The OMAX Compound Biological Microscope (M82ES): Perfect Balance of Quality and Price

The OMAX Binocular microscope provides students and researchers with a unit that can stand up to more expensive models, but at a price that is under $200. It offers high quality objectives, sturdy metal construction and an intuitive design. It offers a perfect balance between price and quality and can hold its own against higher priced competitors offered by Nikon and Olympus.

OMAX has been manufacturing microscopes for 47 years and is a large and well known Asian manufacturer of a wide range of products.

The Omax 40X - 2000X Lab LED Binocular Microscope (Model # 4331885897, Part # 4331885897, M82ES) is a best seller. This microscope came to our attention for several reasons, including its suitability for college students, high school students, home school use, clinical examination, labs and for advanced applications. It is also a flexible platform since it is simple to add a digital microscope camera for photographic images or for live video viewing. It also has a darkfield accessory which can shift to a darkfield microscope from a brightfield microscope.

You can see detail on slides such as the nucleus, cell walls and cell membranes. We also know of medical professionals that use it to view tissue, blood urine and fecal samples.

Minor assembly is a non-issue such as inserting the eyepieces and attaching the power supply for the illuminator.

Omax M82ES 40x - 2000x Lab Binocular Biological Compound LED Microscope Review

The OMAX Microscope has several features that make it a great student or teaching microscope:

• 8 magnification levesl (40X - 80X - 100X - 200X - 400X - 800X - 1000X - 2000X (note 1000X is the maximum magnification required for most home uses, with higher levels not providing much more resolution.)

• Binocular viewing head

• Coarse and Fine focusing

• Quality construction

• Variable LED intensity transmitted illumination

• NA1.25 Abbe condenser wiht iris diaphram and filters

• A dimmer controls the amount of light that escapes from the base lens.

Installation and Operation of the Omax M82ES Microscope

Pros and Cons (Based on Our Experiences and Consumer Reviews)

Pros:

• Mostly metal construction with few plastic parts

• Stage has an X and Y scale making it easy to mark coordinates of each observation point

• Good optics for viewing fungi, protozoa, bacteria etc.

• Main objectives can be removed for upgrades or replacements

• Ocular objectives can be moved further apart or closer based on individual preference

• Able to attach an ocular camera

• Arrives fully assembled

• Condenser can be adjusted vertically that an be removed and replaced with a darkfield condenser

• 5 year warranty against manufacturing defects

Cons:

• Some users reported support issues with company, poor quaility control and problems with the fine focus.

• The objectives arrive pre-installed, but may not be set for optimal operation. For example, the focusing rack stop screw will need to be adjusted to keep slides from being pushed into higher magnification.

• Manual only available online as a PDF.

Summary

The Omax M82ES microscope (40X - 2000X Lab LED Binocular) is a well made sturdy microscope. Online reviews are overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing our perception of a quality microscope at a value price. We believe that you will be pleasantly surprised at the professional level value received for a price under $200. This is not a toy.

Recommended for:

Students, home school, hobbyists and basic professional use such as for Vets.

Compare to the AmScope B120.

Recommended Accessories

• OMAX Rubber Eyecups to improve the eyepiece comfort

• OMAX 60X Achromatic Objective Lens (spring) for Compound Microscope). The purpose of this eyepiece is that it can achieve 850X magnification without having to use a less convenient 1000X which requires the application of immersion oil.