Microbiology and Microscopes

Microbiology is the study of small, living, primarily unicellular organisms. Collectively they can be referred to as microbes and may be bacteria, fungi or other single cell life forms. A common feature to all is that they are quite small and always invisible to the naked eye and therefore are viewed only with the aid of a compound microscope. They can be as small as 1 micron ( a forty-millionth of an inch) and can be as large as 15-20 microns. A hobbyist interested in learning about microbes will require an oil immersion lens usually of 100X magnification to be able to see them with a high degree of resolution. In the case of unstained samples, a phase contrast accessory will also improve image quality. Many beginning microscopists prepare slides of pond water as an initial source of many fascinating examples. Any serious microscopist, whether amateur or aspiring professional will surely want to own an instrument with this capability.