Do I need a 100XR objective lens?

A lot of people think they need the most powerful consumer microscope they can find, but that's simply not the truth.

The most common power for day-in and day-out high-powered viewing — even in a clinical laboratory environment — is 400x (a 40XR lens). The 100XR lens (1000x magnification) requires oil immersion of your specimen. Not only can oil immersion be messy and time consuming, it may also result in broken lenses and slides.

Nevertheless, we realize there is sometimes a real need for a 100XR lens. That's why we offer the lens separately, as well as three different microscopes that come equipped with 100XR lenses. They are just as high quality as the Sonlight Ultra Microscope and differ very little from it.

Fortunately, the 100XR lens we carry is retractable (that's what the "R" stands for). Because it is retractable, it will be less likely that you'll scratch your lens or break a slide.

Still, you should know that a 100XR lens will require exceptional care. If you fail to clean it even a single time, oil can coagulate on the lens and necessitate a professional cleaning or outright replacement. If you're willing to give the lens proper care, then press ahead.

You can check out the different models by clicking on the links in the product grid below. Or you can continue reading about the Sonlight Ultra Microscope.