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So for prep I generally use a Bausch & Lomb stereozoom 4 (probably my most versatile) and normal viewing I use a Celestron #4040 (likely not as versatile). Both stock specs from what I can tell. I am wanting to view the make up of chert basically. I want to see if I can see some that is made up of diatoms and sponge skeletons. Opaline chert often contains visible fossils of diatoms, radiolarians, and glass sponge spicules https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chert#CITEREFBlattMiddletonMurray1980 I mean it will be cool to seem but I want to try and get some photos as well. Why? Well why not? Also I'm wanting some really good photos of the cell structure in some petrified wood bits. This is likely easier and maybe even possible already but it just hit me while I am asking about the chert thing. So my question is what lens setups would I need to get the best views? Is it even possible with one of the scopes I have? And to be honest I really don't understand the lens setups with scopes anyway. Anyone have a for dummies explanation of how changing the different lenses works? I do have 2.0 optics for the B&L if I choose to use them.

Courtesy of Dan Cooper from the Facebook Trilobites group, a rare Isotelus eye with lenses preserved. The claim for this specimen is ~1000 eye lenses, but with all due respect, much closer to ~5000 lenses. Do the math! table from: Rose, J.N. (1968) The eyes of Isotelus and Nileus. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 74:178-185