Sign up for the Microbehunter Microscopy Newsletter: www.microbehunter.com/newsletter-signup/

I was an amateur astronomer for many years but soon became disenchanted due to increased street lighting, many unexpectedly cloudy nights, and a fear for my safety while alone in the dark. I needed an indoor hobby for which I could use my observing skills, and microscopy fit that bill very nicely. I've seen many things through the microscope and enjoyed the hunt for specimens. And I don't have to stay up all night to do it! When my son was in school, I would frequently help in his class by teaching "centers," that is, groups of students would rotate around the room and other parents would have their own topics. One day I used my camera-assisted microscope and my laptop to show students what could be found in a bit of pond water. I had printed out sheets of paper depicting typical fresh water organisms, and I asked them to see if they could locate any of them. The children were about 6-7 years old, and they made quite a noise whenever they found something on their paper or just saw something interesting. I enjoyed it just as much when I helped a few hundred people view Comet Hyakutake through a friend's telescope many years ago. Thank you for your very instructive videos.

The main thing I would like to have done earlier, is to get an inverted microscope for my pond samples. It is a vast improvement watching creatures in petri dishes instead of on microscope slides. You can keep them alive for a long time and don't worry about drying out quickly. The organisms act differently in a more natural environment with a larger volume of water. Phase contrast is excellent for viewing unstained samples like protists. I use my Nikon TS100 more often than my other microscopes now.

Journey to the Microcosmos led me to search for advice on microscopes to buy, and led me to your channel.

Just started and my biggest surprise was the fact that slide and coverglass are two different things with different thickness. I was putting one slide on top of another and was wondering why I can't focus on specimen with high magnification rates. Watched about 10-15 tutorial/overview videos about microscopes and no one mentions that part.

So glad I've found this man. What a great enthusiast and explains things so well :)

Amazing to include the topic you are currently talking about in the top of the video. Thanks for some great content :)

Such a nice, wise, friendly and considerate video. Thank you so much. Respect.

Gracias por tu explicación,siempre nuevas y muy útiles. Me está dando ánimos para hacer un vídeo con mis microscopio, Gracias

Thanks for the honest words, for people like me who recently starts in microscopy your tips are great and honest, i wish people where so honest about everything like you. Very well explained and i cant say no more. Thank you so much.

Very good points. It would be helpful to give tips for cleaner pond samples, for example.

I now have new Hobby!

This is very helpful. Your channel is very helpful and organized. Thanks for sharing.

thanks for your work, its very helpful for amature Microscopy

Very helpful presentation. Thank you.

This was a great help on Friday! Thank you 💙💙💙💙💙💙

Thank you!! Finally, my questions are answered.

I like how he is overwhelmed in every video

GREAT content. Very well put together thoughts on the matter. Earned my subscription, thanks 👍🏽

Well said! I have an idea for a future video topic, could you make some kind of more in-depth tutorial for making permanent/ semipermanent slides? I've seen your first video about it, but there are still many things to explain, for instance how to condemn things in alcohol, before mounting them, how to use glycerine or glycerine jelly/ make one. I've read something about it on your blog and it would be awesome to see it in a video.

Fantastic video. Thank you for sharing this advice.

Sweet, thanks for the advice!

Thanks very informative.

Great advice! My kids and me will enjoy microscopy a lot!

Thanks. You probably saved me much time and money.

Wonderful. Great insight. Thank you

Thank you!

Thanks Sir.

Thank you so much, I am completly new. Here in Montreal, I attend a initiation course of microscopy with the mycology group ( fungi ) Now with your video and all other informations for beginners I am more confident that I will buy a microscope. I will attended another formation and after I will buy a used microscope. I am 73 and it will be my birthday gift, never too late to learn Thank you

One thing you have to learn is how bacteria grows in your microscope lens and handles, you must clean your microscope before and after use where your eyes and hands are in contact, it is antibacterial wipes in the market and special ones for the lens to keep it clean and clear for any device which use lens.

"That's just a piece of dust" had me lol

That was a fantastic video, thanks for that. I had given up the thought of buying my first microscope because the prices are so high (one shop told me $1,000), but it seems a $180 microscope is all I need as a beginner.

Many thanks indeed for all your videos. Good guidance indeed. I just bought a stereo microscope based on your comments and recommendations. I'm really looking forward to getting into this. I come from a standpoint as an artist looking to obtain unusual reference for my work.

yeah, I can't stop watching. Bought a microscope too...great charisma, I am hooked :)

Interesting points. Thanks you. Would you do a video on basics of fluorescence microscopy and it's cons/pros ?

Excellent, thank you

Super-sage advice and inspirational insights regarding the very cool hobby of awesome *MICROSCOPY*

Thank you, i have new hobby now👍

Thanks ! Please do more short videos !

What are some of your favorite things to explore with the microscope?

Thanks so much! Looking to get my first microscope

I have a very expensive Zeiss compound microscope, 100x 400x and 1000x, I love it, I also have half lambda polarization which fascinates me. The thing is this, I have used mono scopes and stereo scopes from the 60's and they are just as good, it depends on how deep one wants to go, and yes, bacteria are boring.

watching from the philippines. i want microscopy as a hobby. specially now that we are encourage to stay at home.. thank you for the video..i like it

Very helpful. Thank you. I had a microscope as a child in 1956. It was second hand, solid brass and in a splendid wooden case. In my late teens, I lost interest a little and gave it to another child. I regretted it later so my grandson has bought me another one which I know I’m going to enjoy using.

Great video, thanks!

So good.

Hi great video! I must ask however, do you recommend the newer digital microscopes? What might their downsides be?

Thank you for the tips, though I want to use microscopes to view electronic circuits to be repaired I think there were many useful tips for even me, too.

Really cool video, thank you for all this. I subscribed and will be watching everything you release 😁 I have a 07:45 you talk about the importance of the quality of the camera adapter. I'm a macro videographer pretty comfortable with the challenges of macro video, but I am total newbie in micro videography. Is there any pointer you could give me about how to choose a good adapter ? My goal is to record video footage for a film, but this is all out of my own pocket and I have a small budget, so I need to optimise my money in the right direction ! Thank you if you have any recommendations (brand, specifications...) :) And thank you for this beautiful channel. 🙏🏻

what books or titles do you recommend for basic biology for microscopy ?

Very Interesting

Very interesting video! Thank you. Could you please make some videos about staining procedures, and about how to make permanente slides of different kind of samples? For istance: how to make permanet slides of leaf sections, of insects or insect parts, of diatoms or unicellular water organisms, and so on. J

Can you do a video on all the different parts of a microscope, how to use them, and what they do? Also on how to use immersion oil or make slides and stuff... I'm really new to this, so it would help a lot! XD

Pond water is fun!

Nicely done! Thank you - excellent advice as I stuggle in deciding my first microscope purchases. Considering AMscopes because of price and my need for different types of scopes - stereo to 90x or 120x (but what do I look for as a measure of good resolution visible on a computer screen?) - compound for seeing micro structures on micrometeorites or thin section samples of ancient depleted suspects - microendoscope to see inside pits where all the good stuff is - clip on cellpone microscopes for in-field observations The 1000x "hand helds" are silly because your heartbeat throws the lens like a pendulum, but with a good stand, a nice, portable option (also now available at 2500x in a true "research-quality" version, but I am still skeptical of microscopes that rely entirely on comuter interpretation, as they will make a black mineral look like a hole or vise versa. Can you help? I need to know what to look for in the details for excellent resolution on a large computer screen. Would be helpful to be rid of purple outline -- did you say this is an achromatic lense? Thank you!

Great video! I studied microbiology in school and I’m hoping to get my hands on a microscope for Christmas to start this new hobby! I only get to look at Gram stains at work and that gets old fast

You are awesome

I strongly disagree with number 1. Bacteria are extremely interesting depending on the species and the sample. The bacteria you find in dirty pond water for example are very cool and fun to watch since they are motile and move quickly like little squiggly worms. Also many times they are being chased or eaten alive by things like protists or amoeba.

Finally the video that gave me the correct answers.

I think it would be great if you make some preparation techniques with a little explanation each one, just for the people who wants to get deeper in the subject, like gram stain or fix tissue, not going to deep into the subject, just to see if more people get interested or not. Excuse me for my english 🤣🤣🤣

Hello again Microbehunter. You mentioned literature in this video; is there a particular book on microbes you would recommend. My main interests are in water, wild edible plants, berries and fungi, but other things, also, like insects and soils and some general stuff.

Hi, love your video....any advice what microscope to buy for checking soil samples. What to look for? Thank you

I spend hours looking at stuff under my stereo. I recommend a stereo for complete beginners. Easier to use and more exciting with everyday objects.

110 was expensive enough for me to start out, & that was only because I'm after the slightly higher magnification, 1200 vs 1024 for 20 quid less, definetly no pain of a choice for me, I know I can get pictures through it, & for not much more get an adapter with HD camera attachment if shots through the standard eyepiece aren't satisfying. After 20 odd years of wanting 1 & just never looking into it, I'm finally entering the microcosm

I found my microscope at Goodwill for around 25 dollars and it works great. I spent more money than that building a box to store it in.

I completely agree with point 5. I work on a project that quantifies the age/gender of varroa destructor inside honeybee cells in order to determine how well the honeybees (Apis mellifera) cope with this parasite. When I first began, I found a white object at the base of the cell and assumed this was the defecation site of the varroa. That is, until someone pointed out to me that I was observing the larval deposit from the honeybee moult. All my data was wrong so I had wasted many hours sitting at the microscope!

Live Protozoa are pretty dope to watch. You know, I had never thought about the whys of the name, but the first time I saw the things, it immediately clicked. You're kind of expecting something with no nervous system and no sensory organs to behave like Sponges, or Sea Urchins, or Sea Cucumbers, maybe drift aimlessly while essential chemistry moves nutrients in and wastes out of it's cell membrane. It's pretty mind-blowing to realize these single-celled creatures are about as active, responsive and purposeful as multicellular plancton.

Culturing and then gram staining bacteria to identify them (negative or positive and rods or cocci) is what I find fun about bacteria.

Which type of low cost microscope will you recommend please? And I appreciate your time for giving us so much information. ❤️

So we have never observed the goings on inside a bacterium let alone a virus but what about the structure of a cell? Is that also unknown by observation and the accounts in biology books of what occurs in cells that is performed by their alleged organelles is mere inference?

very very good

Hey Oliver! Love from India! I found a wonderful deal on an used old 5 objective compound microscope, looks like a Olympus E series clone, for 1000 INR (~10€). Thanks to your videos, I was highly motivated and had adequate knowledge to get the right one for my budget (I was aiming for 0₹ 😅).

can you also recommend a good stereo microscope for children?

i just bought used Optika b-350 binocular microscope for 190 euros and getting starting :)

Please can you advise me on a good starter microscope for photos.

what magnification should be to see a Paramecium? I am a little bit worried because My Swift 100 microscope can show some unicellular only in 1000x and they are too small in any cases. Or I am unable to find them in 400x magnification.

Hi Oliver, You are doing great work! Have you had experience with Digital industrial microscopes?

Good Day Sir. My first was a DINO-scope. And after. Everything, I am do-ing now a Swift 93. Where, can, I get new Eyepieces ? Thank you for the help.

For me the biggest surprise was the superior usability of lower magnification objectives 4x and 10x to 40x or 100x. 40x is for many applications already too much. 100x objective I used only unintentionaly by mistake when rotating the head in wrong direction. I use mostly 10x. But I can imagine it could be good to have 20x objective.

Hi, thank you for your video, i'm new in this microscope thing, i want to start microscope hobby, but i dont know which microscope is more valuable for newbie like me, i searched for online marketplace, is xsz 107bn is the good start for me? Of course i see many cheaper and more expensive microscope, i dont want to buy high level researcher microscope, but i dont want to change microscope many often also. How is your opinion? And thank you. I'm from Indonesia btw

Thanks for the video, it's very informative. My girlfriend is going to school for medical lab technician, and she works in a lab currently. I want to get her a microscope as a gift. On eBay, I've found some older refurbished Zeiss ones, and was wondering if they would be a good option. I've been looking at the Axiostar plus, which I can't find much info about. Do you think k that would be a good one for a home hobby microscope?

Hi, I just stumbled across your channel, which I found very interesting and to which I have already subscribed. As a beginner, I have a very basic question regarding point 1 (visualizing bacteria). I am trying to view bacteria in fresh saliva using a phase contrast microscope but, unlike the images you show, I can see dots but I cannot see discern any movement at all. How could that be? Could it have to do with not having the phase contrast properly adjusted (as so far I am still missing a centering telescope)? I can recognise some shed off cells (so the technique appears to be working to some extent), but as far as bacteria goes, everything seems to be static. Do you have any advice for me? Thanks in advance.

💚💚💚💚 bookmark/notes : 6:40 the pine , a lot of broad leaf pine like large percent of south east coast to Texas used for sail boats houses ect 10s of years ago” , water squares ⛵️ 📈📉 decades ago…..ect…..tbc…..-g-b, bot

I'm interested in seeing what kind of bacteria live in my aquariums 🥰. Are they same? Is it drastically different between each tank? What's it like compared to natural water? That's what I want a microscope for haha.

Thanks for sorting my s... Out for me bro😎. Ill take your advice. In need of microscope for plant water and grow medium life research.

Rule #1 of most photography is also your rule #3. What you are taking a picture of is more important than the camera or any of the gear you use.

Hello Sir, thank you for your nice video. I do not have much experience with microscopes but I need to see now colloidal metals in liquids and my question is if with the microscope SW350T in your store on Amazon I would be able to see the distribution of the colloids, the spectrum. Also I would like to look into the blood and wonder if I can see the structure of the blood. Also would like to see it on a screen. Thank you in advance for any suggestion you may give me. Christophe

@Microbehunter Microscopy, what book should i buy to learn a bit more about biology and understand what i see? i know it's a trikcy question, but i hope you can bring some advice. also amazing channel! thank so much man

I want to look at cells, water with algae or plankton, insects and a loooooot more. Just ordered a microscope ;0000

What specimens are really fun to study?

Hi. Thanks for the great information. Can you suggest a good book for introduction to microbes etc. ? Thanks!

What can you actually see with amscopeM150c-I ireally wanna know

Hi! First of all, thanks for sharing!! I just got a DEM35 USB cam without any software. I can't find the MisiSee online. Any suggestions? I will appreciate very much a link or software to start using it. Thank U very much. See yah!

Hi! Hi, I'm looking for a new microscope for use in the lab. The purpose is to identify what type of material a very tiny object is (e.g. is it a wood, plastic, metal, or cloth...) Also to see the difference between crystallized and non crystallized matter. Can you please help me ? Is this type of microscope a good one to buy?: LMS-Z220- LS200LED (LAXCO) Do you have any other specific suggestion of what brand and model to buy? Hope you'll answer my questions. Thanks, Remy

I totally agree with that point number 5.... For me i always see this cell is vibration and talk to each other... Through this type of touching vibration they r know the limit for the reproduction and like the programming come from DNA , DNA methylation is change depends on the vibration come from environment and also can come species like bacteria... I do believe this vibration is also use in enzyme used to talk each other.... But light microscopy cant see the enzyme and molecular activity sadly... huhuhu sorry my english so weak

Can all bacteria be seen through special microscopes?

Thanks a lot mister, I needed videos like these. I need a new hobby and microscopy is great. Could you help me with books about interesting biology topic that will be needed for my new hobby? thanks a lot

How did you make that copepod at 2:10 stay still? I like watching small crustaceans a lot, but they're always moving and therefore it's hard to see the inner organs as clearly as in your video.

Looking at bacteria while adding a drop of alcohol ?

Hi I would like to see bacteria and fungi in soil changes over time as I amend my garden soil . I was told 400x would be enough what magnification would you suggest ??? any tips and hacks ???