Fine focus scan.
Use the Focus Wheel to bring the upper surface of a specimen into clear view, then use your thumb and forefinger to gently squeeze the cover while viewing the specimen. The flexing of the cover can be used like a fine-focus control to quickly scan different levels of the specimen.

Get the widest field of view.
Get your eye as close as possible to the lens to get the widest field of view. Instead of holding the PocketScope horozontally, try holding it vertically or at a 45 degree angle pointing upward toward the bridge of your nose. In bright light, such as outdoors, close your other eye to increase the field of view (the pupil of your viewing eye controls the field size - you'll see it expand!)

Choosing the best aperture.
Use a small aperture setting to produce a high contrast image and to increase the depth of field (to make a greater thickness of the specimen in clear focus). Use a larger aperture setting to get the highest image resolution and the smallest depth of field to 'optically section' a specimen. Focus up and down to see the detailed structure at different levels.

Lens fogging.
If the lens is cool, the moisture from your skin may condense on it and cause it to fog up. Unfog it by blowing on it gently for a moment. To prevent fogging try to keep the lens warm. If you carry the PS-150 in your pocket, face the lens toward your body in cool weather, or let the sun warm it up a few minutes.

Storage.
When finished using the PS-150, unlock the Lock Lever (turn it counter-clockwise until it stops), remove the slide from the Slide GuideTM , and lower the stage (turn the Focus Wheel clockwise until it stops) to get maximum life out of the mechanical components. Don't leave the PS-150 in a hot car.

Colored illumination.
Tape pieces of colored film (colored acetate, report cover material, candy wrappers) over different apertures to change the color of illumination. There are three apertures that are same diameter as the one with the arrow - use these for red, green and blue color filters.

Polarized light microscopy.
Many organic crystals (such as sugar) show beautiful colors when viewed between two pieces of polarizing material. You can cut polarizing material from an old pair of polarized sunglasses or you can order it from a scientific supply house such as Edmund Scientific. Tape one piece of polarizing film over the long curved slot in the Aperture Disk and tape a second piece over the lens hole on the outside of the cover. Snap the slide with the crystals into the Slide Guide, close the PocketScope, and examine it using a bright light source while turning the Aperture Disk. If the type and thickess of the crystal is right, you'll see brilliant colors that change as you turn the disk. (To make a sugar slide to view: Dissolve as much sugar into a teaspoon of water as it will hold, smear a film of this syrup on the center of a slide, and let dry overnight. It is not necessary to use a cover glass.)