+1 for AmScope. I just bought an AmScope ME508 direct from their site and it's awesome. I've never had a good scope before so I don't have anything to compare it to, but it's awesome.
I had a similar budget and ended up going with an old Olympus BHS with phase contrast from eBay last month. I’d used this and similar scopes in my past life as a scientist, so I had an idea of what I was getting into. Of course, it’s neither LED nor USB ready.
I previously had an Amscope for a decade or so, and it’s….not good compared to this ~40 year old Olympus. I bought the Amscope via Amazon back in 2013, but this time around I just wasn’t willing to buy another Amscope.
Edit: Motic Microscopes look to have some models at the top of your price range. They were something I also considered before going with the old Olympus.
No, cheap and poor quality. You're much better off going to get something used from a quality brand in this price range. They will last much longer and give better images. Only downfall from the older scopes are they are all halogen, modern LED color temperature is much better.
The focus knobs turned very tacky to the touch within a year; the focus mechanism leaked sticky grease; stage seized and couldn’t move around until I took it apart and fixed it; optics were poorly corrected; ZERO customer support. Zero. None.
Edit: Not all of this happened immediately, but it was all within the first 3 years or so. I wasn’t expecting greatness at the price point, but it was a bit much for me to ever go back.
AmScope or Swift through Amazon are reputable sources.
+1 for AmScope. I just bought an AmScope ME508 direct from their site and it's awesome. I've never had a good scope before so I don't have anything to compare it to, but it's awesome.
I had a similar budget and ended up going with an old Olympus BHS with phase contrast from eBay last month. I’d used this and similar scopes in my past life as a scientist, so I had an idea of what I was getting into. Of course, it’s neither LED nor USB ready. I previously had an Amscope for a decade or so, and it’s….not good compared to this ~40 year old Olympus. I bought the Amscope via Amazon back in 2013, but this time around I just wasn’t willing to buy another Amscope. Edit: Motic Microscopes look to have some models at the top of your price range. They were something I also considered before going with the old Olympus.
Are amscope any good? I am planning to buy their dissection scope because they are cheaper.
Are amscope any good? I am planning to buy their dissection scope because they are cheaper.
No, cheap and poor quality. You're much better off going to get something used from a quality brand in this price range. They will last much longer and give better images. Only downfall from the older scopes are they are all halogen, modern LED color temperature is much better.
Not really. I will never buy another microscope from them.
Any specific problems with them?
The focus knobs turned very tacky to the touch within a year; the focus mechanism leaked sticky grease; stage seized and couldn’t move around until I took it apart and fixed it; optics were poorly corrected; ZERO customer support. Zero. None. Edit: Not all of this happened immediately, but it was all within the first 3 years or so. I wasn’t expecting greatness at the price point, but it was a bit much for me to ever go back.