AmScope T390C Professional Compound Trinocular Microscope, 40X-2500X Magnification, WF10x and WF25x Eyepieces, Brightfield, Halogen Illumination, Abbe Condenser, Double-Layer Mechanical Stage, 110V-220V Auto-Switching

easy to use, very capable. well built.never used a microscope before, didn't need instructions, the minor assembly and controls are intuitive.controls are well placed so you can control the deck and lighting at the same time without moving your hands.very clear optics. I'm impressed with this tool. good purchase for me.

FIVE MINUTES OF MICROSCOPYorHOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC[Scene: A cluttered home office; soundtrack, "Christmastime Is Here"]So there I was. I, being a concerned father, like to obtain actually-educational gifts for my children. Real things, not toys. I decided, on the strength of my children being of an age to benefit from it, that I would get them...A MICROSCOPE!(SEE the world of animalcules and minutiae! JOIN scientific greats such as van Leewenhoek in their quest to understand the natural world! STARE for hours at stained chunks of once-living objects!)Not being made out of actual gold, I elected to skip right past the names such as "Zeiss" and "Nikon" and go straight for what is reasonable to afford in this world of insane inflation: AmScope. I had heard good things. I saw good reviews. I thought, "Hell, why not." And it would get here in time for Christmas, at which point I could mesmerize my children with glimpses into the unseen world!It showed up, approximately one hour ago. I brought it into the house, summoned my wife to the Chamber of Mess, banished the children, and set about screwing together the parts and pieces in accordance with half-remembered biology classes of long ago. Objective goes *here*, eyepiece goes *there*. Plug goes in the receptacle. Success! I can see light. I can see miniature things!The wife is amazed.I crank up the illumination and the magnification. Let's see some REAL microscopy, folks!And then... the smell.That delicate smell. The smell I have known long. The acrid smell of burning polymers.(Expletives deleted by censor)After hastily powering down the 'scope and opening the window to the 10-degree air outside to vent the toxic pyrolysis products of what appears to be PVC, I examined the scope. The smoke was still wafting gently out of the base, where I began my inquiries by removing the bulb. I was at that point confronted by the first picture, that of a plastic cover bearing the markings "SWITCHING POWER TRANSFORMER" and a giant scorch mark.Uh-oh. That can't be good.I then elected to remove the base of the microscope, on the theory that that cover presumably went somewhere. The second picture is what I found: a board loose within the base of the scope, with its heatsinks (visible beneath) uncoupled from their respective components. Examining the missing cover (now freshly-perforated with a nice light char, suitable for pairing with any pinot noir and a gas mask), I deduced that someone had elected to save fifty cents by going for the absolutely smallest amount of plastic one could conceivably use that would maybe clip the board into the bottom of the base (3rd picture). When the scope was shipped, the scope was jostled; the cover came off, and came to rest on the bulb; thermodynamics did the rest.Before the hasty shutdown of the scope and its subsequent disassembly, the picture was decent. My wife was thrilled. We are both less thrilled with the "automatic arson" feature of this microscope, however, and elect to give it one star, unless your actual desire is to burn your house down or immolate close family members or lab partners. Then this microscope would be a great choice. Now I am confronted with the question: Return this scope and likely get one equally crappy in return (and not before Christmas), return it and get a refund, live with the possibility of imminent fiery death, or only ever use the mirror? I feel blessed this holiday season that AmScope has elected to give me such choices.What are your thoughts, AmScope? Roll the dice on burning my house down or nah? Looking for input here.[Scene: man in Christmas sweater looking out on snowy yard, arm around wife, hot chocolate in other hand, sad expression on face; kids with disappointed expressions looking at Christmas tree beginning to smolder; "Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis playing softly in background; fade to black]

fantastic microscope for the price, feels and operates like a professional scope for a fraction of the price. Looking forward to attaching a camera when funds permit. Am into nerve cells right now and have not trouble seeing them with great clarity at the right magnification I need and right illumination

Great instrument for fraction of the price. Don't forget to buy slides though otherwise will stuck for couple days with perfectly operational tool.