{"id":318,"date":"2021-01-23T03:26:19","date_gmt":"2021-01-23T03:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/scopedetective.com\/?p=318"},"modified":"2021-01-23T21:55:11","modified_gmt":"2021-01-23T21:55:11","slug":"amscope-m150c-ms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scopedetective.com\/amscope-m150c-ms\/","title":{"rendered":"AmScope M150C-MS (40X to 1000X Microscope) \u2013 My Initial Thoughts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
About this Article:<\/strong> I researched 9 microscopes before buying one (not this one).\u00a0 If you want to see all the microscopes I researched, see my article on the 9 best compound microscopes<\/a>. This information was for my personal circumstances only and is not professional advice to you. Read more on the website\u2019s disclaimer page<\/a>. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.<\/div>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"I don\u2019t own the AmScope M150C-MS<\/a>, but I kind of wish I did.<\/p>\n

The only reason I don\u2019t have it is because it sits somewhere in the spectrum between my beginners\u2019 Levenhuk Rainbow 50L and advanced AmScope T490B. So, I can\u2019t really justify buying it when I can get all my experiments done with one of the microscopes I already have.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s why I wish I owned this microscope.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s the only entry-level microscope on the market with a mechanical stage which in my opinion dramatically <\/em>improves user experience.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

Okay, maybe there\u2019s a little more. It\u2019s well designed and manufactured by one of the most respected brands in the industry. It\u2019s got a fine focus knob (several entry level models don\u2019t). And it\u2019s the first in AmScope\u2019s range that I think is more than just a \u2018toy\u2019.<\/p>\n

This microscope is great quality and great value for money. You can buy it from here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Note that I\u2019m talking specifically about the M150C-MS in this review and not any of the other M150C models, like the M150C-SP14-WM (which, you guessed it, doesn\u2019t have a mechanical stage).<\/em><\/p>\n\n

AmScope M150C-MS Review<\/h2>\n

Below I review the key features of the microscope.<\/p>\n

1. Size<\/h3>\n

The AmScope M150C-MS is a small monocular microscope. But this has its benefits, especially because this is one of the best microscopes for its small size. It\u2019s portable, weighing only 5Lbs, meaning you can carry this to and from home, the lab and school.<\/p>\n

Just keep in mind it requires a power outlet to operate the light.<\/p>\n

2. Monocular Head<\/h3>\n

The microscope operates using a monocular head. This may be a turn-off for some intermediate-level microscopists looking for a comfortable binocular head. But the upside of a monocular head is that it\u2019s more user friendly for children. Kids often want to move and adjust their binocular scopes, which messes with the focus and distracts them from actually looking at the specimen.<\/p>\n

So overall I\u2019m generally happy with a monocular microscope for children under the age of 12.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll notice that this model sits on a 45\u00b0 incline. Most larger binocular microscopes have just a 30\u00b0 incline, but given the size of this model, a 45\u00b0 incline makes sense.<\/p>\n

On top of this, it\u2019s got a 360\u00b0 rotatable head which can come in useful when sharing the microscope between students. However, I find the swivel head is rarely used \u2013 it\u2019s easier to just swap positions.<\/p>\n

3. Objective Lenses and Magnification<\/h3>\n

The magnification levels for this model are 40x, 100x, 250x, 400x and 1000x. That\u2019s about as much as you\u2019ll want or need for most projects, unless you\u2019re going to get into oil immersion microscopy. Oil immersion is a more advanced technique for 2000X magnification and above (see the AmScope B120 for this functionality).<\/p>\n

The magnification is achieved through two eyepieces with 10X and 25X magnification and three ocular lenses with 4X, 10X and 40X magnification. As far as I can tell, the 40X objective lens is not spring loaded, which I\u2019d prefer, but again at this price point that\u2019s not expected.<\/p>\n

Focus can be achieved through coarse and fine focusing knobs which lift and lower the stage. There are several microscopes in the entry-level compound microscope category that don\u2019t have fine focusing knobs, so again this one seems to beat several competitors on yet another aspect.<\/p>\n

The focus knobs are also on both sides which I like as a left-hander!<\/p>\n

4. Stage<\/h3>\n

The mechanical stage is what sets this model apart from many other microscopes in the beginners \/ student level category. This is the only one I can find in the category with a mechanical stage.<\/p>\n

But make sure you get the M150C-MS model, not the M150C-SP which does not have a mechanical stage (that \u2018MS\u2019 stands for \u2018mechanical stage\u2019).<\/p>\n

The reason I like a mechanical stage so much is it allows you to scan around your specimen while it\u2019s under the microscope.<\/p>\n

Most cheaper microscopes don\u2019t have this, so you\u2019re stuck looking at what\u2019s exactly under the lens. You can manually more the slide, sure, but that requires dexterity that most children (and even adults) don\u2019t have. Try moving a slide 1mm to the right while it\u2019s pinned under clips. It\u2019s frustrating, to say the lease.<\/p>\n

5. Lighting<\/h3>\n

The microscope is lit by a sub-stage 1W LED light. That\u2019s about normal. Some microscopes have above-stage lighting also, but as your get to higher quality microscopes, the below-stage lights are usually sufficient. Above stage lights are really only for stereo microscopes or \u2018toy\u2019 compound microscopes.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a brightfield condenser in this model, but it\u2019s only an NA 0.65 condenser. The industry standard is NA 1.25. Nevertheless, it\u2019s still better than many in the entry-level categoty.<\/p>\n

The condenser is operated by a disc diaphragm. I\u2019d prefer an iris diaphragm personally, but nevertheless (am I repeating myself?) this is about standard in lower-end microscopes.<\/p>\n

The light needs to be plugged into a power supply to work. There are not battery options.<\/p>\n

6. Additional Features<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ll find that many competitor microscopes (and even the nowhere-near-as-good AmScope M40) come with included \u2018educational kits\u2019. They often have shrimp eggs and a few prepared slides included.<\/p>\n

Personally, I see those educational kits as a red flag that the microscope is a cheap gimmick.<\/p>\n

So I don\u2019t begrudge AmScope for not including an educational kit with this model. You\u2019re better off buying one separately and getting a decent microscope like this one, in my opinion.<\/p>\n

But there is an included dust cover, which is important.<\/p>\n

The only other \u2018additional\u2019 thing worth mentioning is the 5 year factory warranty which shows AmScope backs this model.<\/p>\n

Buyer Considerations<\/h2>\n

As you can tell, I\u2019m a big fan of this microscope. But there are a few things to keep in mind to make the purchase that\u2019s best for you:<\/p>\n