Editorial Review

FirstScope Telescope Official Product of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy.Ideal astronomical entry level telescope.The FirstScope Telescope pays tribute to Galileo Galilei and may of history's most notable astronomers and scientists.We honor these men and women for their contributions bringing us one step closer to understanding the universe around us.The compact design makes it easy to take with you on your next outdoor adventure. The FirstScope is also stylish enough to be used as a decorative fixture on your bookshelves or desk. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Bushnell 8X21 Powerview Black Compact Binocular in Clam Shell Blister Package -132514C Case Strap. ... Read more

Reviews

Great Binoculars, Great Price, February 17, 2004
I purchased these binoculars to bring to concerts and plays. The size was perfect for my small evening purse, but I didn't realize just how well they worked. Wish that I would have owned them when I was sitting in the upper stratosphere at the Celine Dion concert in Las Vegas. They go with me to every event now to ensure a "good" seat every time.

Perfect for back row of auditorium, January 6, 2009
Talk about a revelation: Why did nobody tell us how much a pair of good binoculars can enhance your enjoyement of concerts and shows? My wife and I warmly recommend these Bushnell 8x21s for such events. You can save money by buying cheap seats in the nosebleed section, because for approx. $20 these binocs give you an amazing close-up view. After carefully reading the online reviews of these and the Bushnell 12x25s, I couldn't decide which would be better for a recent trip to New York, and ended up buying both. My wife and I tried each and agreed these smaller, lighter ones were absolutely perfect for the back row of Carnegie Hall and a Broadway show. The 12x25s have better magnification, but your natural hand/arm shaking is also magnified. Since one can't easily take a tripod into Broadway theaters and such, the lightweight 8x21s are therefore ideal. The perfect compromise between weight and adequate magnification. We liked the handy carrying case and weren't concerned, as others were here, about the thinness of the cord. The overall quality is amazing for such a cheap pair of binocs. We will never go to another concert or play without them. Highly recommended.

Outstanding at twice the price, September 12, 2002
I have shared a pair with a friend for more than a year and I must say I was amazed the first time I looked through them, having had all my experience with a [$] pair of older compact binoculars. These were nearly as good and a fraction of the price. Highly recommended.

lets get it straight, February 28, 2007
these glasses are small, protable and good for concerts and quick bird work. I keep a set in the car, but they do not replace my larger busnells for birding. please don't expect to do more than a little backyard birding with these, and i am now adjusted to my larger set, so i use those in the yard. You get what you pay for.

Excellent Value and Quality, July 16, 2000
I recently purchased these binoculars and I also own another pair that I bought at a much higher price. I have to say, these are better than my $50 binocs! Great stability combines with wide viewing area and easy focus to create the best binoculars I've ever used! This is an easy purchase, a must buy!

Disappointing, December 5, 2000
I found focusing these binoculars difficult, to almost impossible. Once in focus, they would not stay in focus. The adjustment focus for individual eyes also would not stay focused properly and would jump out of focus for no identifiable reason. The clarity of the image was far worse than I have come to expect from Bushnell products. I returned them for a refund.

former seller of binoculars, October 5, 2001
As a former seller, I find these binoculars to be excellent for nature watching and all other general purposes. The compact size and weight, with case, make them most suitable for traveling. Highly recommend. Bill

Wonderful, April 20, 2006
Amazing binocs for the price.... for 3x the price.... very light, very small, perfect for any events, even indoors since they are the smallest binocs I have ever seen, and I have seen dozens.... well worth the money... easy to focus wheel. Highly recommended. One of my few five-star product reviews.

Decent cheap optics, but focus problems are a pain, November 9, 2005
I bought these for deer hunting a couple of years ago because they were inexpensive, small and had decent magnification. The size and the price were the main draw, and I knew that I would was not buying an excellent set of binoculars. My usual range for viewing is 75 - 150 yards, and these work well in that range. They work well enough in low light conditions, but I'm sure that more expensive models do a much better job.

For my two main needs - spotting animals and then judging the quality of the antlers - they do okay. But, for counting points on antlers I find that I have to brace them against a staionary rest. If I don't, then the involuntary shaking caused by breathing, my heartbeat and muscle movement makes it very difficult to do if I just hold them freehand.

The major detractor with these glasses is the continual need to refocus. In my experience the right lens always has to be refocused whenever I adjust the glasses as a unit. And they seem to get out of focus quite easily whenever I'm just handling them. It's for that reason alone that I am now researching my next purchase of a different set of binos.

lightweight and small, June 13, 2000
These binoculars are great. They will fit in your shirt pocket and not even weigh it down. They are really clear too. I love to take them to sports events. And I keep them in my pocket, so I don't drop or beak them! I would recomend them strongly. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If you're looking for a dual-purpose telescope appropriate for both terrestrial and celestial viewing, then the AstroMaster Series is for you. Each AstroMaster model is capable of giving correct views of land and sky. ... Read more

Reviews

Great scope for any level of Amature, January 23, 2009
I have been a backyard stargazer for several years. My very nice 8" Dobsonian Reflector became too much to haul to darker skies away from light pollution, so I have been indoors on starry nights for a couple of years now. When a local camera shop was going out of business, they had a fabulous blow-out price on a Celestron AZ70 Refractor. I know two things about refractors 1) beware of flimsey tripods and 2) beware of extravagant claims of HIGH POWER. I first noticed intelligent power claims on the box (60X per aperture inch TOPS). The Celestron AZ70 suits all my needs. It's compact and light enough to transport easily, it has GREAT optics and a VERY macho tripod and Starfinder with a bright reticle which nailed Venus in 1 easy try right out of the box. Absolutely the best 50 bucks I ever spent and I would GLADLY recommend it to anyone for 4 times that price.

Easy to use, January 19, 2008
I bought this scope for my neighbor's kids as a Christmas present. They (along with their dad) had very little experience with telescopes, so I expected it would take some time (along with a little help from me) to get this scope up and running. I was wrong. The very night I gave it to them, they (actually, the dad) set it up and enjoyed looking at the moon with it. They didn't need me at all. In fact, I have yet to look through the scope myself. They tell me it's fantastic. It certainly struck me as a serious, well-made scope when we took it out of the box. The fact that it is so easy to use makes it a really great scope.

Twinkling an Opinion for Beginning Stars, November 20, 2009
This is my and my wife's first venture with a telescope so we sought something that would not require a big investment; would not "jiggle or shake" if bumped when in use; would be easy to handle and transport by hand; and allowed us some recreational fun. This item is sturdy and easy to set up but lacks a couple of minor conveniences that could inexpensively been added by the manufacturer to enhance the user's enjoyment. Without detracting from our feelings that there is inherent value in this item to introduce the beginner (especially kids) to astronomy, the changes would be: (1) although the tripod is nice and firm with a locking mechanism, the removable little tray that one snaps inside the legs to hold some of the extras is not easy to put into place or remove; (2) there is insufficient guidance on how to best utilize the infrared eye piece that is battery powered and it is easy to overlook that this eyepiece battery is in the on positon when folding up and storing it and a dead battery will ensue; (3) there is not a protective cap for the 10mm or 20mm lens inserted into the eyepiece if you do not always want to have to remove and store them when not in use; and (4) a carrying case (cloth or plastic) for storage for a few bucks more would have been a nice addition...we're still searching for something suitable. Again, overall it was worth <$100 price paid but I would have been willing to add an extra $10 or $15 for the improvements mentioned above.

Pretty good., August 31, 2009
Bought this has my first telescope, not knowing if i would really get into amateur astronomy. Gotta say it served me well for what i paid for. Star pointer can be something of an hassle, but once it is fine tuned it can be really useful. The biggest disapointment is the tripod. It is definetely made for children. I'm 5"9 and i always had to bend over to look at stars. Rough on my back. Solve the problem by mounting it on my camera tripod without any problems, cause it has the screw holes to do it. Overall good enough for star watching and really good for the wallet.

Gets the job done, June 4, 2009
We bought this telescope as a birthday present for our 11 year old daughter. The tripod is very good for this price: very sturdy yet easy to point the telescope by unlocking the position and then tightening it at a new location with the knob on the arm.

We have seen the rings of Saturn (although small) and the kids love the details of the craters on the moon. The lighted finder scope seems to be more of a gimmick than actually useful, but maybe we just haven't figured out how to use it yet. Definitely worth the purchase.

Great Gift, January 23, 2008
I bought this scope as a Christmas gift for 3 children ages 8 to 12. Not only do they love but Mom & Dad enjoy it too. I also bought them each a "star" (Shining Stars by Russ) to name and they really get a kick out of looking at their very own stars!

This is an excellent starter telescope, September 22, 2010
I bought this telescope last Christmas for my family. I have one daughter, age 7. I did a lot of research around the Internet and this product appeared to be a good starter telescope at the right price. (Incidentally, I paid $69.99 on amazon just before Christmas last year, so clearly prices on electronics change as much as airfares!) We are VERY satisfied. It's perfect for families just beginning to explore the stars/planets/moon with their young ones. It also was easy to assemble. Those who've criticized the parts for being less than perfect are probably right -- but then again, they probably want to be buying a telescope in the $100-$200 range or higher. The parts are fine. Sturdy enough for family use. The tripod works well. We live in Northwest Ohio where our clearest nights tend to be early fall and during extremely cold January/February. So, indeed, our biggest challenge has been recognizing a clear night when we have one. If you're doing this for the first time, work toward finding the moon first. Once I was able to master getting the moon into view, I was able to work on trying to see a planet. Tonight we saw Jupiter and four of its moons! We even saw a ring around Jupiter. Seeing the stars is harder with this unit, though. But we are thrilled enough to see parts of our own solar system. The CD with the product is pretty good, too and can help you plan what part of the sky to look at, when the full moons are, etc. Very happy to recommend this product and thanks to those who wrote about it previously.

Great for amateur with avid interest, December 26, 2007
The celestron 21061 AstroMaster 70 AZ was a great choice for a first refreactor telescope. It has a very sturdy base and easy to use. The magnification lenses are of good quality.

Get what you pay for, January 7, 2010
We bought the telescope for our 7 year old for Christmas because he'd consistently expressed interest in having one and looking at the moon, etc. I've never owned a telescope so I have nothing to compare it to but it's good for some "basic" star gazing and just looking at far away objects (even on the ground). It's pretty sturdy and would recommend it for younger kids or for someone who isn't terribly serious about astronomy. Good for the lake, etc.

Excellent value dual purpose child's telescope, March 14, 2009
I got this for an eight year old girl and she loves it. It's much bigger and heavier than I expected and requires adult assembly but it's a serious device and will provide many years of service. This model can be used for viewing the moon and stars or distant earthbound items by changing the eyepiece. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Features quality Bushnell« fully coated optics for sharp images at an affordable price. Features the patented InstaFocus« system for fast focus so you won't miss any of the action. Rubber armored for comfort and durability. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Celestron and ;s SkyMaster Series of large aperture binoculars are a phenomenal value for high performance binoculars ideal for astronomical viewing or for terrestrial (land) use - especially over long distances. Each SkyMaster model features high quality BAK-4 prisms and multi-coated optics for enhanced contrast. Celestron has designed and engineered the larger SkyMaster models to meet the special demands of extended astronomical or terrestrial viewing sessions. The 15x70 version is one of the most popular models in the series. It offers serious large aperture light gathering in an affordable and reasonably lightweight configuration. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Bushnell PowerView binoculars are the best of both worlds, combining contemporary styling and design with traditional Bushnell quality and durability. A variety of styles and features appeals to a wide range of observers from students of nature to concertgoers. Outstanding light transmission through fully coated optics ensures bright, crisp clear viewing. The easy to hold and easy to use aspect of these binoculars also converge to make Bushnell PowerView an excellent value for the general and outdoor use. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The MM-200 MicroMax LED from Carson Optical is a powerful 60-100x power Magnification Pocket Microscope with an extremely lightweight and portable design. This Pocket Microscope features a built-in LED light that provides a bright, clear image and a rubberized eyepiece for comfortable viewing. The MicroMax LED fits easily in your Pocket so you can bring it with you anywhere. ... Read more

Reviews

See a whole new world, August 9, 2009
I use this for checking gold ore samples in the field as well as general looking at the microscopic world.

The LED light is great but I did have one problem. I left it on and the next time I tried to use it the light would not work.... dead batteries. Unfortunately the batteries cost near $5 each times 3= $15.

All is not lost however. The Rite Aid (Pharmacy) had hearing aid batteries that, while not the same type as the listed required batteries, were the same physical size but were 1.4 volts instead of 1.5. I did not feel that this would be an issue and decided to try it. They worked just fine and were $16 for 24 of them, so about $.67 each. Much better and I now have 8 changes in case I forget to turn it off again.

The replacement type I found was Size 312, hearing aid batteries.

Nice bit of kit., August 29, 2009
The Carson MM-200 is a fantastic bit of equipment. The size is just slightly larger than what the photo shows on the product page. It is TINY!! The product quality, however, is excellent. It has a great LED lamp, and I haven't had it long enough to comment on the battery life. It is WAY better than the previous ones I have owned with regular little bulbs which gives everything an orange hue, or the LED ones which are flimsy as heck.

I use it for various things: from checking out small bug-things on plants to fine details on stamps or even just my arm (for a laugh!). It really is quite versatile and has great magnification!

Now for the bad. It is TINY!!! The knobs are a bit fiddly specially when you're using one hand and need to adjust the focus. The other pocket scopes I have tried usually have a larger gripping area and larger dials. Hopefully it will loosen up with some use.

Other than its size (which I do very much like for convenience, but is a bit fiddly), it is a great scope.

A good alternative, for those with waning coordination, might be a pocket USB microscope, or even one of the larger varieties from Carson!

Save Your Money, January 20, 2010
I bought this for checking edges on barber's razors, also known as straight razors. I sharpen them and use them for shaving. The scope is a pain to focus as other reviewers have mentioned and in my opinion the optics are inferior. There is a learning curve with using the tool because of the inverted image and the difficulty in focusing while maintaining the view of the object. Once that is overcome the optical quality falls short. A 30x eye loupe from Widget Supply was a far better investment for my purposes. You pays your money and you takes your chances. In this instance I ended up a loser. So for me it was a waste of money. Your mileage may vary.

Carson pocket microscope a hit, December 28, 2009
We gave the Carson MM-200 Micromax Lighted Pocket Microscope as a gift for our 7 yr. old granddaughter. After opening the present, she was delighted in looking at cat hair, different fabrics, etc. The lighted field of vision is remarkably bright and she had no problem in focusing the microscope. Wonderful product.

Just call me Mister Butterfingers, October 5, 2009
Let me begin by saying, I love this microscope. For the money it is well worth it. I will always be an inquisitive person and this tool makes the world that much more fascinating.

The light is very bright but the entire unit has enough weight to make it easy to keep track of. Having said that, if you have large hands, like I do, the controls can be a bit difficult to deal with at first. I found myself losing my subject from moving the microscope around while trying to operate the focus and enlarge controls. Once they get a little loosened up and you get more comfortable with them, this problem subsides.

This product coupled with Wikipedia has really opened up my amateur entomology endeavors. Just what I need, another distraction. Thanks Carson!

Is what it is..., September 21, 2009
Well, it works. And the light on it is pretty descent. My main problem with it is the difficulty to turn the knobs for focus and zoom. You really gotta push, making it difficult to lock on to something while focusing. This results in constant re positioning and ultimately frustrtion. If your just using it casually to look at random things up close, I say go for it.

Works as advertised, April 15, 2010
I use this device to inspect knife and razor edges during sharpening. It works as advertised. The LED provides plenty of light and the view through the lens is crystal clear.

Very cool, January 22, 2010
At this price I wasn't really expecting to get a really high quality tool but I was pleasantly surprised. This thing gives a crystal clear picture of anything you want to look at up close. I used it to clearly read the microprint on a $20 bill and my driver license and discovered that the RGB subpixels on my Samsung LCD TV have an interesting zigzag pattern on them, among other things. I think the LED must have some ultraviolet output as everything seems to have bright white fluorescing specks on it.

I also like the size of it; it's smaller than I expected. It really is a pocket microscope. One drawback to the small size is that it doesn't use AAA batteries, like the description mistakenly claims. It uses the less common and more expensive small button-type batteries. The box claims it uses SG3 (#392) batteries but the instruction sheet says SG7 (#392) whereas the included batteries have SR41 printed on them... so there seems to be a lot of confusion about the battery type. I haven't used it very much yet so I can't comment on battery life but the LED seems very bright so I wouldn't be surprised if it drains the little things pretty quickly.

The zoom and focus knobs are nice and tight to prevent unintentional slippage but not so tight that they're difficult to turn. Overall, I'm very pleased with this item and would definitely recommend it.

very good microscope, October 22, 2009
i will start by saying that the 4 reviews prior to mine are good and accurate. i am very impressed with several features of this item. the best part is the optics. the clarity of the lens is really good and distortion free; something uncommon at this price point and above. the second best feature is the magnification; simply great. the LED light is a big bonus inside or out (it's rare you will have the perfect amount of light to illuminate your subject). Finally, the value is exceptional.

i got this for my wife as part of a set i wanted to build for playful adventure along with a better PC based system that can allow us to use the PC screen to view and even capture images. this almost outshines the other due to the quality and portability. it's new so no word yet on durability but i will try to update this review in a few months. highly recommended! P.S. check out what day-old beard stubble looks like.

Exactly what I was looking for, October 1, 2010
This mini-magnifier is great. The LED is nice and bright, the focus and zoom knobs are easy to calibrate and images look crystal clear. Would recommend. ... Read more

Editorial Review

- 10 x 42mm - Compact & durable - Waterproof design is O-ring sealed & nitrogen-purged for 100% reliable, fog-free performance - Large center focus knob for easy, precise adjustments - Non-slip rubber armor absorbs shock while providing a firm grip - Fold-down eyecups ... Read more

Editorial Review

Super high-powered surveillance binoculars for long-range detailed viewing. Great durability and performance in an attractive ?traditional? porro prism design. Non-slip rubber armor absorbs shock while providing a firm grip. Contemporary styling; includes neck strap and carrying case. Limited lifetime warranty. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Handheld digital microscope. 10x to 40x & 150x digital power. 1.3 amp digital camera for snapshots and video LED illuminatorPowered by USB 2.0 cable. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A wide assortment of specimen slides covering insect parts, plant parts, animal parts, etc.

Reviews

Not too bad, December 1, 2007
I bought this for my 8 year old who had received a microscope for her birthday. This is a nice set of slides, and she found them interesting (and it brought make memories of 7th grade biology for me, lol). If I were to suggest any changes they would be to find more specimens that are common objects that kids are likely to be familiar with (she was much less interested in the slides if she didn't know what the thing was to start with). Also, the wooden box is a great idea, but it's a little too large, so the slides slip out of their slots and get jumbled/scratched up.

Wonderful prepared slides- great for elementary teachers or homeschoolers, January 18, 2009
My mom got these slides along with the duo-scope for my daughter about a year ago. She has loved looking at all the different structures which are easily visible with the stains used. I am a scientist myself and have been helping her 4th grade teacher with science each week. These slides have been wonderful to demonstrate many of the topics we have covered. There are both longitudinal and cross sections of plants which nicely demonstrate tubules in plant stems, there is one of pollen. All of these have helped the topics "come alive" to students as they can actually see in the microscope what we are talking about, not just a picture in a book. Human body is covered in 5th grade and I'm sure I'll be using these next year to assist in teaching that as well. If you are a teacher or homeschooling parent you may want to consider these for your class!

Broken!, May 30, 2008
I had bought these slides for my 11 year old daughter who had just recieved a microscope. When they arrived, two of them were broken! Luckily, the specimen was not damaged, so they were still okay to use. I think those slides broke because the wooden box was a little too big for the slides to fit in. Each slide was labeled with the name of the specimen that you were looking at. There were some spelling mistakes on the labeling on the slides, but everything on the little sheet that had all the names on it was spelled correctly. For example, the sheet said that specimen #22 was part of a Dog's Small Intestine. The label on the slide itself said it was part of a Small Lntestine. Intestine was spelled incorrectly. Overall, these slides are a pretty good quality.

Great Set of Starter Slides, August 16, 2009
I purchased this set of slides for my daughter's eighth birthday. They were great! It is now a year later and she still looks at them. How many kids... heck, how many ADULTS can say that they've seen what a dog intestine looks like!?!? Each slide is clearly labeled with what it is and there is an index card that you can browse instead of taking out each slide. The box is a nice quality and feels somewhat like the quality used in high school and college chem sets.

If I had to think of a drawback, I would have to say that it is the cost versus selection. Now, I do understand that each slide is made by hand, one by one. There is no way to construct something like this mechanically. So, that WILL increase the cost. However, with only 25 slides, they may get a bit boring for an adult after seeing them a few times with the same microscope. And, although Celestron makes other sets, as well as a larger "combo set," the cost of buying every one of them is a bit daunting.

Overall, they are a great starter set with the quality you would hope for. I am not disappointed at all and will eventually purchase all of the remaining sets.

prepared microsoft slides, January 7, 2009
We gave these to our grandson for Christmas, with his new microscope. He is 9 years old and not a novice to studying backyard science.

Our daughter just graduated nursing school. She recommended the microscopce. Amazon recommended the slides.

Let me tell you, they were a highlight of the day among the adults as well. I would certainly suggest this to inquiring minds of all ages.
My daughter was impressed with the heart and other muscle slides. She said she had studied these same slides for her RN exam.

The guys loved the slides of spider legs, calling each other over to "check this out".

I would like to see slides defining the blood types of human blood, such as A+, AB+, etc.

We never give toys as presents. But this is equivilent to a toy for children of all ages.

Broken into pieces, June 27, 2009
Wonderful looking slides, all two of them considering that the other 23 slides were completely destroyed. The box does seem to be to big for something that is this fragile to be shipped in the mail. Would be better if purchased in the store where you can make sure they don't get destroyed.

slides, February 20, 2009
Great for classroom and home use. Comes in a wooden box to hold each individual slide. Excellent value for product and money.

Nice box, nice quality, January 20, 2010
The box of glass slides feel "special and grown up." Gave a micrsoscope and Usbourne microscope book to my daughter for 7th birthday. She is wild about it all.

Never arrived, June 29, 2010
This product did not ship with the microscope and related items. The lack of this item made the rest of the purchase useless until it could be purchased locally which delayed the classroom presentation by a week. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The HU-530 Hawk from Carson Optical is an ultra deluxe, 5x 30mm Binocular. This Kid's Binocular is durable and lightweight. It will aid your child in exploring the world around them. The Hawk is great for outdoor events, sports, birdwatching & camping! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Amazon.com Product DescriptionThe Bushnell 10x50 wide-angle PowerView binoculars combine contemporary styling and design with traditional Bushnell quality and durability. They are easy to use and feature Porro prisms. They offer 10x magnification and a field of view of 341 feet at 1,000 yards.Insta-Focus enables you to focus on your desired object with the single touch of your finger. Black rubber armoring ensures that these binoculars can sustain active use.Bushnell's 10x50 wide-angle PowerView binoculars include a carrying case and a neck strap for convenience and comfort on the go. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Moon's disk, even at partial phases, is intensely bright with reflected sunlight. The glare washes out most of the craters, rilles, and other surface details from view. Our Moon Filter reduces the glare, allowing transmission of only 13% of the reflected light. Not only will you see more surface features, but you can study them in greater comfort. The filter reduces irradiation, which is the distortion at the boundary between light and dark areas, such as along the lunar terminator. The Orion Moon Filter is especially useful to owners of large-aperture scopes, in which the Moon's brightness can be overwhelming. It uniformly reduces light over the entire visible spectrum. Screws into threaded eyepiece barrel. ... Read more

Editorial Review

An intermediate level biological microscope with advanced features. The electric illuminator provides direct control of light. The Abbe condenser and Iris diaphragm are supplied to concentrate and adjust the illumination. A mechanical stage is standard equipment with knobs controlling both axes for easy centering of specimen slides. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Travelers, nature observers and concert goers take note: the PowerView series offers the largest line of Bushnell quality, affordable binoculars. No matter what your purpose, you'll find a variety of magnifications, styles and sizes, and fully coated optics for bright, vivid images. The porro prism line-up provides great durability and performance in an attractive "traditional" porro prism design. Compact to full-sized, the contemporary styling houses fully coated optics. Suffice to say, images are crisp, clear and bright - even in low light. Affordable for any and all interested in magnifying life to its fullest. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Digital biological microscope. View with 3.5" LCD screen, 40x to 400x Power and up to 1600x with 4x digital zoom, built-in 2mp digital camera, 128 MB internal memory, SD card slot, top and bottom LED illumination, mechanical stage, AC power cord, carrying case, 5 prepared slides. ... Read more

Reviews

Celestron 44340 LCD Microscope, May 31, 2008
I'm pretty happy with this microscope that I purchased to use with my daughter. The screen is clear and responds to movement (rotifers) without any kind of low fps problems.

There is a distracting dark patch in the center of the LCD. The spot does not show up when you record a video, so it must be a problem with the LCD. The company has not yet replied to my support email on this subject I sent 4 days ago. Paint on the objective lens housings is worn looking and there is a scratch on the upper illuminator's plastic housing. Because of these things, the finish of the microscope has a used look.

The photo and movie recording interface is simple and easy to use. There is at least one misspelled word in a menu which makes the interface seem unprofessional. However it records acceptably. The video it creates is in the Windows .wmv format.

Great Budget Microscope, March 26, 2009
This is the only budget LCD microscope I was able to find through the Internet. The support structure is not metal, but appears durable. There is only one adjustment knob, but it is capable of rather fine adjustments, even at maximum resolution. Specimen adjustment has considerable range and allows for satisfactory fine tuning. Compared to viewing through stereoscopic lenses or the way-back-when single eyepiece, this is a tremendous improvement. Being able to take pictures just makes it that much better. I am very satisfied.

Dark spot on LCD, July 7, 2008
I ended up returning this item for a replacement because it had a dark spot in the middle of the LCD. Once I received my replacement it did not have a dark spot but now there was debris internally that could not be removed. I ended up sending it back for a refund. However, I did order another style of a Celestron Microscope without the LCD screen. I give this product 3 stars because the concept and viewing options for this unit is incredible. It is also very easy to use and very lightweight. it just so happened I did not receive a "keeper".

top light inadequate, July 25, 2008
The microscope/camera combination is great in every way except one very important feature, the top light is inadequate. It is too far away and not bright enough to light solid specimens. It does work fantastic for specimens that light can pass through.

Excellent Microscope for the Digital Age, December 20, 2009
I had an ordinary optical "200x" microscope and saw a few shaky, interesting things in a drop of water on a glass slide, I but had no good way to take a photo. Holding a digital camera up to the eyepiece was problematic at best. I'd heard of USB microscopes that connected to a PC, such as the QX3. Checking the reviews on Amazon quickly dissuaded me from that. Then I found the Celestron 44340. It had a built-in 2MP digital camera. Images were saved to internal memory and transferred to the PC via USB cable, or to a SD card. I was also concerned about getting good images. In books like Guide to Microlife (ISBN 0-531-11266-7), there were excellent photos in darkfield illumination, as well as the usual brightfield. The Celestron 44340 did both, although darkfield only worked at the 4x and 10x objectives. I got a set of glass slides, glass cover slips, some depression slides, eyedroppers, and containers. After the summer rains, there were many places to collect samples, as well as from shorelines of rivers and lakes. I was able to successfully image in brightfield and darkfield rotifers, amoebas, flatworms, copepods, ostracods, shrimp hatchlings, vorticella, bursaria, diatoms and algae, and a variety of fast-moving ciliates. In addition to digital photos of up to 2 megapixels in size, I also recorded movies of a few seconds to a few minutes, sometimes switching between 4x magnification to 10x or 40x to get more details, and even switching between brightfield and darkfield. If I found something interesting, I could use software to extract a still image. The only CON I can think of is that when the microscope is turned off then back on, the internal date and time resets to 1/9/2031 8:00 PM, so any photos or movies taken all have that date, unless you manually set it every time.

The Microscope that thoguht it could., February 22, 2009
You have to spend the big dollars to really see at a cellular level.
You can see blood cells and Bacteria though. Came with the gear rack broken, but I was able to take it apart and fix it.

great demo but ...., February 28, 2009
When reviewing the demo video, the features were great and what I wanted. The microscope lacked many features represented on the video. The customer care service by email and phone have been hard to reach and get a reply. When I returned it to celestron for replacement, I am still waiting after 3 weeks. I should have just returned the item the same day.

Celestron microscope, February 20, 2009
Just received....no dark area, LCD is clear and bright. A fun, serious toy. Want to create some unique abstract digital photos. Have not tried the SD card port, but seems and easier way to transfer to computer.

Great Microscope..., November 2, 2009
I'm a reef keeper / clownfish breeder. This microscope was mentioned at MACNA this year and looked like what I was looking for.

As a bonus it takes nice pictures and videos. No more looking thru a tiny view finder. Your specimen is right there on the screen in front of your eyes. Anyone gathered around can see the clear image. You can also share it using the picture and vid capture.

Nice product, nice quality, nice price!

don't buy for opaque specimens, February 26, 2009
We bought this scope to test it out as a museum display for an opaque (solid metal) specimen. The design of the top light is poor -- the objective lenses cast a shadow on the specimen when the top light is used. Other reviews note that the top light isn't strong enough for opaque specimens anyway. I'd avoid this scope if that's what you need to look at.

For transparent slides, though, I expect it works great, and the video display is a very compelling feature. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Budget-conscious hunters can get the same 550-yard ranging capability waterproof/fogproof integrity and optical performance as with the RifleHunter, but without the ID Technology feature, in the new ProStaff and Team REALTREE 550 laser rangefinders. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Celestron PowerSeeker series of telescopes is designed to give the first-time buyer the perfect combination of quality, value, features and power. Offering exceptional value, these telescopes feature portable yet powerful designs with ample optical performance to excite any newcomer to the world of amateur astronomy. ... Read more