How to Use a Digital Microscope

Digital microscopes are a real 21st century advancement on microscope technology. They come with software for your computer that allows you to see real-time images on your monitor of what you're observing with the microscope. Take a step into the modern age by learning how to use a digital microscope.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• USB cable
• Digital microscope
• Computer with monitor
• Specimens for viewing
• Slides

1. Install the digital microscope's software into your computer according to the directions on the package.
2. Plug one end of a USB cable into the appropriate port on the back of the digital microscope. Attach the other end of the cable into any available USB port on your computer.
3. Prepare a slide with a specimen for observation, and then place the slide on your microscope.
4. Adjust your microscope's focus knobs while looking through the microscope's eyepiece until you get a clear view of your specimen.
5. Open up the digital microscope program on your computer.
6. Use the digital microscope's computer program to bring up the image on your microscope onto your computer screen. If you have live organisms in your specimen, you will see them moving about in real time on your monitor.

Tips & Warnings

• Some digital microscopes come with a camera. The camera can be used to capture an image from the real time view of your sample. Once you've captured an image from your digital microscope on your computer, you can do a variety of things with it. Saved images can be emailed to friends and colleagues, printed out for use in a variety of projects and used as wallpaper on your monitor. Saving the images also allows you extended time to observe and study them. This is time you may not have when looking through the microscope itself, as samples tend to dry out quickly under microscope lights.
• Digital microscopes are no different from regular microscopes in construction and use. The software package they come with is the only thing that sets them apart from other microscopes. This means you can observe your specimens with or without the use of your computer. To revert to regular microscope use, simply unplug the USB cable from your computer.
• Cameras are essential for capturing images from your observation sessions with your microscope. However, not every digital microscope comes with a camera. If capturing and saving images is something you think you will want to do, make sure you get a digital microscope that comes with a camera.

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