How Do I Use My Microscope?
Before you use your microscope, make sure that the table, desk or surface that you place it on is stable and is not subject to vibration. If the microscope needs to be moved, hold it by the arm and base while carefully transferring it. Once the microscope is in a suitable location and the batteries are installed, check the light source to make sure that it illuminates. Use a microfiber cleaning cloth to gently wipe the lenses off. If the stage is dirty with dust or oil, carefully clean it off. Make sure that you only raise and lower the stage using the focus adjustment knob.
Install/Replace Batteries (Requires 2xAA batteries. Not included.) 1. Remove the safety screw from the cover. 2. Remove the battery cover. 3. Install batteries with the positive (+) polarity and negative (-) polarity in the correct direction indicated by the battery compartment label. 4. Replace the battery cover. 5. Screw in the safety screw back to the cover.
How Do I Operate The Illumination? Locate the power switch on the bottom of the microscope. Switch to ON to power on the light. Brightness can not be adjusted but the light height can be adjusted by the using the wheel next to the light.
How Do I Adjust My Microscope Correctly? Place the microscope in a suitable location as described above, and sit in a comfortable viewing position. Always start each observation with the lowest magnification. Adjust the distance of the microscope stage so that the stage is in the lowest position — farthest away from the turret head. Turn the objective turret until it clicks into place at the lowest magnification (Objective: 10x/Magnification: 100x). Note: Before you change the objective setting, always make sure the microscope stage is farthest away from the turret by rotating the focus knob. Separating the stage and turret by rotating the focus knob will avoid causing damage to the specimen slide or microscope. When starting an observation, always start with the lowest objective in the rotating head.
How Do I Observe The Specimen? Sitting in your location with adequate illumination chosen from the color filter wheel, the following basic rules should be observed. Start with a simple observation at the lowest magnification. Position the object or specimen in the middle of the stage under the stage clips, centered over the lower light. Focus the image by rotating the focus knob until a clear image appears in the eyepiece. Place the prepared slide directly under the objective on the microscope stage and secure it with the stage clips. The prepared slide should be located directly over the lower illumination. Look through the eyepiece and carefully turn the focus knob until the image appears clear and sharp. Now you can select a higher magnification by rotating to the 40x/400x objective turret. Higher levels of magnification can be achieved by turning the objective turret to a higher setting (1200x). Following this procedure creates a steady increase of magnification without overpowering the view of the object. The following magnification order should be used: 100x, 400x then 600x. You can achieve even more higher magnification by turning the eyepiece to 20x power. This will give you magnification order of 200x, 800x, 1200x. Each time the magnification changes (due to the objective change), the image sharpness must be readjusted with the focus knob. When doing this, be careful because if you move the microscope stage too quickly, the objective and the slide could come into contact and cause damage to the slide or microscope. For transparent objects (e.g. sea salt), light is projected by the lower light traveling from below the stage, through the objective and eyepiece, and finally into your eye. This process of light transmission is known as microscopy. Many micro-organisms found in water, plant components and the smallest animal parts are transparent in nature. Opaque specimens, on the other hand, will need to be prepared for viewing. Opaque specimens can be made transparent by a process of treatment and penetration with the correct materials (media), or by slicing. You can read more about creating specimens in the enclosed microscope experiments booklet.
