This page goes over the most common microscope accessories that you might need.

As we already know, a microscope is a wonderful instrument that gives us the ability to view things that are not normally visible to the naked eye. It is one of the biggest and remarkable inventions of science that works by using a mix of lenses.

A standard microscope requires certain integral parts to give a clear and a perfect picture of tiny objects or micro organisms. To name a few, microscope accessories include eye pieces, ring lights, bulbs, dark field condensers, stage warmers to heat live biological specimens, cameras both digital and video, measuring kits, reticles, anti-static cloth, and a host of other accessories. Their uses are described below:

1. Dark Field Condensers: A dark field condenser is an opaque, disk type item that fits under the condenser lens and has the capacity to scatter light. This makes it easier to view times such as gemstones under dark illumination.

2. Stage Micrometer: This is similar to a microscope slide but with scale markings. It is used for calibration.

3. Anti - Static Cloth: Apart from safely cleaning the films or the lenses, this lint-free large cloth dissipates surface static. It is made out of super fine mesh of fibers and nonabrasive filament. Also, it can be reused. Luckily it only costs usually around $7.

4. Microscope Arm Rests: These are comfortable padded surfaces to support your forearms while spending hours at your microscope. They can sell for as low as $35 for the most basic kind all the way to around $200.

5. Reticles: Reticles, also called eyepiece micrometers, are circular marked glass pieces with fine lines (a scale) placed at the focal plane within the eye piece lens thereby allowing the examiner to measure the specimens.

6. Slides: These types of microscopes accessories are a must-have! They are thin, flat piece of glass that hold objects for examination under the microscope, usually measuring about 76x26 mm. They even come in "clipped corner" styles to reduce the risk of cuts to users. They can also be made out of plastic; a cheaper, disposable alternative.

7. Slide Tray: With its light colored background, a slide storage tray enables quick identification of the slide and the spaced finger notches make slide removal easy.

8. Slide Storage System: It consists of durable and secured drawers for from a couple hundred to a few thousand slides in each.

9. Ring lights: This ring shaped lighting accessory provides lighting from all directions to help you see a clearer image of a specimen without shadows.

10. Camera Eye Piece: Eye piece cameras provide easy to install imaging solutions that allow images of the specimen to be nicely displayed on your pc.

11. Dust Cover: You will want a cover to keep dust off the lenses and to reduce the chance of something getting scratched.

If what you are looking for is quality, then go for Orion, Safari, Barska Optics, Aver Media or Cole Parmer. They are among the most popular microscope accessories brands. You might also find what you are looking for at Microscope World.