 【Excellent material】Rugged design with metal arm and base, carrying handle, and cordless capability make this compound microscope a practical pick for field experiments
- 【Suitable】Designed forDesigned for students/kids/adults/beginner/amateur scientist/hobbyists, perfect for science fairs, at home experiments, and school lab experiments
- 【Features】Fully rotatable monocular head for easy shared use or one-on-one instruction in the classroom. Our customer service is ready at all the time, please contact us if you have any problems
- 7" LCD Screen included.
- Built-in non-removable 5MP camera, Video capture card included, and Software Windows and Mac Compatible.
- Wide-field 10X and 25X eyepieces.
- 4PCS pure copper DIN 195 Achromatic objectives included：4X, 10X, 40X,100X.
- Offer 6 magnification levels: 40X, 100X, 250X, 400X, 1000X, 2500X.
- 100X-2000X High Magnification: Wide field Eyepiece WF25X and 2X Barlow lens work with 3 metal achromatic objective lenses: 4X 10X 40X, providing 6 levels magnifications: 100X 250X 1000X/200X 500X 2000X
- Adjustable Dual LED Illumination: Use bottom light to see translucent specimens and top light to see opaque objects; 100 V to 240 V AC power (included) or 3 AA batteries (not included). Please avoid using low battery
- 5 Color Filter Disc: Works to incease contrast, black ambient light or remove IR/UV radiation
- Co-axial Coarse and Fine Focus: Solid all-metal frame. Rotate coarse focus to find the image quickly and then rotate fine focus to find the image clearer precise and shaper. Usually move the stage up to focus when magnification increases
- Ergonomic Design: True 360° rotatable head for children and adults observing together. 38° tilting eyepieces helps to reduce eye and neck strain. Please don't take too close to the eyepiece while watching to avoid seeing your own eyelash
- Multiple magnification options:Equipped with a 2X magnifying glass, when used with a wide-angle eyepiece, the 10X, 25X eyepiece can become a 20X, 50X effect. It can also be used with objective lenses of different magnifications, 4X, 10X, 40X, to meet various needs, up to 2000X magnification
- Precision adjustment:Two focusing knobs allow you to raise or lower the stage for fine adjustments to achieve precise focus and clear vision.Coarse Focusing works to find the image quickly and Fine Focusing adjust to find the image clearer precise and shaper;360° rotatable eyepiece, convenient for multiple people to observe together
- LED top and bottom light source:Not affected by external light, can be used at any time. The switch is used to select the upper or lower light source, and the right knob is used to adjust the brightness of the light source.The upper light source is suitable for observing opaque objects, and the lower light source is suitable for observing specimens.
- Complete accessories:Comes with an instruction manual and a microscope exploration kit, so even children and beginners can use it easily. In addition to observing the included preparations, you can also create living biological cell samples yourself. Use your mobile camera to take and record photos of the organisms you observe
- Suitable for various scenarios:This biological microscope is suitable for kids aged 8-12,beginner,students,adults,hobbyists and school,laboratory,education.Let's enter the microscopic world and observe the mysteries of nature's organisms
- Enhanced Magnification: Equipped with 10X and 25X wide field eyepieces, this compound microscope offers versatile magnification options, including 40X, 100X, 250X, 400X, 1000X, and 2500X.It's perfect for sharing or for one-on-one teaching sessions in class.
- 4 DIN 195 Achromatic Objectives: The microscope features four high-quality DIN 195 achromatic objectives (4X, 10X, 40X, and 100X) that produce sharper and clearer images, ideal for viewing cellular structures and microorganisms.
- NA1.25 Abbe Condenser: The condenser includes a filter for adjusting aperture size, enhancing image sharpness while accommodating various objectives.
- Double-layer Mechanical Stage: The monocular microscope offers an ultra-precise focusing system, enabling both coarse and exceedingly fine adjustments. It ensures the slide is securely locked into place, while facilitating precise manipulation along the X- and Y-axis.
- Dual Illumination: The EDKKIE microscope is equipped with a dual illumination system, allowing the examination of both transparent and solid specimens.
- [Upgrade function]: Vabiooth Biological Microscope has a 5MP Electronic Eyepiece 360 degree 7" large LCD display and an Adjustable Mechanical Stage,ideal for researching the aquatic fish disease, mites, algae research.
- [Eyepieces & LCD Screen]: Equipped with wide-field 10X/25X glass eyepieces fixed at an ergonomic 30 degree tilt to reduce neck strain, easily adjustable for different interpupillary distances without losing focus, 5MP Electronic eyepiece and 360 degree 7" large LCD display allows you to get a larger field of view directly from the screen without an external large screen display, provide a more comprehensive view and enable sharing. 4 Achromatic objectives offer 4x 10x 40x(s) 100x(Spring Oil).
- [Mechanical Stage]: With 1.0mm stage divisions, locks slide into place and provides precise slide manipulation along the X- and Y-axis to allow coordinates to be recorded, enabling the viewer to return to a specific location on the slide.
- [Best Gift & Carry Case]: Comes with aluminum carry case which is the perfect to protect the device and accessories, best gift for microbiological enthusiasts.
- [Takes still photo and video]: Support with Video capture card to make the microscope get this function.
- High Magnification:360 degree rotatable monocular head with High Magnification Wide-Field eyepieces WF10X and WF25X with 2X lens, cooperate 4X 10X 40X objective lenses, offer 10 magnifications, 40X, 80X, 100X, 200X, 250X, 400X, 500X, 800X, 1000X, 2000X
- LED illumination:Dual Illumination System with Top and Bottom LED lights. Upper light to observe solid objects such as leaves and Lower light to observe transparent objects like blood cells. LED illumination system uses either an outlet or AA batteries
- 5 Color Filter Wheel:You can rotate through the pre-installed 5 color filter disc and try various filters with your sample to see which works best, also there is one spot that is empty so you can view without any color filters
- Coarse and Fine Focusing System:The main frame of the monocular microscope is made of metal. Coarse and fine focusing wheels are used to ensure a clearer and sharper image
- Complete Accessories:The microscope comes with 10 different operating accessories including phone adapter, carrying bag, 15 pcs microscope slides set to meet all your biological observation need
- [Dimmable Dual Light] Perfect STEM science gift for students. The kit is better than ever with an expanded accessory kit that allows you to begin exploring the world at once. Dual light design makes it possible to observe both solid objects like insects and translucent objects like cells
- [80X-2000X Wide Field Magnifications] It uses premium glass objective lenses that let you see crisp and clear images. The 2X additional lens provided increases the magnification levels further to 2000X
- [Quick Start Guide System] The system helps beginners to quickly get sharp images by easily matching colors of objective color ring and other parts. Besides, microscope is marked with focus guide to assist in quickly focusing
- [Multiple Humanization Designs] 45°inclined ocular tube with 360° rotatable head lets you observe comfortably and share view with friends. Coaxial coarse & fine focusing knobs. Equipped with "one-touch" spring-loaded stage clips, which is easy to place a slide. Spare bulb is included for replacement
- [Microscope Science Kit] The kit also includes prepared slides & blank slides, practical tools like tweezers, materials for hatching brine shrimp, a free smartphone holder used for photomicrographing, and so on. Moreover, it’s equipped with a sturdy ABS case which is easy to store, carry and transport
Best Compound Monocular Microscopes Buying Guide
Before choosing the best compound monocular microscope you should consider following options:
1. Objective Lens: The objective lens is the one that captures light and forms an image. This is the lens you will use most often.
It is important that this lens has a large focal length so that the image is magnified to a larger size. If the focal length is too short, the image will be small and hard to see. It is also important that the lens is fully coated to reduce glare and produce a sharper image.
2. Eyepiece Lens: The eyepiece lens is the lens you look through to view the object. This lens is important for two reasons: its focal length and its eyepiece ratio.
The focal length of the eyepiece should be short so that the image is magnified to a large size. If the eyepiece has too long of a focal length, then the image will be small and hard to see.
The eyepiece ratio is the diameter of the eyepiece divided by its focal length. The larger the eyepiece ratio, the more area is captured in the field of view. A longer focal length eyepiece will magnify the image but will limit the field of view.
3. Diagonal Lens: The diagonal lens is a specialty lens that magnifies the image captured by the eyepiece. This lens is useful when you need to examine something at a distance.
It is important that this lens also has a short focal length and a large eyepiece ratio. Otherwise, the image will be too small.
4. Interpupillary Adjustment: Interpupillary adjustment is the mechanism that adjusts the distance between the two eyepiece lenses so that the microscope can be used by users with different eye spacing.
This adjustment is extremely important for users with eyeglasses because they will need to be able to see through both eyepieces at the same time. If the eyepieces are too close together or too far apart, then eyeglass wearers will not be able to use the microscope properly.
5. Illumination: Illumination is the lighting system used to illuminate the object and the surrounding area.
There are two types of illumination: transmitted and reflected. Reflected illumination is the most common and uses a light source that shines directly down on the object.
Transmitted illumination uses a light source and a sheet of glass that transmits light through the object and makes it easy to view.
6. Magnification: Magnification is the ratio of the size of the image to the size of the object.
A higher magnification allows you to see small details, but it also makes it harder to view the object. The best magnification depends on the type of object you will be examining and how much detail you need to see.
7. Stage: The stage is the area below the eyepiece lens where the object will rest. This is the only part of the microscope that you can’t see.
It is important that this area is smooth and flat, otherwise the object will not stay in place when you move the slide. The stage should also have a light so that you can see the entire area in the dark.
What else you should know about compound monocular microscopes
1. What are the best compound monocular microscopes for beginners?
The best compound monocular microscopes for beginners are those that have a high level of magnification, a large field of view, and a sturdy build.
2. What are the best compound monocular microscopes for students?
The best compound monocular microscopes for students are those that have high magnification power and are easy to use. Some of the best compound monocular microscopes for students include the Celestron 44302-A compound monocular microscope, the AmScope 40X-1000X All-Metal Optical Glass Lenses Student Biological Compound Microscope, and the Swift SW380T Compound Monocular Microscope.
3. What are the best compound monocular microscopes for professionals?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the best compound monocular microscope for professionals will vary depending on the specific needs and preferences of the individual user. However, some of the most popular compound monocular microscopes for professionals include the Nikon Eclipse Ci-L, the Leica DM6000 B, and the Olympus BX53.
4. What are the best compound monocular microscopes for advanced users?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as different users have different preferences. However, some of the best compound monocular microscopes for advanced users include the Olympus BX51, the Nikon C1Si, and the Leica DMLB2.
5. What are the best compound monocular microscopes for research?
There are a number of great compound monocular microscopes for research. Some of our favorites include the Nikon Eclipse Ci-L Compound Monocular Microscope, the Olympus CX41 Research Compound Monocular Microscope, and the Leica DM750 Compound Monocular Microscope.
Conclusion
On the market, there are numerous best compound monocular microscopes. Hopefully, the list of the top ten best compound monocular microscopes will save you time researching and deciding on the best one for you.