# Recommend me a good microscope

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-microscope/528785
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [February 12, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-microscope/528785 "2010-02-12T22:11:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 3

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### Author: ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2010, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-microscope/528785/41 "2010-02-14T22:32:48Z")

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Right, I think it was **Agent Foxtrot** who mentioned the opposite. 😉

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### Author: ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-microscope/528785/42 "2010-02-15T13:38:14Z")

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[Here](http://www.pathology.vcu.edu/education/PathLab/pages/hematopath/pbs.html) is a good website showing the basics of how to prepare and examine a blood smear. Colour me one of the people finding this a bit strange for a hobby - microscopes are a pain in the ass.

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### Author: ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2010, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-a-good-microscope/528785/43 "2010-02-15T17:04:30Z")

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> [@KarlGrenze](#):
>
> As someone who uses microscopes for a living, I’m surprised by those that enjoy microscopy as a hobby and then prefer monoculars over binoculars.
> 
> Maybe it is because I have to look through them constantly, but just thinking of using one lens to see my slides make my eyes fatigue. Good fitting binoculars let me look through them longer without tiring me out.

Since Leeuwenhoek invented the thing, they were mono until a few decades ago, and nobody went blind. 😃 I understand the advantage for long hours of work, but years ago i used a mono in the lab for many hours a day (old Bosch and Lomb) with no ill effects.

The mistake many make, whether using a microscope, telescope or a rifle, is to close one eye when using the other. Once you learn to keep both open, it does not tire out the other eye. However, whatever works.

Incidentally, with the digital camera, I spend most of my time observing the specimen on my computer monitor. Very easy that way to take photos.

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