When looking for low-priced biological microscopes, don’t sacrifice quality for cost. In the end, the value of the microscope will still depend on its performance and not on its price. Here are major considerations to keep in mind when buying a low-priced biological microscope:

Optical quality
The eyepiece and objective work together to produce an enlarged image of the specimen and you can in fact play with the combination as you see fit to achieve a certain magnification. However, it may not always be the optimal magnification you require to view a certain specimen, which makes it important that you buy a biological microscope that has good to excellent optical quality. Bargains cannot always assure the user of good magnification. Relying on what the manufacturer might claim may not always help you choose the right unit. Always check to see how the unit will perform before purchasing.

Illumination
There are two light systems that usually come with a biological microscope: built in illumination and a mirror unit. Built in illumination consists of a lamp that offers a powerful light source, excellent for viewing biological samples. In the absence of power, a mirror unit may be attached, using sunlight or some other light source for illumination.

Biological microscopes with mirror units are usually low-priced but if you can push your budget just a little bit, choose a unit with the built in light. It’s not only more convenient to use, it also offers better viewing especially in high magnifications. Don’t trust your viewing on LED lights. These do not offer enough illumination if you want to view image details.

Connectivity
A low priced biological microscope should not limit your viewing and storage possibilities. Some biological microscopes, for example, are equipped with video and photo ports, allowing them to be connected to a still or video camera for better viewing and storage and they are still sold at very reasonable prices. Explore connectivity potentials and try to experiment with different accessories that will fit your budget.

Where to look for low-priced biological microscopes
One of the best sources for low-priced biological microscopes is the internet, with used and brand new units sold on sites like eBay, Smarter and SortPrice. There are also sites whose product lines are exclusive to microscopes. Check out these sites for comparison shopping before you make your purchase:

LowestPriceMicroscope.com
This is an excellent site for students looking for budget biological microscopes. Quality is reasonable enough so it really depends on which features you are willing to spend for. Their product line includes a 40X – 1000X high power compound biological microscope that offers dual viewing, priced at about $165. Other microscopes featured on the site are conventional monocular and binocular compound microscopes with magnification powers ranging from 40X – 400X to 40X – 1600X.

BiologicalMicroscopes.com
Price for their microscopes ranges from $75 to about $350. Look for their high magnification 40X – 1000X biological microscope that has a photo-video connectivity priced at $195. Various other microscopes with photo-video capable ports are also featured on the site, so if connectivity is a concern, you’ll have several choices on this site.

ScopeCity.com
ScopeCity’s biological microscopes are from Celestron. The low-priced versions are entry level laboratory biological microscopes that will fit a student’s basic requirements. Standard features such as a diaphragm and condenser are included in the products, which cost from $60 to $130 on a discount.

OpticsPlanet.com
There are a variety of microscope brands on this site to fit any budget. Brand names include Konus, LOMO, Celestron and Meade. The site periodically offers biological microscopes on sale, so there’s bound to be a low-priced unit that will meet your needs. The site also offers microscopy accessories in case you want to expand usability.

MicroscopeUniverse.com
Prices for biological microscopes on this site are discounted. A compound 40X – 1000X monocular biological microscope with a photo-video port, for example, sells at $190. Standard features are included in the unit, including 4 magnifications, a wide field 10X eyepiece, 4 DIN achromatic objectives, a full substage condenser, built in illumination and green, yellow and blue filters.

MilesCoScientific.com
This site sells a good variety of scientific microscopes and corresponding accessories from Meiji. This is a brand that is popular for research and industrial uses. Their low-priced biological microscopes are the TM series, the microscope that is often used in middle and junior high schools. Standard features such as DIN optics, objectives with a maximum of 100X magnification and a choice between built-in or mirror illumination. If you’re planning to invest in a biological microscope at a higher price in the future, try a new group of products from Meiji. The company just released the MX series, a new set of upright biological microscopes that feature the ICOS or Infinity Corrected Optical System.