As a young-ish kid I had a pocket microscope (like what Carson sells) and I used the heck out of it. I probably was a bit older than 5, but probably not by too much. The magnification wasn't great but I loved looking at things like different fabrics and seeing the weave / fibres up close. The portability meant I could wander around the garden looking at stuff.
I've put a drop of water from under the pot from balcony and found a couple of creatures, whatever they are called, at 600x magnification. My 4.5 years old kid wanted to look again and again, she liked moving the slide and such. I think there is this nice surprise factor. You get a drop of water and after looking for (hide&seek) them patiently, you find some moving live things in there. it is a nice feeling still.
I agree,. I bought a microscope for my five year old grandson, and he simply did not have the attention span or the faculties to operate and appreciate the microscope. His interest diminished quicker than I thought it would.
Was it a stereo or compound? I got a cheap natgeo stereo for my older kid and he hasn’t lost interest yet. The simplicity surely helped, once he learned to adjust the focus then its simply sticking things under it to see.
Thank you so much for a professional view verifying what I suspected anyway. I felt that having a negative experience might put my granddaughter off using a microscope when she is more able to use one. At 4 years of age, she is pushing adults away in favour of doing things herself, & finding her independence. Having things too soon could put a child off for life. I think I’ll wait until she’s at least 7, and yes, we are all interested ourselves! Far better to fuel our our own curiosity which eventually will interest the children anyway. I like your recognition of the ‘natural extension’ of experience. That’s key I think.
Thank you for this information, very useful. I will also add that ordinary magnifying glasses will work much better, as they can be taken with you, for example, to the forest and observe plants, tree bark, insects, etc.
I was 12 when I was gifted a microscope. I made slides and looked at nearly everything. The next year I got a Tasco, a more finished product and used it through high school. I had it for a couple decades and gave it away. It was still in near original condition. No mechanical stage or condenser. Just 3 objectives as I recall and an incandescent lamp/mirror. I recall the higher magnification being dark and of limited use, but memory fades or is not accurate. Anything better than that will be a "luxury". and welcomed.
Hey microbe hunter! I am a huge fan and i love your content! And i would love to see a professional review of the AmScope T490B Trinocular Compound Microscope, i want to upgrade from a pretty bad old bresser microscope, and i was looking for something really high quality, yet under the 500$ mark, i would love to see if you can also compare it to other competitor microscope, THANK YOU SO MUCH❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Off topic but I am almost 70 and yet to need glasses but getting a little harder to see things clearly as I used to. Even if I wore glasses ,I think I would rather have the microscope view on pc screen with attached camera. My question would be, am I losing out on clarity this way? It would be hobby use only, not serious use of the microscope. I realize it cost more for that set up but still rather see that way.
My eyes are deteriorating and I'm facing the same problem. In any case the screen option is there and I expect it will extend the time In an enjoy microscopy. I use photography also with the logs of what I have been doing
My thoughts were, a 5 year old is still making sence of actual size things. I just purchased a cheap 100x magnification compound microscope, for my 8 year old. He's showing interest in biology, a microscope may encourage him. I'm an amateur in this myself with my SW380T. I feel like I'm in an alien movie sometimes, going into a strange place and seeing what no humans have seen before me. Lovely hobby.
Do not agree. I was the typical nerdy kid with a "room" under the stairs with test tubes and chemistry sets. I got my first microscope at 6yrs and I absolutely loved it, I watched onion skins, got blood samples from myself, looked at pond water, and even started preparing my own slides with glue and a few with dyes. After this first microscope, every year I asked for another microscope, so I ended up getting one with a projection visor (still a toy microscope) that would be horrible but it was useful for showing adults what I was looking at. They are the ones who didn't had the coordination to focus the microscopes! I also had a portable microscope that I enjoyed quite a bit, and also got a large loupe, but that one I used mostly for burning ants :p Absolutely get a microscope for a kid, even if it's a toy priced one. The fun and the learning will be endless.
Things can go different as well. My parents knew I was a nerdy kid, so they gave me a toy micriscope when I was 8. Sadly, I only looked at boring or creepy things so the hobby died out. I wish I would have seen pond sludge at that age. Now it's the first thing I show to people, in dark field especially.
can you tell me how you zoom in on different creatures/samples on the camera? I bought a microscope and the optics themselves don't zoom in even x100 like you show on RUclips
I got my first microscope in my early teens, that's a good age to get one and only if you are really interested in that subject. Don't buy one for a child if you are the one most likely to use it. In that case, get one for yourself and tell the child about the things you find with it.
Not Oliver, but I think if the optics are good then it’s definitely worth it to be serviced. This lightbulb model seem to be a good replacement if you need it: 64265 HLX
My budget is about max 5K euros as a hobby microscober. Does Motic BA 410E make sense? As a child, I had a standard microscope, which I used several years, so I have experience.
I've got one of those and I felt they are surprisingly good, but then again I really enjoyed my.toy microscope Back in 1970 or so in spite of the fact that those were terrible.
As a young-ish kid I had a pocket microscope (like what Carson sells) and I used the heck out of it. I probably was a bit older than 5, but probably not by too much.
The magnification wasn't great but I loved looking at things like different fabrics and seeing the weave / fibres up close.
The portability meant I could wander around the garden looking at stuff.
Nice, polite, and informed advice.
I've put a drop of water from under the pot from balcony and found a couple of creatures, whatever they are called, at 600x magnification. My 4.5 years old kid wanted to look again and again, she liked moving the slide and such. I think there is this nice surprise factor. You get a drop of water and after looking for (hide&seek) them patiently, you find some moving live things in there. it is a nice feeling still.
@5:00 This! We are buing microscope for ourselves and the child is only an excuse for partner ;)
I agree,. I bought a microscope for my five year old grandson, and he simply did not have the attention span or the faculties to operate and appreciate the microscope. His interest diminished quicker than I thought it would.
Was it a stereo or compound? I got a cheap natgeo stereo for my older kid and he hasn’t lost interest yet.
The simplicity surely helped, once he learned to adjust the focus then its simply sticking things under it to see.
Thank you so much for a professional view verifying what I suspected anyway. I felt that having a negative experience might put my granddaughter off using a microscope when she is more able to use one. At 4 years of age, she is pushing adults away in favour of doing things herself, & finding her independence. Having things too soon could put a child off for life. I think I’ll wait until she’s at least 7, and yes, we are all interested ourselves! Far better to fuel our our own curiosity which eventually will interest the children anyway. I like your recognition of the ‘natural extension’ of experience. That’s key I think.
Thank you for this information, very useful. I will also add that ordinary magnifying glasses will work much better, as they can be taken with you, for example, to the forest and observe plants, tree bark, insects, etc.
I was 12 when I was gifted a microscope. I made slides and looked at nearly everything. The next year I got a Tasco, a more finished product and used it through high school. I had it for a couple decades and gave it away. It was still in near original condition. No mechanical stage or condenser. Just 3 objectives as I recall and an incandescent lamp/mirror. I recall the higher magnification being dark and of limited use, but memory fades or is not accurate.
Anything better than that will be a "luxury". and welcomed.
Hey microbe hunter! I am a huge fan and i love your content! And i would love to see a professional review of the AmScope T490B Trinocular Compound Microscope, i want to upgrade from a pretty bad old bresser microscope, and i was looking for something really high quality, yet under the 500$ mark, i would love to see if you can also compare it to other competitor microscope, THANK YOU SO MUCH❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Off topic but I am almost 70 and yet to need glasses but getting a little harder to see things clearly as I used to. Even if I wore glasses ,I think I would rather have the microscope view on pc screen with attached camera. My question would be, am I losing out on clarity this way? It would be hobby use only, not serious use of the microscope. I realize it cost more for that set up but still rather see that way.
My eyes are deteriorating and I'm facing the same problem.
In any case the screen option is there and I expect it will extend the time In an enjoy microscopy. I use photography also with the logs of what I have been doing
My thoughts were, a 5 year old is still making sence of actual size things. I just purchased a cheap 100x magnification compound microscope, for my 8 year old. He's showing interest in biology, a microscope may encourage him. I'm an amateur in this myself with my SW380T. I feel like I'm in an alien movie sometimes, going into a strange place and seeing what no humans have seen before me. Lovely hobby.
Do not agree. I was the typical nerdy kid with a "room" under the stairs with test tubes and chemistry sets. I got my first microscope at 6yrs and I absolutely loved it, I watched onion skins, got blood samples from myself, looked at pond water, and even started preparing my own slides with glue and a few with dyes.
After this first microscope, every year I asked for another microscope, so I ended up getting one with a projection visor (still a toy microscope) that would be horrible but it was useful for showing adults what I was looking at. They are the ones who didn't had the coordination to focus the microscopes! I also had a portable microscope that I enjoyed quite a bit, and also got a large loupe, but that one I used mostly for burning ants :p
Absolutely get a microscope for a kid, even if it's a toy priced one. The fun and the learning will be endless.
Things can go different as well. My parents knew I was a nerdy kid, so they gave me a toy micriscope when I was 8. Sadly, I only looked at boring or creepy things so the hobby died out. I wish I would have seen pond sludge at that age. Now it's the first thing I show to people, in dark field especially.
can you tell me how you zoom in on different creatures/samples on the camera? I bought a microscope and the optics themselves don't zoom in even x100 like you show on RUclips
I got my first microscope in my early teens, that's a good age to get one and only if you are really interested in that subject. Don't buy one for a child if you are the one most likely to use it. In that case, get one for yourself and tell the child about the things you find with it.
What's your opinion on Vickers instruments M15C if serviced is it still a good microscope to use
Not Oliver, but I think if the optics are good then it’s definitely worth it to be serviced.
This lightbulb model seem to be a good replacement if you need it: 64265 HLX
My budget is about max 5K euros as a hobby microscober. Does Motic BA 410E make sense? As a child, I had a standard microscope, which I used several years, so I have experience.
I bought a new microscope and it is a no name microscope it's model is XSZ107BN Binocular microscope and I bought it in 17000 taka (170£)
Is it any good
I've got one of those and I felt they are surprisingly good, but then again I really enjoyed my.toy microscope Back in 1970 or so in spite of the fact that those were terrible.
Microscopes are like the MTRCB; not suitable for very young children, Parental Guidance is advised.