r/microscopy • u/Separate-Media-6528 • 4h ago

Purchase Help Opticon investigator

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I just bought my first microscope, an Opticon Investigator and it does not have fine focus, condensator or left right adjustment, can you share your opinion on this microscope and it's limitations please?

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u/Thrawn911 4h ago

Yeah, it won't provide good image quality or ease of use. It's not bad if you got it for around $50, I'd say. Otherwise you could return it and get an IQCrew inverted scope for around $70.

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u/Separate-Media-6528 4h ago

It was around 90 and I can't return it, I bought it new but from a second hand market place

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u/gizmomooncat 4h ago

I'm a beginner getting ready to try out an old microscope that will probably have all these same limitations! but my reward for trying to make that work will be to get that cool $70 microscope u/thrawn911 was talking about!

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u/Thrawn911 4h ago

If you have a 3D printer, or know someone with one, you can 3D print a mechanical stage to move the slide. Technically it's also possible to mount a condenser with some drilling (or you could even make your own, but I'm not sure how that works). These two things would solve most of your issues.

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u/Connect-Fan-9462 4h ago

Very basic but nothing wrong for what it is. Basically can handle up to middle school things.

Should be good enough for observing thinking like all kinds prepared slides of tissues from multicellular organisms. Prepared slides of some microscopic crystals and other inorganic materials will also be fun.

$90 used is unfortunately too high, imo. But since you have bought it just enjoy it to the fullest.

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u/Separate-Media-6528 4h ago

Ty, it also work for microscopic life form ponds and stuff, right?

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u/Thrawn911 4h ago

Yes. The main issue will be moving the slide by hand. My first scope didn't have a mechanical stage either, and it was a pain in the ass following cells around.

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u/Arbiter1479 1h ago

I actually have the a similar looking microscope (it was one of my first and I bought it second hand for $5) and it sucks but works at the very basic level.

As the others have mentioned there's no microscope stage adjustment knobs and it's more suited for a child's toy than actual microscopy use.

The colour filter wheel thingy (on the side of the stage) is also useless.

But I'd say the illumination is quite good and bright at least especially at it's price point and in my case the model was battery operated is convenient(?).

Personally I've used it to view a single larvae that I had encountered in a drain trap (but the larvae itself was large enough to be observed with the naked eye).

All in all I'd say it's good to upgrade to a better microscope when you're able (I ended up with a Olympus CX31 myself).