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Hi, I have only used my iPhone for fossils so far. I love the instant gratification of shoot, edit, post. But I need a bit more magnification and certainly better resolution. I would like to have nice magnification to look for small fossils, say Ostracods and conodonts, so if i can solve both issues with one tool, that would be great. Just say I want good resolution down to 1 mm or so. at least. Here is my immediate issue. I want clear resolution of the small parts of this 1 cm fossil. What do you suggest? I'm not made of money, but will get what I need.

I really enjoy micro fossils and consider them an important part of my recently begun collection. However, I find that I am disappointed with the options for displaying these fossils. Does anyone have any suggestions for displaying these fossils that make them visible to the naked eye for others to enjoy this part of my collection? I have tried a few gem jar type things that supposedly have magnification 3-5x. The results are less than impressive. I appreciate any tips anyone is able to provide.

So I've have tried for days to try and figure out the equation for magnification of a camera verses the ocular lens on a microscope. The scope I am using is an AmScope SM-4TZZ-144A-18M3 3.5X to 180X magnification. The camera has a sensor size of 6.14x4.61mm and the calibration resolution is 4912 X 3684 (I have read this stuff matters but not how it works). The AmScope video on calibration is now almost 10 years old and doesn't explain the equation or anything. Say this is my set up oculars (which do not affect the camera) are 20x, my objective is at 4.5 (45 right?), and a Barlow of 2X. That is the max my scope will do and should be the 180X advertised. So what is my camera seeing at the setting since the ocular do not enter into the equation? This is all I am missing on getting the calibration done on my scope. I thought I had it done (and I might have had it done) until I realized the oculars are not involved with the camera. I'm asking all over because this is the new thing I have yet to understand. Please help me.

has anyone tried anything like this and does it work? Thank you https://cosmosmicroscopes.store/collections/frontpage/products/1000-times-usb-microscope-digital-microscope-mac-support-android-mobile-phone-microscope-usb-microscope-mobile-phone?fbclid=IwAR0y7cmRrG4VI7SzGwfznFC7wWPL9yHcLWWRUL1dWELeXftTcdRyPwOzGKU

Any suggestions on used stereo microscopes? Lens power? Depth of field? Lighting? Cost? Boom assembly? DIY? Thanks

I'm thinking of investing in a quality work light to serve dual purpose identifying/prepping fossils and also in my woodworking adventures. Do ya'll use combo light/magnifying lamps? What works, what doesn't work? What spectrum works best for you? Any suggestions for best bang for the buck? Thanks

Ive been thinkin about gettin one of these for years! I finally broke down and bought one, with extra scope lights. Right now its sittin on the kitchen desk. Just gots to clean up my prep bench now. I also have to find my micro scribes. Bought em years ago, never used them. I wonder where they are? Once I do fine em, I will be ready to join the Big Boys Prep Club. Maybe they will make me presidnt of the club. If so I will make my club goal to have happy hour! Ha!!! I should be a shoe in! RB

I am looking for input on what type of microscope I should get for prepping fossils like trilobites, ammonites from Montana, and other fossils from the Midwest. What magnification I would need. Any suggestions would help me decide. I mainly use air scribes but have done some cleaning with picks.

I have come to the conclusion that I need something to magnify my specimens for prep and viewing. Any recommendations? I know a microscope is a big help however I am thinking of a table clamp or floor mount style magnifier with the lamp. What is a good one or one I should stay away from? Also what power should I be looking at getting? I looked at ones at Harbor Freight and a hobby store but the were low power, like 2X. That did not seem like very much for working on small shells and such.

What do each of y’all recommend as a good range of magnification for general microfossil use? I know if it’s to little it won’t make the image big enough to see, and if it’s to much, you will be “zoomed in” to much, and only see just part of the fossil. I have a 500X digital microscope that USB plugs into the computer. I don’t have a particular type of microfossil I’m targeting. Just getting into it. But the smaller ones I can see, the better. So so what is y’alls recomendations?

Was surprised to receive a few packages very far ahead of anticipated delivery date. The first is an OMAX 3.5x - 90x trinocular scope with boom arm. If I'm going to be doing more detailed prep, a stereo scope with boom arm to position over a blast box is an absolute must. Of course, it came in a zillion pieces and the instruction manual was for an entirely different model that bore very little resemblance to the one I was putting together. But after an hour of trial and error - and some very colourful language - it is all assembled. I've taken it out for its test run, and works great with wide-field eye pieces and a Barlow lens so I can work at a reasonable distance. The magnification is not high, but any higher would not be useful for prep. Blowing up a half inch specimen to a large detailed view is sufficient enough to get at the nooks and crannies. The software it came with was not going to be helpful to me as it came on a CD (Mac discontinued CD/DVD drives on their machines a few iterations ago), and so after some online hunting I found the right software for download. Still a lot to learn about microscope photography as what you see in the eye piece is not necessarily what you see on the screen. It also means pulling out a stop to divert light from one of the eye pieces to the mounted camera. Eventually I'll figure out how to match up the eye view to the camera view (there is some helpful advice online, and a lot of things I can adjust in the software). So pictured here was just a quick and simple (if not fuzzy) first snap of a 5mm Itagnostus interstricta. I know, fuzzy... As I said, a lot to learn! Second item are these handy jeweller's glasses with lenses of different strength to swap in and out as needed. The little LED lights on the side are very helpful. These will be useful when I'm doing sewing needle prep and need my hands free (rather than holding a loupe). Also handy when I need to have a quick look at some detail in the field when I'm away from the scope. Oh, and they also makes me look like a demented 1950s sci-fi villain, which will help frighten door-to-door salespeople or small children. Ah, new toys!

Hi Everyone, I'm in search of an affordable handheld digital microscope. Does anyone have any suggestions? The "Zoomy 2.0 handheld digital microscope" had been suggested to me by a local fossil hunter who takes all of his pictures for presentation purposes using the small egg-shaped device. https://www.learningresources.com/product/zoomy--8482-+2.0+handheld+digital+microscope+-+blue.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search&ecList=6&ecCategory= Thanks!