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knobren
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Joined: 29 May 2007
Posts: 195
Location: Charleston, IL
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 Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 3:56 pm Post subject: Microscopes |
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I'm curious about
a) How many of you have purchased microscopes for your kids
b) What brand/style was it?
c) Does it have a zoom lens or distinct objective lenses?
d) What range of magnification does it have (including the magnification of the eyepiece)?
e) Was this range of magnification adequate for your purposes?
f) What kind of illumination does it have - mirror or powered light source?
g) What is your opinion of the scope you purchased? (Did it hold up well? Was it easy to use? Would you recommend it to others?)
Thanks,
knobren  |
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frogguruami
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Joined: 23 May 2007
Posts: 56
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:11 pm Post subject: |
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This is what we have. http://www.magiscope.com/
I love it. It is practically indestructible and has no moving parts. When we need to we can expand the optics and it also has add ons that make it so we can take it outside on nature walks.
AM
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AM, homeschooling mom to Drake and Kyllian
www.seilerclan.info |
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Theodore
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Joined: 06 Oct 2005
Posts: 1993
Location: Missouri, US
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 8:06 am Post subject: |
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Dad had a high magnification (100x-300x, lighted) microscope that we got to use a little, and we had a cheapo low magnification one (mirrors) that we usually used. We also had a 50x? microscope attached to a screen, which was my personal favorite - no bending over and staring into eyepieces.
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Ramona
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Joined: 15 Aug 2006
Posts: 408
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject: Re: microscopes |
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| knobren wrote: |
I'm curious about
a) How many of you have purchased microscopes for your kids |
I have not.
DH and I both happen to belong to the category of people who could never, ever see anything through microscopes when we were in school. I first looked through one in 6th grade, and from then for the next 15 years of our educations we were unable to get any views of anything that looked even remotely like the photos in the textbooks or what our classmates were drawing or what our instructors were describing. We both wear glasses and tried many, many times both with and without our glasses on. Other people who loved microscopes and had no trouble using them worked with us on focusing and adjusting. Try as we might, it just didn't work for us. I know we're not alone. I've read humorous pieces by more than one person on this problem.
So I figured the chances were high that our kids might be as microscope-challenged as we, whether due to nature or nurture, and that even if they could see through them we would not be much help in using them.
I decided to save our money and not pay so much for something that might sit around and gather dust in our house.
Our 3 oldest kids have used microscopes at co-op science labs they enrolled in. (I don't know what kinds.) DD2 says she had no problem seeing through them.
Ramona |
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4given
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Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 735
Location: S.Indiana
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| Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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a) Yes
b) It is an LED Cordless from Home Science Tools
c) Distinct objective lenses
d) magnification range: 40 to 400x
e) Yes, for now. High School will be a different story.
f) powered light source
g) My opinion is favorable. It is sturdy and easy to use. I have and will recommend it to others. |
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keptwoman
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Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 54
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| Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:34 am Post subject: |
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I'm looking at buying one at the moment, the DS I'm homeschooling is only 7 so it's not urgent, but my 13yo is talking about coming home. Plus I would just like the extra depth it adds to our basic studies of nature currently.
I would love some recommendations.
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Sandra, Homeschooling Mum in Australia |
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Sheepdog
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Joined: 23 Jan 2010
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:13 am Post subject: |
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For use with kids up to 12 or so, I would recommend that you consider some of the devices out there that are essentially web-cams with optics modified for looking at things really, really close.
For one thing, you and child can both see what the "micro-cam" (or whatever you call it) sees, and discuss same.
When you need more magnification than these things provide, you begin to get into realms where more difficult techniques have to be mastered to get anything like useful results.
===
Alternative answer:
A decent stero microscope is a WONDERFUL "toy". The magnification is "limited"... but the experiences to be had looking through them are wonderful.
I bought a good one at eBay... About $175.... e.g.
Tom
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Theodore
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Joined: 06 Oct 2005
Posts: 1993
Location: Missouri, US
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| Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:44 am Post subject: |
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Oh yes, something you could hook up to your computer would be perfect. It's VERY annoying trying to look through the eyepiece of a microscope while wearing glasses.
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The board game has sold over 350,000 copies worldwide, garnered many awards, is used by over 2,000 schools, and is used extensively by homeschoolers. |
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Sheepdog
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Joined: 23 Jan 2010
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 4:57 am Post subject: |
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If you already have a microscope....
You can probably more or less get away with just putting a webcam over the eyepiece.
For ideas and help, do a google search on....
microscope webcam
If you want a better result, do a Goolge search on..
cheap digital microscope
Tom
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http://sheepdogsoftware.co.uk |
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