Cheap microscopes are microscopes which are made using cheap components like wood, plastic and low-quality metals. Most of these devices are handmade and are not used in clinical laboratories. Cheap microscopes have a low resolution and clarity. The magnification power of these equipments is usually less than 300X. They often will not have more than one eyepiece and objective. These microscopes are sometimes known as toy/children’s microscopes and are not durable as high-quality devices.
Cheap microscopes have all the parts of a compound microscope such as a body, reflective mirror, diaphragm, condenser, stage, lens, objective lens and eyepiece, and also work like an ordinary microscope. They may contain focus controls such as coarse and fine adjustments. They are useful in studying slides, small seeds and small creatures like insects, bacteria and parasites.
These microscopes can be made by any one. Some Internet sites provide information about making them. Constructing a cheap microscope with your children is a fun and educational project rather than a scientific and high-skilled one. The body can be built with small pieces of wood or plastic joined with screws. The lenses of the objective and eyepiece are obtained from disposable cameras. The objective, eyepiece and body tubes can be created from plastic tubes of appropriate diameter. A stiff and opaque square sheet made of wood or plastic, with different sized holes can be used as a rotating diaphragm. The reflective mirror can be made by cutting a piece of mirror that is then glued onto a small piece of wood.
Most cheap microscopes are available in children’s shops. Many online sites also offer them. Cheap microscopes come in good designs, which make them attractive superficially. The resolving power of microscopes increases as aberration of the lens system decreases. There are also some cheap microscopes that provide tremendous magnification with little resolving power. High standard cheap microscopes with greater magnification power, often about 1000x, are being produced, mainly from China, using low cost components.
If you intend to buy a cheap microscope for your children, never look for one with high magnifying power, as they will cost as much as a high-quality product. Before buying a cheap microscope check its magnification power, stability and quality.
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