Stereo Microscope, Compund Microscope and Digital Microscope, What's the Difference?

Without the ability to explore and magnify in the real world, progress in discovery and invention will be compromised. There are many types of microscopes used for research and exploration of life sciences.

According to the purpose, magnification, sample type and application, a suitable microscope should be selected. Thereinafter, we will talk about the difference about three main kind of microscope: stereo microscope, compund microscope and digital microscope.

compound microscope

In a compound microscope, the slide is illuminated by a light bulb placed below it. The sample is magnified by two lenses, two of which are placed near the slide, called the objective lens, and one near the top, called the Eyepieces. They provide a two-dimensional image that can be adjusted for the strength of the lens.

Compound microscopes vary in design, but are usually fairly standard, which makes them easy for anyone to use. The advantage of compound microscopes is that they are affordable for students, hobbyists, and scientists alike, and can be magnified to much higher magnifications. A major drawback is that they have a lower resolution, so, like more advanced microscopes, the image will never be clear.

Compound microscopes magnify the tiny detail and structure of plant cells, bone marrow and blood cells, single-celled creatures like amoebas, and much more. Almost every homeschool family or hobbyist will need a 400x compound microscope to study cells and tiny organisms in biology and life science.

stereo microscope 

A stereo microscope is different from a compound microscope. The main difference is that it has two eyepieces instead of one. The stereo microscope produces a three-dimensional image, at which time the two eyepieces send different images to the left and right eyes.

Specimens are usually illuminated from above rather than below, which makes stereo microscopes ideal for dissection, manufacturing, inspection, circuit board work, or use with any opaque specimens. It's cheap, which makes it ideal for professionals, amateurs and others in this industry. Since individual cells cannot be seen, the magnification is low.

Stereo microscopes and dissecting microscopes are low-power microscopes designed for observing whole objects like flower pollen and rock crystals with a 3D view.


Digital microscope

It was invented in Japan in 1986. It uses a computer to view objects that are invisible to the naked eye. They exist in two ways, with or without an eyepiece. With a USB cable, it can be connected to a computer monitor. With the help of computer software, it can be displayed on the computer screen as a magnified sample. Motion images can be recorded, while still images can be saved in the computer's memory. The saved images can be saved for a longer period of time by e-mail. It can be used by researchers, students, hobbyists and manufacturers alike.

Digital microscopes' cameras will enhance both group and individual microscope studies by enabling magnified images to be saved and shared on the computer.

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1 comment

It was really informative when you talked about how stereomicroscopes can produce three-dimensional images. It seems like you would want to have three-dimensional images when you are trying to observe tiny organisms. Images like this would make studying microscopic organisms much easier. https://www.alliedhightech.com/equipment/grinding-polishing

Thomas Clarence

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