AmScope M150C-MS Compound Monocular Microscope
Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of your new AmScope microscope!
This manual is designed for the M150 series microscopse.
Please be sure to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the features and functions of your new AmScope microscope.
If you’d like more information on microscopes, parts, or accessories, please visit our website at: www.iScopeCorp.com
We highly recommend you study this manual thoroughly before operating the microscope, and that you keep it on hand for future reference.
If you have additional questions or need assistance, please send us an email at: info@amscope.com
Safety Precautions
- As the microscope is a precision instrument, always handle it with care, avoiding impact or abrupt movement during transportation. Do not shake the package.
- Do not place the microscope in direct sunlight or in high heat. Keap it indoors in a dry and clean place with temperatures between 32-100 degrees F (0-40 degrees C), and in maximum relative humidity of 85%.
- Avoid touching the lenses on the objectives and the eyepieces so that oil and dirt from your fingerprints do not obstruct your view.
- Before turning the power on, make sure that the power supply voltage is consident with the voltage of your microscope.
Product Overview
Definition of Parts
- Base Illuminator Lens
Directs the light source towards the slide - Focusing Knob
Used to bring the slide into the sight and focus - Disc Iris Diaphragm
Controls the amount of light that hits the slide from the base illuminator - Dimmer
Controls the amount of light that escapes from the base lens - Limit Stop Knob
Limits the upward movement of the mechanical stage in order to avoid damaging the slide and objective - Nosepiece
Houses the objective lenses - Rotating Monocular Head
Houses the eyepiece and optics of the microscope
Assembly
- First, take the styrofoam container out of the cardboard carton and lay it on its side, paying attention to which side is labeled up. Remove the tape and open the container carefully so as to avoid dropping and damaging the optical items. Check carefully to ensure that all parts and accessories are intact.
- Check the packing list to ensure that you’ve received all items:
- One Monocular Microscope Body & Head
- Three Objectives (4x, 10x, 40x)
- 10x Widefield Eyepieces
- 16x Widefield Eyepieces (for -A models only)
- 20x Widefield Eyepieces (for -B models only)
- 25x Widefield Eyepieces (for -C models only)
- One Dust Cover
Note: LED models do not have a spare bulb, as the LED bulbs do not need replacing.
- Remove the microscope body from the box and remove the plastic protective covering. The body of the microscope is composed of the base, the stage, the arm, and the nosepiece.
- Screw the objectives into the microscope nosepiece from the lowest magnification to the highest, again avoiding touching the lenses.
- Plug in the microscope and turn it on. If no light emerges from the light source, adjust the dimmer knob on the side of the base.
Operation
Setting Up
- Place the specimen to be studied on a glass slide (or use a prepared slide). Place it on the stage, holding it snugly in place with the metal slide holders (clips) of the mechanical stage.
- Center the specimen over the stage opening, lining it up with the light and the objective lens.
- To adjust the illumination, slowly turn the dimmer on the right side of the base until the desired intensity of light is achieved.
Focusing
- Turn the nosepiece to choose an objective. It is easiest to use the lowest magnification first (4x objective) to locate and focus on the specimen. As you move up in magnification you may need to refocus the image a little each time.
- Being focusing by first looking with one eye through the eyepiece without the diopter. Close your other eye. Use the coarse focusing knob to adjust the height of the stage until the sample comes into clear focus.
Note: You may loosen the limit-stop knob (located on the read of the stage) in order to give yourself the full range of motion for fine tuning the focus. - Once the image is clear in your field of view, you will want to use the fine focusing knob to tune it for best results.
Note: Please be careful when moving the mechanical stage if you need to recenter the sample, or if moving the stage very close to the objectives. The limit stop is designed to prevent impact between objective and slide, so when it is off you will be able to damage the microscope.
Adjusting The Diaphragm
- By changing the aperture (hole size) of the iris diaphragm, you can adjust the background brightness. Adjust the aperture of the iris diaphragm by rotating the disc underneath the stage to the desired aperture.
Attaching a Camera / Changing Eyepieces
- To remove the 10x eyepiece included on the microscope, you will need to remove the small metal screw on the ocular tube just under where the eyepiece connects to the tube. To do so, you will need a 1mm flathead precision screwdriver (much like what you would use to adjust eye glasses).
Setting the Stage’s Stop-Limit
- To adjust the stop limit on the stage, unlock it by unscrewing the lower nut. The stop limit is located at the rear of the stage.
- Once tension is released on the nut by rotating it counterclockwise, you may adjust the upper thumb screw to move the limit up or down as desired.
- Lock the limit stop nut back into place after the desired stage height is achieved.
Maintenance/Precautions
- All glass surfaces must be kept clean. Fine dust on the optical surface should be blown off using a can of compressed air or gently wiped off with a soft lens paper tissue/nonabraisive lint free cloth.
- Carefully wipe off oil or fingerprints on the lens surfaces using tissue moistened with a small amount of lens cleaner (we recommend Sparkle brand optical cleaner).
- Do not use Sparkle to clean other elements of the microscope. Use a neutral detergent on any plastic or painted surfaces.
- Do not assemble or disassemble the microscope’s electrical components yourself without advisement from one of our technicians. Doing so will void your warranty unless by advisement of one of our technicians to do so.
- After use, cover the microscope with the provided dust cover.
- Keep your AmScope microscope in a dry, clean location in order to prevent rust or other damage.
- To change batteries with this unit, use the included allen wrench (hexagonal shaped L-tool) to undo the door hex screw on the base. Use 3 AAA batteries with the unit.
- The unit can be used as a recharger for AAA batteries specified as rechargeable only. Please do not use standard batteries in the unit with the charger plugged in to avoid damage.
Specifications
150 Series Specifications
| Parts | Specifications | M149 | M149A | M149B | M149C |
| WF Eyepiece | WF10X/18mm | ||||
| WF10X/18mm w/ Pointer | x | x | x | x | |
| WF10X/18mm w/ Reticle | |||||
| WF16X/18mm | x | ||||
| WF20X/18mm | x | ||||
| WF25X18mm | x | ||||
| Plan Eyepiece | P5X | ||||
| P10X | |||||
| P16X | |||||
| DIN Achromatic Objectives | 4X/0.10 | x | x | x | x |
| 10X/0.25 | x | x | x | x | |
| 40X(spring)/0.65 | x | x | x | x | |
| 60X(spring)/0.85 | |||||
| 100X(spring, oil)/1.25 | |||||
| Plan Objectives | 4X | ||||
| 10X | |||||
| 40X(spring) | |||||
| 100X(spring, oil) | |||||
| 45 Degree Viewing Head | Binocular Sliding, 360 Degree Swiveling | ||||
| Trinocular Sliding, 360 Degree Swiveling | |||||
| Monocular, 360 Degree Swiveling | x | x | x | x | |
| Diaphragm | Iris Diaphragm Disc | x | x | x | x |
| Illumination | Halogen Light w/ Dimmer | ||||
| LED Light w/ Dimmer | x | x | x | x | |
| Lamp | 6V/20W | ||||
| 6V/30W | |||||
| LED | x | x | x | x | |
| Filter | Blue/Yellow/Green |
Optional Accessories
| Parts | Description | Model # | Purpose |
| Eyepiece | 5X | EP5X23 | Obtaining 20x, 50x, 200x, and 500x magnification powers |
| 20x | EP20X23 | Obtaining 80x, 200x, 800x, and 2000x magnifica- tion powers | |
| 25x | EP25X23 | For obtaining 250x and 2500x magnification pow- ers | |
| 10x w/ Pointer | EP10X23P | For easier identifying of objects | |
| 10x w/ Reticle | EP10X23R | For measuring objects | |
| Objective | 2X | A2X | For obtaining 20x and 32x magnification powers |
| 5X | A5X | For obtaining 50X and 80X magnification powers | |
| 20X | A20x | For obtaining 200x and 320x magnification powers | |
| 60X | A60X | For obtaining 600x and 960x magnification powers | |
| Plan 4X | PA4X | For obtaining higher clarify in images | |
| Plan 10X | PA10X | For obtaining higher clarify in images | |
| Plan 40X | PA40X | For obtaining higher clarify in images | |
| Plan 100X | PA100X | For obtaining higher clarify in images | |
| Camera | CMOS Digital | MU035 (350k) MU130 (1.3mp) MU300 (3mp) MU500 (5mp) MU800 (8mp) MU900 (9mp) MU1000 (10mp) | To capture images, video, or view live display on a computer (PC/Mac OS X) |
| Calibration Micrometer | MR400 | To calibrate the camera software for on screen measurements | |
| CCD TV/Video (Trinocular Only) | CCD-NP | To view live display on a television (RCA) | |
| Case | Aluminum Case | AC-B100 | For carrying the microscope around safely |
Objectives
| Type | Magnification | Numerical Aperture (N.A.) | Medium | Parfocal Distance (mm) | Magnification Marks (Color Ring) |
| DIN Achromatic Objective (195mm) | 4X | A2X | Air | 45 | Red |
| 10X | A5X | Air | 45 | Yellow | |
| 40X | A20x | Air | 45 | Light Blue | |
| 60X | A60X | Air | 45 | Deep Blue | |
| 100X | A100X | Cedar Oil | 45 | White | |
| Plan Objective (195mm) | Plan 4X | PA4X | Air | 45 | Red |
| Plan 10X | PA10X | Air | 45 | Yellow | |
| Plan 40X | PA40X | Air | 45 | Light Blue | |
| Plan 100X | PA100X | Cedar Oil | 45 | White |
Eyepieces
| Type | Widefield Eyepiece Medium | Plan Eyepiece | ||||
| Magnification | 10X | 15X | 20X | 5X | 10X | 16X |
| Field of View | Φ18 | Φ13 | Φ11 | Φ18 | Φ18 | Φ15 |
Technical Parameters
Electrical System
There are two options for electrical systems for this series of microscopes. The light source is an LED system.
- 220V~240V power supply: 220V~240V ±10%, 50Hz
This electrical system is CE and GS certified - 100V~120V power supply: 100V~120V ±10%, 60Hz
This electrical system is UL certified.
All units come standard as 110V units unless an upgrade to a 220V system is requested. The upgrade fee is dependent on which unit is purchased.
This unit is also capable of using batteries and charging rechargable batteries. It uses 3 AAA batteries. When plugged in with batteries in the unit, the batteries will be charged.
Note: Please do not use the recharging feature with standard batteries, as damage to your unit can occur.
Technical Terms & Concepts
Total Magnification
The total magnification of a microscope is calculated by the magnification of the objective multiplied by the magnification of the eyepieces.
Ex: (10x Eyepieces) x (4x Objective) = 40x Total Magnification
Field of View
Linear field of view of the eyepiece divided by the magnification of the objective
Numerical Aperture (N.A)
Calculated by n Sin α (max), the Numerical Aperture (N.A) is an important parameter that marks the features of the objective and condenser’s image quality and resolution. The “n” is the refractive index of the medium (air or immersion cedar oil) between the objective lens and the specimen. The “α” is 1/2 of the angle between the aperture on the objective and the path of light. The larger the N.A., the higher the resolution of the objective (and the better quality of the image).
Object to Primary Image Distance
The distance between the object plane and the primary image plane. The conjugate distance is fixed.
Mechanical Tube Length
The distance between the objective shoulder and the ocular shoulder.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
| Symptom | Cause | Remedy |
| OPTICAL ISSUES | ||
| One side of the field of view is darker | The nosepiece if misaligned | Turn the nosepiece until it clicks into place |
| Stains or dust has accumulated on the objective, eyepieces, or base lens | Clean all lenses with lens cleaner or a lint free non- abraisive cloth | |
| Obstructions are observed in the field of view | Stains, dust, or dirt has accumulated on the speci- men | Clean the slide or use a new specimen if sample is destroyed |
| Stains, dust, or dirt have accumulated on the lens | Clean the lens | |
| Unclear Image | There is no cover slip on the slide | Add a cover slip. The objectives are designed for use with a 0.17mm cover slip, so it is a requirement to use one for proper images. |
| The cover slip is not standard sized | Replace the cover slip with the appropriate 0.17mm thickness slip | |
| The aperture is not open to an appropriate diam- eter | Adjust the aperture to have the light just larger than the size of the condenser | |
| Stain or dust has accumulated on the lens in the inlet of the head | Clean the lens with lens cleaner or a nonabraisive lint free cloth, as well as spray with compressed air | |
| One side of the field of view is dark or the image moves while focusing | The specimen slide is not fixed | Secure the slide to the stage with clips |
| The nosepiece is not in the right position | Turn the nosepiece until it clicks into place | |
| The field of view is not bright enough | The iris disc diaphragm is not big enough | Rotate the iris disc diaphragm to allow more light to travel |
| Stains, dust, or dirt has accumulated on the con- denser, objective, eyepieces, or base lens | Thoroughly clean tall lenses with lens cleaner or a lint-free nonabrasive cloth | |
| Symptom | Cause | Remedy |
| OPTICAL ISSUES | ||
| The color of the image is not accurate | The brightness adjustment knob is not in the right position | Adjust the brightness knob to a higher or lower setting for color clarity |
| No filter is used or filter is in use | Remove the color filter if natural light is desired, or insert the desired filter | |
| MECHANICAL ISSUES | ||
| The objective touches the cover slip | The cover slip is not standard sized | Replace the coverslip with the appropriate 0.17mm thickness slip |
| The limit-stop is set too high or not engaged | Be careful to avoid contact between objective and the slide when the limit stop is not engaged. To reengage, focus the sample, then lock the limit stop into place to set max height at a safe but us- able distance. | |
| Unable to move the slide smoothly | The slide is not secured correctly | Adjust the slide to use the stage clips and secure the sample |
| The mechanical stage is not properly secured | Tighten the mechanical stage screws to better secure the stage | |
| Focus knob does not turn | The tension knob is too tight | Loosen it by adjusting the tension ring inside the coarse focus knob counterclockwise (close to the arm of the microscope on the left of the microscope) |
| Stage declines by itself | The tension knob is too lose | Tighten it by adjusting the tension ring inside the coarse focus knob clockwise (close to the arm of the microscope on the left of the microscope) |
| The focusing knob won’t raise the stage | Limit-stop is engaged | Disengage the limit stop on the rear of the stage of the micro- scope |
| ELECTRICAL ISSUES | ||
| The bulb/light source flickers | The bulb is close to burning out | Please contact us in regards to this issue. LED lights do not burn out, so there may be another electrical issue |
| The microscope does not light up | The microscope is unplugged | Insert the plug into the wall socket to achieve electrical illumina- tion |
FAQS
Yes. Can use batteries (AA) as well, so you could take it with you camping and look at stuff you find. My kids like that.
No, you cannot connect the microscope via USB.
No
It’s called a microscope digital imager. Search Amazon and you’ll find some. If you go to Amscope they have even more, with more megapixels. The better ones are more expensive.
Yes it does. We have not experienced any problems inspecting insects (ants).
slide, e.g., an insect sitting on the slide
That depends on your personal use of the microscope and how far your willing to go on the level of microscopic level. I’m not going to give you an accurate answer to your question on the basis of personal use and budget.
Any standard 1×3 optical glass slide will do, with requisite cover slips. I purchased a box of AmScope slides & covers for like $12 and they’ve worked great. There are also some great boxed sets of prepared slides for educational purposes.
Justin the box with Styrofoam. We went online and found the manual and downloaded it. The item was clearly marked on Amazon as a refurbished which was the reason it was so reasonably priced. It is working just fine and our feet teenage grandson is making good use of it.
No. No lighting.
opaque object?
Yes, I have used them all semester with batteries. There is a power cord but the light doesn’t seem to use a lot of the battery power. Students can easily use them right at their desk without a plug.
these are the measurements of it out of the box. I am not sure of the box size as I no longer have that.
No the item did not include any accessories to connect with a pc. It may be a matter of just connecting any usb cable into an available port on the AmScope.
