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Whether as a student, researcher, or hobbyist, if you are interested in plant life, then a plant cell microscope is a necessary gadget to have. With a good product, you have access to real-time images of parenchyma, collenchyma, sclerenchyma, etc. The ideal plant cell microscope should have high magnification, should be easy to use, and should yield excellent image quality for the best details.
Best Plant Cell Microscopes
Below, we take a look at the best plant cell microscopes on the market to help you make find the ideal gadget for your plant cell viewing needs.
1. AmScope T490B Compound Trinocular Microscope
The AmScope T490B comes with a host of features that emphasize durability, handleability, and superb image quality. It comes with an impressive 40x to 2000x magnification range, halogen illumination, and a dedicated photo port for camera attachment. It is ideal for individual and group learning and comes with a bunch of extra accessories.
- High magnification and camera support.
- Durable, ergonomic design, with halogen illumination.
- Great image quality and handleability.
2. OMAX 40X-2000X Lab LED Binocular Microscope
This gadget from OMAX boasts of impressive reviews and is a great buy for students and researchers. Its 40x to 2000x magnification, 2D mechanical stage, and focus adjustment knobs make it highly adaptable to different purposes. It sports a rugged design, ensures user comfort, and comes with a bunch of accessories to get you started right away.
- High magnification and binocular vision.
- Excellent controls and viewing flexibility.
- Durable design and extra accessories.
3. AmScope M150C
The AmScope M150C sports a unique design and comes with features ideal for biological education. It features a 40x to 1000x magnification, a monocular viewing head, and yields impressive optics. It also comes with 2-way powered LED illumination, easy to operate controls, and a durable design that will stand the test of time.
- Compact, durable design with high magnification.
- 360º monocular viewing head with 2-way LED illumination.
- Excellent controls and handleability.
4. Celestron – PentaView LCD Digital Microscope
This top-of-the-line gadget from Celestron boasts of high 40x to 2400x magnification, a powerful built-in 5 MP camera, and an LCD display for real-time imaging. It sports a unique design and comes with a bunch of accessories for image projection and improved functionality. It is the ideal gadget for group learning and allows for image and video capturing.
- Powerful magnification, 5 MP camera, and LCD display.
- Durable, unique design with excellent controls.
- Comes with extra accessories and supports image projection.
5. Swift SW350T Research-Grade Trinocular Compound Microscope
This Swift SW35OT comes with research-grade 40x to 2500x magnification for viewing microorganisms and comes with a trinocular viewing head for camera support. It comes with LED illumination, a durable, ergonomic design, and adjustable features that emphasize user compatibility.
- High magnification and great image quality.
- Trinocular vision with camera support.
- LED illumination with durable, ergonomic design.
Plant Cell Microscopes Buying Guide
Plant cell microscopes are an excellent medium to introduce young scientists and hobbyists to the world of plant biology. For more advanced users and researchers, high-power units reveal the plant cell in more detail for experimental purposes. When on the market for a plant cell microscope, there are a number of qualities to look out for.
Our buying guide reviews the best plant cell microscopes on the market based on their specified features to help you find the right gadget quickly.
Magnification
The most important factor to consider when buying a plant cell microscope is the unit’s magnification. It measures how large the specimen in view appears through the eyepiece. Plant cells are very small and cannot be distinguished with the naked eyes. Therefore, the microscope you are going for must have enough magnification to yield detailed images. For plant cell viewing, a magnification of at least 400x is needed. Based on magnification, microscopes are generally classified as low-power stereo microscopes and high-power compound microscopes. Stereo microscopes find application in viewing larger objects, dissecting, and micro-soldering and come with lower magnification.
A compound microscope is what you’ll need for plant cell viewing. Most models come with variable magnification achieved through a rotating multi nosepieces and grant the unit adaptability to different purposes.
Regular vs. Camera Adaptable Models
Chances are, you’ll likely want to capture and save images and videos of your specimens. With a digital microscope, you can easily achieve this. These microscopes either come with built-in cameras that connect externally to a computer or mobile device or come with a dedicated port to which you can attach an external camera.
Digital cameras offer unrivaled convenience as you won’t need to strain your eyes looking through the eyepiece but can see all the action on a much larger computer screen. Note that microscopes with a dedicated port yield greater flexibility than models with built-in cameras as you can choose how powerful the camera you mount is.
Some digital microscopes also come with dedicated LCD screens that will allow you to view projected images right out of the box, conveniently.
Included Accessories
The included accessories your microscope come with are also very important. Features like adjustable LED or halogen illumination should come with the microscope and are designed for maximum image brightness. Other accessories to look out for include prepared slides, a carrying case, lens cleaning cloth, etc.