| Instrument
Type: |
State of the art single-lens microscope,
inspired by the instruments created by
Antony van Leeuwenhoek of Delft, Holland
(1632-1723). |
| Image Resolution: |
Resolution: 2 microns.
Non-periodic and isolated
features as small as 1 micron can be
seen. Conventional microscopes normally
require 300x to attain this resolution. |
| Optics: |
-
Superior image clarity, brightness,
contrast
and
resolution.
- Diffraction limited imaging - image detail that is
limited by the nature
of light itself.
- High contrast imaging in living specimens without the
need for stains or
special lighting (live bacteria can be
seen in water, without staining or special
lighting, at
150x).
- 'Optical sectioning' effect reveals the three-
dimensional shape of microscopic
specimens in sharp
detail
- Low light requirements allow unlimited viewing and
photographing of live
specimens the unique
PocketScope® optics provide higher resolution
images
at a chosen magnification than
is attained by
conventional school microscopes.
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| Weight: |
Barely more than 3 ounces (about 89
grams).
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| Illumination: |
Uses ambient light without
the need for a mirror. Skylight, indirect
sunlight,
fluorescent lights, incandescent lights,
and even candles or campfires are all
suitable to provide bright, clear images.
(As with all microscopes and optical
devices, do not look directly at the
sun).
PocketScope.com® has
the PocketLum™ Illuminator,
a battery powered full-color LED illuminator
accessory
that snaps
onto the base of the PS-150 PocketScope®.
Learn
more about the PocketLum™ Illuminator
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| Slides: |
Uses standard 1" x 3" micro
slides. Can be used with permanent mount
slides, temporary slides, and wet mount
slides. Slight modifications of wet mount
methods may be needed under some circumstances.
Learn
how to make slides
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| Ease
of Use: |
The PS-150
PocketScope® Microscope
is very easy to use by children and adults.
Children as young as 5 years old have
been taught to use the instrument with
just a minute of instruction.
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| Magnification: |
Approximately 150x (actual magnification
varies slightly according to the user's
eye)
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| Dimensions: |
5.6 inches long, 2.75 inches wide,
and 0.8 inch thick
(142mm x 70 mm x 20 mm)
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| Lens
Design: |
The PS-150
PocketScope® lens is
the highest precision lens that can be
manufactured with current technology.
The shape of the lens is accurate to
within 1 part in 15,000, and it has been
optimized to provide diffraction-limited
images. The lens is mounted slightly
recessed into the cover of the PS-150
PocketScope® so that it cannot be
scratched by the edge of a slide. PocketScope® lenses are also "crash-proof ";
they will not be damaged by misfocusing
and pressing against a slide.
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| Materials
& Durability: |
High strength,
high impact UV stabilized engineering
polymer body and mechanisms
for superior durability in the classroom
and in the field. The PS-150
PocketScope® body
is made from the same high impact polymer
used for football helmets! It
was our goal to make an instrument
that could
survive falling from a desk
and being accidently stepped-on by
a student. The PS-150 easily
passes those tests. These durability
tests were quite reasonable, but that
didn't satisfy us, so we tested
the durability of the PS-150 under
extreme conditions that would easily destroy
any
other microscope.
Remarkably, the PS-150
passed these extreme tests without damage:
- Being stepped-on by a 250 pound man.
- Placed in a back pants pocket and being
sat upon by
a 200 pound adult.
- Placed in a hard
chair and being sat upon by a 200
pound adult.
- Dropped from a height of 18 feet onto concrete with a
slide in the Slide-Guide™.
(The slide popped out, but
did not break, and there was no damage
to the
PS-150!)
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|
| Safety: |
PocketScopes® are
designed to provide maximum safety for
children and adults
by protecting them from the sharp edges
of glass microscope slides, razor-sharp
glass shards from broken slides and cover
glasses, and from the specimens in temporary
and wet mount slides. PocketScopes® provide
a physical barrier between the eye and
the slide, yet allow the slide to be
easily positioned, moved, and locked
in a desired position. PocketScopes® have
been carefully designed to be extremely
break resistant.
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