Hi! Thanks for your review - it was really helpful in deciding between this model and one of Amscope’s models - the T490 LED. What mainly steered me away from the Stellar model was essentially the condenser was not removable, so if I ever wanted to add a phase contrast turret I would not be able to with the Swift model… Amscope has upgrades available for reasonable prices as well. Nevertheless, the Stellar Pro is a beautiful Scope!
I’ve also noticed the 1w led is not bright enough, but the circuit holding the led is simple to replace. Looking into a 5v 3w led mounted on a plastic or metal surface the same size as the original. Have you looked into anything similar?
I need a microscope that includes everything listed here, with an integrated camera and software. If you have the microscopes I inquired about, please send them. The microscope should be suitable for cell counting, cell culture live imaging, microorganism identification (including bacteria, fungi, viruses), plant pathology, soil microorganism analysis, detailed plant imaging, large sample observation, and visibility of plant leaves, roots, stems, and disease identification ( any company name sir)
Omax has models with LEDs starting at 3w usually for the same price range or less (albeit without the same tier of objectives), Amscope seems to start at 1w and go up to 3w as their standard, $600-700 seems to be minimum for 3w Kohler though, with somewhat decent objectives. Both offer adjustments on condensers. Amscope seems to offer some higher tier objectives overall, so it seems like that's where I'll start my microscope journey. With more room for upgrades down the line, without getting too wild it seems like a decent bet...They have plan fluor, but not any apo objectives that seem worthwhile, maybe they had a 4x if I remember. Stopping at Fluor would likely be my goal, as it would allow me to use for future upgrades like an actual fluorescent setup, rather than just a highly upgraded biological setup. It will be for work, but I also plan on posting tons of pics and want that top quality of course! The only reason I didn't jump on Swift were the exact reasons you mentioned. Namely the adjustable condenser and 1w LED. This video is great because it's not just about swift explicitly, it goes to show what really matters when buying this type of economic compound microscope, and goes to show that some truly great images can be had while staying budget friendly. Your captures look great and can make out so much detail. The technology sure has come a long way, or at least the affordability. Really appreciate the video as I'm a total beginner and looking forward to comparisons to help others decide what's best for their uses! This cleared up a ton.
Thank you so much for the information and the complements!!! It continues to amaze me that good quality microscopes are available at reasonable prices. It’s opened up the “small world” to so many. I look forward to hearing what scope you ultimately purchase, it’s details, and how you enjoy it. Thank you so much, again, for your wonderful comments!!!
@@zoominmicroscopy oh boy, the drama with Amscope hahaha I game on Xbox so need to use VPN for competitive player vs player games. There's literally websites that will scrape gamertags IP addresses so it's pretty much a must have in 2022 lol reason I'm bringing that up is Amscope canceled my order out of no where for my microscope. Had to call prob 20 times, before anyone answered...they said sometimes billing/shipping details don't match up and orders are cancelled and they'd find out in an hour what happened in my particular case. Jump to 4 days later lol My card was charged already at this point...meaning it was all paid for, and then cancelled afterwards even though my information lined up. After numerous emails and calls back and forth, days later I come to find out (they mentioned in one of the last emails) it cancels orders automatically if it detects fraud and apparently it uses IP addresses to verify orders placed. Many emails to get to this point, although it did resolve the issue finally. I am greatful they stuck with it, to allow us to pinpoint the problem. Still tho... I've been ordering from online sites as much as the next person, never once had an issue until now. What bugged me was the phss poor communication from them and the out of no where cancelation after being charged. If there was fraud detected why not block the charge initially?
@@zoominmicroscopy Whole ordeal was very silly, and they could have just reached out to verify additional details or something, as there was certainly no fraud happening. Or at least asked me to re-place the order from an IP that wasn't a VPN company? What a hassle. Got an Omax one off Amazon, the popular compact compound one (LED, mechanical stage, adjustable condenser etc) and was using it before I even heard back from Amscope. Will be the beater haha Same supplier or parent company between Amscope and Omax I believe but for me the importance was the Omax was "shipped by", "sold by", and "customer service provided by" AMAZON 😂😂 it'll be my travel/beater microscope and it's been so incredible so far!! Being compact may not be the best for long term usage but seems perfect for travel. They have a soft case, and seems easy enough to put in backpack for field analysis (soil in my case).
I’ll have to check out the Omax “travel, beater” 😀.Due to supportive comments from you and others about the reviews, I’ve decided to start reviewing low cost scopes. At present I can’t afford to give away scopes that I review, but that will be the goal. For now I’ll be selling the scopes at a reduced cost after doing a full 3-month review. So thank you for inspiring this idea!!
I have a hard time finding anything good in the China microscope brands, even though they appear to have nice designs on the surface, when you dig deeper they all seem to have major shortcomings. So I'm leaning towards saving up for a used Leica or Olympus microscope.
While you are searching, do not dismiss Meiji microscopes (made entirely in Japan) that utilize metal gears and, in my opinion, feature a far superior build quality as compared with Chinese scopes.
@@edwardcatingGreat tip! Thanks I will consider Meiji. Would you happen to know the major differences between Meiji MT5300H and Leica DMLS? On the surface they appear to be somewhat similar (I haven’t looked in depth yet)
Thanks for the tip edward! I ended up buying a used Meiji MT5300H. It appears the lab was selling it because it had a broken on/off switch which I easily replaced. What do you think of this model?@@edwardcating
Thanks ever so much for this review! Most helpful! I have had difficulty getting any response from Swift as well, which is quite off putting! I haven't bought my scope yet - which, you'd think, they'd be keen to reel me in! 🙃 Anyway, my question to them, was what was, how exactly does the 'Stellar 1 Pro-T' differ from the 'Stellar 1-T'. But you have now made me question whether the Swift is thebest option for me at all 🙈 Did you upgrade? And if yes, can you give me pointers, please? Price-wise, realistically, I think this is my max... Many thanks in advance!
I’m not sure what the difference is between the T and the pro T. All I see out there is the pro T, so maybe the T is a discontinued item with 160 mm optics. Soon I’ll be pulling the trigger on the Motic BA310 Elite. Just have to do a little financial forecasting.
There is no advantage that I know of to infinity objectives other than that which you mentioned. To my knowledge, Swift does not sell an analyzer. Thank for your question!
I have noticed significant dust and grime when I look through my eyepieces. It does not rotate with eyepieces, head or the objectives. It is seen at all magnifications. It is not seen through the camera port. However, moving eyes laterally when looking through the eyepieces, I can see them shift, so I’m quite certain it’s in the head. Have you had this problem? Quite interested in how to clean the trinocular head to get a clear image.
Have you been removing your eye pieces often to insert cameras? That’s the only way I can image having dirt in that area. I have to admit I’m no pro on cleaning other than routine maintenance. At the college where I worked, we had a specialist come in and service the scopes once a year. @microbehunter did a nice video on deep cleaning, and though he hocused largely on the condenser and below, I wouldn’t be surprised if he (Oliver) has expertise in cleaning in the head of the scope. He seems to be good at answering questions and has live streams too. I’ll think more on your problem, because t I think @microbehunter would be a good person to ask.
@@zoominmicroscopy If you are going for the Motic BA series, you should totally consider the Panthera! From some websites, it shows that the image quality produced by the Panthera is slightly sharper. I own a Panthera C2 binocular and the result it produces is stunning. One problem some has pointed out is that compared to the BA series, its trinocular light split is 50:50 which is not ideal for techniques that require more light(eg darkfield) as to the 80:20, (80 to camera 20 to eyepiece) for the BA. You could add on a beam splitter with a 80:20 ratio additionally but might not work well with a DSLR or mirrorless camera as it is facing horizontally. Despite that, both of them are two very great scopes!
Can you put a 3 watt light bulb in place of the 1 watt? Is the auto shut off feature a problem? If you want to turn the auto feature off, can you? Enjoyed the video, although, I would have liked to have seen how you hook up a camera. I have a Nikon DSLR 7500, will this work on the microscope? Thank you.
I haven't tried putting a 3 watt bulb in yet, but I'll soon try. The auto shut off feature can be a bit frustrating- if the light intensity is not adjusted for 30 minutes the scope shuts off without warning. Turning it back on only takes adjusting the light intensity again, but if you're following a microbe on camera and the screen suddenly goes dark, it is disappointing. I have just started using a Nikon Z6. The camera adapter I am currently using is from amscope. primelabmed.com/product/amscope-ca-nik-slr-nikon-slr-dslr-camera-adapter-for-microscopes. It has an F-mount, so it will fit your Nikon DSLR. (I use an additional T ring that fits Z mounts, but you won't need that). It has a 2x lens in it, and it is solid, but I don't have any other adapters to which I can compare it to evaluate the image quality. I then use an HDMI (HDMI to HDMI mini) to connect it to a monitor. I haven't hooked it up to a computer yet, so I'm not sure what software you'll need.
That’s tough to answer. A lot depends on your price point. I think the amscope T340 delivers a lot of performance for a very reasonable price. But certainly ask as many people as you can- based on diverse experiences, you’ll get different answers from different people, and then you’ll have a wide body of recommendations from which to choose.
Is there a way to know if Brand X Model Y microscope is optically and mechanically compatible with Brand Z microscope camera? What numbers on each do you want to look for and compare?
Cameras and scopes will generally be compatible, as any scope will project a real image that the camera will detect. There will be reducing optics (0.5x lens, for example) and that glass might impact the quality of the image to a marginal degree, but I’ve not heard of anyone describing any major compatibility issues between different scope and camera brands. When it comes to buying a camera, ease of use and a selectable shutter speed seem most important things to me.
@@zoominmicroscopy Okay, thanks! That's wonderful news! MicroSafari makes a 4K 60fps 60M HDMI microscope camera for about $200, which seems too good to be true! I want to mount it to my OMAX M8333. The MicroSafari guy says I just need to buy type C adapter (OMAX sells several types).
Indeed it does sound a little too good to be true. One thing I've found with dedicated microscope cameras is that the affordable ones don't allow for control of frame rate, and at higher magnifications the shutter speed goes well below what is required for smooth video. So I'd see if you can look online for a review of the camera. I use a mirrorless camera (Nikon Z6) because it allow for very easy control of shutter speed. @@fredashay
Greetings my friend! Please tell me how to be!? I have a canon eos 80d. there is no sharpness at 4x magnification. only on 10× 40× and 100×. But! If I put another slideglass under 4x the sharpness appears. What adapter do I need for my APS-C mirrorcamera? Thank you as always!
Hi Dima. Does the lack of sharpness occur only when viewing through your camera, or do you have the same problem when looking through the eyepieces as well?
Hi! Thanks for your review - it was really helpful in deciding between this model and one of Amscope’s models - the T490 LED. What mainly steered me away from the Stellar model was essentially the condenser was not removable, so if I ever wanted to add a phase contrast turret I would not be able to with the Swift model…
Amscope has upgrades available for reasonable prices as well.
Nevertheless, the Stellar Pro is a beautiful Scope!
Thank you!!! I’m so glad the review helped.
So after 11 months, how are you liking the t490?
thank you! Excellent presentation!
Thanks
I’ve also noticed the 1w led is not bright enough, but the circuit holding the led is simple to replace. Looking into a 5v 3w led mounted on a plastic or metal surface the same size as the original. Have you looked into anything similar?
I haven’t tried modding to that extent. I’d be fascinated to see how your work turns out!!
I need a microscope that includes everything listed here, with an integrated camera and software. If you have the microscopes I inquired about, please send them. The microscope should be suitable for cell counting, cell culture live imaging, microorganism identification (including bacteria, fungi, viruses), plant pathology, soil microorganism analysis, detailed plant imaging, large sample observation, and visibility of plant leaves, roots, stems, and disease identification ( any company name sir)
Omax has models with LEDs starting at 3w usually for the same price range or less (albeit without the same tier of objectives), Amscope seems to start at 1w and go up to 3w as their standard, $600-700 seems to be minimum for 3w Kohler though, with somewhat decent objectives. Both offer adjustments on condensers.
Amscope seems to offer some higher tier objectives overall, so it seems like that's where I'll start my microscope journey. With more room for upgrades down the line, without getting too wild it seems like a decent bet...They have plan fluor, but not any apo objectives that seem worthwhile, maybe they had a 4x if I remember. Stopping at Fluor would likely be my goal, as it would allow me to use for future upgrades like an actual fluorescent setup, rather than just a highly upgraded biological setup. It will be for work, but I also plan on posting tons of pics and want that top quality of course!
The only reason I didn't jump on Swift were the exact reasons you mentioned. Namely the adjustable condenser and 1w LED. This video is great because it's not just about swift explicitly, it goes to show what really matters when buying this type of economic compound microscope, and goes to show that some truly great images can be had while staying budget friendly. Your captures look great and can make out so much detail. The technology sure has come a long way, or at least the affordability. Really appreciate the video as I'm a total beginner and looking forward to comparisons to help others decide what's best for their uses! This cleared up a ton.
Thank you so much for the information and the complements!!! It continues to amaze me that good quality microscopes are available at reasonable prices. It’s opened up the “small world” to so many.
I look forward to hearing what scope you ultimately purchase, it’s details, and how you enjoy it.
Thank you so much, again, for your wonderful comments!!!
@@zoominmicroscopy oh boy, the drama with Amscope hahaha I game on Xbox so need to use VPN for competitive player vs player games. There's literally websites that will scrape gamertags IP addresses so it's pretty much a must have in 2022 lol reason I'm bringing that up is Amscope canceled my order out of no where for my microscope. Had to call prob 20 times, before anyone answered...they said sometimes billing/shipping details don't match up and orders are cancelled and they'd find out in an hour what happened in my particular case. Jump to 4 days later lol
My card was charged already at this point...meaning it was all paid for, and then cancelled afterwards even though my information lined up. After numerous emails and calls back and forth, days later I come to find out (they mentioned in one of the last emails) it cancels orders automatically if it detects fraud and apparently it uses IP addresses to verify orders placed. Many emails to get to this point, although it did resolve the issue finally. I am greatful they stuck with it, to allow us to pinpoint the problem. Still tho...
I've been ordering from online sites as much as the next person, never once had an issue until now. What bugged me was the phss poor communication from them and the out of no where cancelation after being charged. If there was fraud detected why not block the charge initially?
@@zoominmicroscopy Whole ordeal was very silly, and they could have just reached out to verify additional details or something, as there was certainly no fraud happening. Or at least asked me to re-place the order from an IP that wasn't a VPN company? What a hassle.
Got an Omax one off Amazon, the popular compact compound one (LED, mechanical stage, adjustable condenser etc) and was using it before I even heard back from Amscope. Will be the beater haha Same supplier or parent company between Amscope and Omax I believe but for me the importance was the Omax was "shipped by", "sold by", and "customer service provided by" AMAZON 😂😂 it'll be my travel/beater microscope and it's been so incredible so far!! Being compact may not be the best for long term usage but seems perfect for travel. They have a soft case, and seems easy enough to put in backpack for field analysis (soil in my case).
I’ll have to check out the Omax “travel, beater” 😀.Due to supportive comments from you and others about the reviews, I’ve decided to start reviewing low cost scopes. At present I can’t afford to give away scopes that I review, but that will be the goal. For now I’ll be selling the scopes at a reduced cost after doing a full 3-month review. So thank you for inspiring this idea!!
Wow! I’m sorry to hear of the troubles ordering from Amscope
I have a hard time finding anything good in the China microscope brands, even though they appear to have nice designs on the surface, when you dig deeper they all seem to have major shortcomings. So I'm leaning towards saving up for a used Leica or Olympus microscope.
While you are searching, do not dismiss Meiji microscopes (made entirely in Japan) that utilize metal gears and, in my opinion, feature a far superior build quality as compared with Chinese scopes.
@@edwardcatingGreat tip! Thanks I will consider Meiji. Would you happen to know the major differences between Meiji MT5300H and Leica DMLS? On the surface they appear to be somewhat similar (I haven’t looked in depth yet)
@@ddbear8786 I do not. My Meiji is the MT4200L for basic brightfield.
Thanks for the tip edward! I ended up buying a used Meiji MT5300H. It appears the lab was selling it because it had a broken on/off switch which I easily replaced. What do you think of this model?@@edwardcating
Thanks ever so much for this review! Most helpful! I have had difficulty getting any response from Swift as well, which is quite off putting! I haven't bought my scope yet - which, you'd think, they'd be keen to reel me in! 🙃
Anyway, my question to them, was what was, how exactly does the 'Stellar 1 Pro-T' differ from the 'Stellar 1-T'. But you have now made me question whether the Swift is thebest option for me at all 🙈
Did you upgrade? And if yes, can you give me pointers, please? Price-wise, realistically, I think this is my max... Many thanks in advance!
I’m not sure what the difference is between the T and the pro T. All I see out there is the pro T, so maybe the T is a discontinued item with 160 mm optics.
Soon I’ll be pulling the trigger on the Motic BA310 Elite. Just have to do a little financial forecasting.
What is the use for infinity objectives if you don't have any accessories to put in thecloptical path? Do they sell a an analyser for that purpose?
The optical
There is no advantage that I know of to infinity objectives other than that which you mentioned. To my knowledge, Swift does not sell an analyzer. Thank for your question!
I have noticed significant dust and grime when I look through my eyepieces. It does not rotate with eyepieces, head or the objectives. It is seen at all magnifications. It is not seen through the camera port. However, moving eyes laterally when looking through the eyepieces, I can see them shift, so I’m quite certain it’s in the head. Have you had this problem? Quite interested in how to clean the trinocular head to get a clear image.
Have you been removing your eye pieces often to insert cameras? That’s the only way I can image having dirt in that area.
I have to admit I’m no pro on cleaning other than routine maintenance. At the college where I worked, we had a specialist come in and service the scopes once a year.
@microbehunter did a nice video on deep cleaning, and though he hocused largely on the condenser and below, I wouldn’t be surprised if he (Oliver) has expertise in cleaning in the head of the scope. He seems to be good at answering questions and has live streams too. I’ll think more on your problem, because t I think @microbehunter would be a good person to ask.
@@zoominmicroscopy so just confirming, you have a clear image at higher magnifications?
@@flocci22n yes
Thanks for the video. Do you have an idea of what microscope that you may upgrade to? cheers
Thank you! I've looked at the Motic BA210 and 310, but will keep exploring. Do you have a suggestion?
@@zoominmicroscopy Sorry I have no suggestions. I have just been browsing through a bunch of Microscope brands.
Thanks anyway, I’ll certainly share what I find. Maybe I’ll do a video comparing the specs of various scopes. Thank you for your comments!!
No thank you! Looking forward to future videos.
@@zoominmicroscopy If you are going for the Motic BA series, you should totally consider the Panthera! From some websites, it shows that the image quality produced by the Panthera is slightly sharper. I own a Panthera C2 binocular and the result it produces is stunning. One problem some has pointed out is that compared to the BA series, its trinocular light split is 50:50 which is not ideal for techniques that require more light(eg darkfield) as to the 80:20, (80 to camera 20 to eyepiece) for the BA. You could add on a beam splitter with a 80:20 ratio additionally but might not work well with a DSLR or mirrorless camera as it is facing horizontally. Despite that, both of them are two very great scopes!
Can you put a 3 watt light bulb in place of the 1 watt? Is the auto shut off feature a problem? If you want to turn the auto feature off, can you? Enjoyed the video, although, I would have liked to have seen how you hook up a camera. I have a Nikon DSLR 7500, will this work on the microscope? Thank you.
I haven't tried putting a 3 watt bulb in yet, but I'll soon try. The auto shut off feature can be a bit frustrating- if the light intensity is not adjusted for 30 minutes the scope shuts off without warning. Turning it back on only takes adjusting the light intensity again, but if you're following a microbe on camera and the screen suddenly goes dark, it is disappointing.
I have just started using a Nikon Z6. The camera adapter I am currently using is from amscope. primelabmed.com/product/amscope-ca-nik-slr-nikon-slr-dslr-camera-adapter-for-microscopes. It has an F-mount, so it will fit your Nikon DSLR. (I use an additional T ring that fits Z mounts, but you won't need that). It has a 2x lens in it, and it is solid, but I don't have any other adapters to which I can compare it to evaluate the image quality. I then use an HDMI (HDMI to HDMI mini) to connect it to a monitor. I haven't hooked it up to a computer yet, so I'm not sure what software you'll need.
I’m also interested in replacing the LED but have not found an off the shelf replacement. Have you? May be a DIY project.
What would you say its the best beginner microscope?
That’s tough to answer. A lot depends on your price point. I think the amscope T340 delivers a lot of performance for a very reasonable price. But certainly ask as many people as you can- based on diverse experiences, you’ll get different answers from different people, and then you’ll have a wide body of recommendations from which to choose.
Is there a way to know if Brand X Model Y microscope is optically and mechanically compatible with Brand Z microscope camera?
What numbers on each do you want to look for and compare?
Cameras and scopes will generally be compatible, as any scope will project a real image that the camera will detect. There will be reducing optics (0.5x lens, for example) and that glass might impact the quality of the image to a marginal degree, but I’ve not heard of anyone describing any major compatibility issues between different scope and camera brands.
When it comes to buying a camera, ease of use and a selectable shutter speed seem most important things to me.
@@zoominmicroscopy Okay, thanks! That's wonderful news! MicroSafari makes a 4K 60fps 60M HDMI microscope camera for about $200, which seems too good to be true!
I want to mount it to my OMAX M8333. The MicroSafari guy says I just need to buy type C adapter (OMAX sells several types).
Indeed it does sound a little too good to be true. One thing I've found with dedicated microscope cameras is that the affordable ones don't allow for control of frame rate, and at higher magnifications the shutter speed goes well below what is required for smooth video. So I'd see if you can look online for a review of the camera.
I use a mirrorless camera (Nikon Z6) because it allow for very easy control of shutter speed. @@fredashay
@@zoominmicroscopy Thanks again for the advice! 🙂
@fredashay you’re very welcome!
Greetings my friend!
Please tell me how to be!? I have a canon eos 80d. there is no sharpness at 4x magnification. only on 10× 40× and 100×.
But! If I put another slideglass under 4x the sharpness appears. What adapter do I need for my APS-C mirrorcamera? Thank you as always!
Hi Dima. Does the lack of sharpness occur only when viewing through your camera, or do you have the same problem when looking through the eyepieces as well?
@@zoominmicroscopy
no. only through the camera
I can’t think of a reason for that, at present. I’ll think about it, do some research, and hopefully have a suggestion for you.
@@zoominmicroscopy Thank you
Greetings my friend! Why are there no subtitles? I do not understand English. Without subtitles it's very, very bad...
Thanks for the suggestion, Dima. I'll have to look into how to do that.
@@zoominmicroscopy use the youtube transcript..its already done for you