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REVIEW: Best Celestron Microscopes for Optical ClarityDescription: As a leading manufacturer of research microscopes, Celestron produces microscopes for nearly every purpose. Learn how the company's products compare to other alternatives on the market, as well as insights into the features and operations of leading Celestron microscope models.Celestron started in the 1950s and has built a great reputation over the years. Celestron's founder, Tom Johnson, built his first telescope for his sons, and then grew his business to specialize in other types of scientific equipment including telescopes, lenses and other scientific instruments. Whether you are using a microscope for clinical research or educational use, Celestron produces a wide variety of industry-leading microscopes. Other popular microscopes makers include Olympus, Meade Instruments, and Nikon -- but in this guide we will focus on the various Celestron microscope models, with information on features, what to look for, where to buy, and prices. And you may be surprised to learn about some of the advances made in microscopes over the last decade, with the inclusion of things like LCD screens, digital cameras, and output to your computer screen for ease of viewing.
More about Celestron Digital Microscopes
These handheld microscopes do not have a specimen tray - you simply hold them over what you want to look at. A slightly upgraded version of the handheld digital microscope is the handheld digital and optical microscope. This microscope has a higher power magnification, which goes up to 200X. It is even smaller and lighter at only 2 oz! So what can you see with this kind of microscope? You can view a very dramatic video of an ant captured with handheld digital and optical microscope at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkQQZXc9eIE. Another choice is the digital and optical microscope for $165. It is battery powered and has digital power up to 2000x. Its objective lenses are 5x (100 power), 10x (200 power), 20 x (400 power).
What are Celestron LCD Digital Microscopes?
Celestron Biological MicroscopesIf you plan to be viewing slides, blood samples, and other more advanced specimens, there are also biological microscopes, which are a huge leap up in capability from the digital microscopes. These Celestron microscopes range in price from $129 all the way up to $1000. The Laboratory biological microscope sells for about $129 and features a monocular adjustable head, and up to 400X power. This is a great buy for the entry level scientist. Another entry-level microscope is the advanced biological microscope, which is about $170. It includes a few other nice features including a condenser lends and iris diaphragm. The more advanced units include the following features: binocular microscope head, 360 degree rotation on the head, quadruple nosepiece, 18 degree fiend of view. Another good biological microscope, without breaking the bank, is the Celestron 44104 500x Power Advanced Biological Microscope at about $275. This is an intermediate-level biological microscope, solidly built, with an electric illuminator that does get hot (and some people notice a "hot" smell). Personally, I prefer doing my viewing on a computer screen or LCD screen, but this really is a great traditional microscope at a fair price.
Next, there is the professional biological microscope which is sold for about $579. This microscope includes a eyepiece magnification power of 40x, 100x, 400x, 1000x, and coaxial focal system. The most expensive professional microscope made by Celestron is the professional biological microscope, which costs about $1000. This model also includes a built in halogen Koehler system and has two sets of PLAN 10x and 15x Wide Field Eyepieces. The professional biological microscope offers the flattest field of view possible. However, it isn't necessary to spend the $1000 if you are just looking for a microscope for your kids. This model is really more for the seasoned biologist.
Why buy a Stereo Microscope?When shopping for a microscope, another great option to consider is a Celestron stereo microscope. These microscopes are great for “non-microscoping” activities like viewing insects. These cost about $280 for the advanced stereo microscope and $700 for professional stereo zoom microscope. The binocular head rotates 360° and this feature allows functionality not possible on other types of microscopes. The advanced Celestron 44202 stereo microscope still offers stereo functionality for basic 3D level imaging for home and educational use, but it doesn't have the 10x to 67x Zoom feature. The professional Celestron 44206 stereo zoom microscope is suited for research purposes with Halogen lighting, 230-volts of power, a sturdy metal frame and impressive 360 degree 3D rotation, while offering very quick adjustment of power, 15x Extra Wide Field, and some other added features. Its sturdy design and two-year warranty has made it "ideal for dissection and advanced research."
Background: How Microscopes WorkWhile simple optical microscopes date back to the early modern era, recent compound multi-lens designs have helped to facilitate advanced research in recent decades. The very first compound microscope dates back to a 16th century design by Galileo, and leading optical companies have continued to innovate more refined techniques to clarify visible light in recent years. The path of light from the sample to the researcher's eye relies upon a set of refractive lenses and filters which is reproduced in an image plane within the ocular (visible) lens. Each lens component in the chain will determine the ultimate quality of the resulting image. At the base level, the objective lens highly magnifies the object which is then reflected into a series of intermediate lenses which filter the wavelengths for optical clarity. The quality of the filters is also important to ensure optimal visibility of the object. Clarifying the image is accomplished by way of multiple focus adjustments, which are accomplished through manual knobs, or in the case of advanced models, through advanced, electronic filters. An illuminating light source helps to improve the ultimately visibility of refined objects under a variety of environmental conditions.
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, there are various options to consider. You can go for a digital microscope, stereo and zoom microscope, portable microscope or advanced biological microscope. The Celestron digital microscopes range in price from about $70 to roughly $279. For about $75, you can get the microscope digital kit, which is an ideal basic microscope for beginners. The microscope digital kit has 40X to 60X power and the eyepiece zooms from 10X to 20X. This kit also comes with a digital camera you can attach to the microscope to view images on your computer. If you are planning to use your microscope on the go, there is also a handheld 
available for about $60. This handheld digital microscope, which is great for kids and adults, can be transported easily because it only weighs 4 oz. It has 10X to 40X to 150X digital power, so it's magnification is stronger than the microscope digital kit. It also comes with a digital camera.
with a high level of functionality. This particular microscope also has internal storage memory. But what sets the 44340 microscope apart is s large 3.5" LCD viewing area with integrated digital zoom (up to 1600x), an integrated 2 mega-pixel digital camera, multi-stage LED lighting, and a color filter to help identify biological agents, more integrated memory and powerful digital zoom features. Backed by a 2-year warranty, the microscope holds up well over time and won an International Innovation award at the 2009 Consumer Electronics (CES) show. Independent reviews suggest the microscope is "great for educational use" since it's easy to record high definition LCD images for further review, analysis as part of educational lessons or basic, independent research activities. Another reason the LCD Digital Microscope is popular is it allows users to avoid squinting. You can easily view the details on the attached screen and it can be used by several people at the same time instead of taking turns to look through an eyepiece. We found that some people have complained about dark spots on their LCD screens. However, Celestron has a 2-year guarantee on all microscopes, so if that does occur you can simply return your product for a replacement.