Microscopes

The four types of microscope, in plain terms

A compound microscope is the classic design with an eyepiece on top and three lenses on a turret underneath. It magnifies from about 40x to 1,000x and is for thin, transparent samples on a glass slide, such as cells, pond water and prepared specimens. It's the right choice for biology at home or school.

A stereo microscope works at much lower power, usually 10x to 40x, and gives a three-dimensional view of solid objects with light from above. Insects, flowers, coins, rocks and circuit boards all suit it, and it's the one to choose if you don't want to prepare slides.

A digital microscope with a screen puts the image on a built-in display rather than through an eyepiece, saves photos and video to a memory card, and is the easiest of the four to share with a child or a class. The range covers roughly 20x to 500x, which suits coins, stamps, plants, electronics and anything else you'd look at from above.

Handheld and USB microscopes are the pocket-sized end of the market. They're useful for a quick look at a stamp or a leaf, and they're cheap, but a bench microscope will show you far more.

What to look for before you buy

Realistic magnification matters more than the biggest number on the box. A good 400x image through glass lenses beats a blurry 2,000x, and our magnification guide explains why. After that, check the lighting (light from above and below gives you the most options), whether the body is metal or plastic, what's in the box, and whether it runs from the mains as well as batteries.

Who we are

Scope & Field is a UK specialist in microscopes and science kit for hobbyists, home education and schools. We stock a small range on purpose and write a guide for every type we sell, so you can choose with the same information we'd use ourselves. Orders are packed at our warehouse in Northern Ireland and sent tracked.

Microscope FAQs

How much does a decent microscope cost?

A proper first compound microscope with glass lenses and a mains adapter is under £100. Metal-bodied models with achromatic lenses sit between £100 and £200, and a digital microscope with a built-in screen is £150 to £250. Anything much below £50 is a children's starter model and worth treating as one.

Which microscope is best for a beginner?

For slides and biology, a monocular compound microscope with upper and lower LED lighting. For insects, coins and anything solid, a 20x to 40x stereo microscope. If you'd rather look at a screen than through an eyepiece, a digital model with an LCD. The types guide covers each case.

Do you ship to the whole of the UK?

Yes. Orders go out from Northern Ireland to every UK address, and delivery details are on our delivery page.