Celestron 44341 LCD Digital Microscope II

It is a lower-end biological microscope, but it is perfectly adequate for education use and even some less critical real biological work. It is certainly much better than most cheap educational microscopes or the abysmal toy ones. The hardware is definitely a little dated in the sense the LCD display resolution is low and the illumination is a bit dim for the highest magnifications, it uses a mini-B USB connector, etc. The saved files are fine, but focus perfection would be easier with a bit more resolution on the display device. I like that the screen stylus has a mounting spot on the top of the body. The top-side illuminator is basically useless, but it is rarely useful anyway. The stage backlash is a bit annoying, but you get used to it. The focus vernier on my ... MoreIt is a lower-end biological microscope, but it is perfectly adequate for education use and even some less critical real biological work. It is certainly much better than most cheap educational microscopes or the abysmal toy ones. The hardware is definitely a little dated in the sense the LCD display resolution is low and the illumination is a bit dim for the highest magnifications, it uses a mini-B USB connector, etc. The saved files are fine, but focus perfection would be easier with a bit more resolution on the display device. I like that the screen stylus has a mounting spot on the top of the body. The top-side illuminator is basically useless, but it is rarely useful anyway. The stage backlash is a bit annoying, but you get used to it. The focus vernier on my unit was tight, no sign of the slippage some comments mention, maybe even too tight really, I suspect it can be adjusted but I haven't tried yet. I don't love the colour balance options especially when combined with the colour filter wheel. The aperture options are OK, the condenser isn't otherwise adjustable. I suspect it doesn't support modern larger capacity SD cards but that isn't a bit deal. I haven't tried using the battery supply or USB data options. The carrying case and dust cover are actually quite good for the price I didn't expect them at all. I have a much fancier real biological microscope which is obviously much better technically, but for a lot of stuff this scope is great. All in all I am glad I purchased it, I can take it in the field with me and not worry too much if I wreck it.

This microscope has a very serious design flaw if you view things illuminated from above. The included light that shines on the object from above is nowhere near bright enough to generate an image on the screen. You will only see a dark screen until you use a hand held flashlight or other additional light source and shine it on the object you are trying to view. How stupid is it to include a light source that isn't bright enough to illuminate any object viewed? If you've ever used a quality microscope you will immediately know this is a cheaply made instrument. The focuser has play in it such that you have to overfocus just a bit, because when you take your hand off the focus wheel it goes slightly out of focus each time. You can get the hang of it after ***.but ... MoreThis microscope has a very serious design flaw if you view things illuminated from above. The included light that shines on the object from above is nowhere near bright enough to generate an image on the screen. You will only see a dark screen until you use a hand held flashlight or other additional light source and shine it on the object you are trying to view. How stupid is it to include a light source that isn't bright enough to illuminate any object viewed? If you've ever used a quality microscope you will immediately know this is a cheaply made instrument. The focuser has play in it such that you have to overfocus just a bit, because when you take your hand off the focus wheel it goes slightly out of focus each time. You can get the hang of it after ***.but it's just another sign of a cheaply made instrument. You'd be far better off buying a quality used optical microscope off an auction site than using this one. Celestron used to be a quality telescope manufacturer, but has now become just another company making low quality optical instruments while using the name of a former quality manufacturer. I sent my microscope right back for ***.it's sad Celestron would put out such a low quality instrument, and I won't buy any other product from them in the future.

In general I was most impressed with this microscope although I do have some reservations. The build is solid with a feel of quality, it is very easy to set-up and use, the image quality is good, and the excellent case makes it very portable. On the down side, I am sure that the objectives could be more parfocally mounted although this is not enough to affect my rating. More seriously the magnification with all 4 objectives is about 70% higher than the specified values (40x is 70x, 100x is 170x, 200x is 320x and 400x is 690x). This brings with it 2 serious disadvantages. Firstly, at the bottom end one needs a much lower magnification to provide a larger field of view; something that is very necessary when viewing insect specimen and rock slides for example or ... MoreIn general I was most impressed with this microscope although I do have some reservations. The build is solid with a feel of quality, it is very easy to set-up and use, the image quality is good, and the excellent case makes it very portable. On the down side, I am sure that the objectives could be more parfocally mounted although this is not enough to affect my rating. More seriously the magnification with all 4 objectives is about 70% higher than the specified values (40x is 70x, 100x is 170x, 200x is 320x and 400x is 690x). This brings with it 2 serious disadvantages. Firstly, at the bottom end one needs a much lower magnification to provide a larger field of view; something that is very necessary when viewing insect specimen and rock slides for example or locating oneself on the slide. Secondly, at the top end the 690x magnification makes the working distance far too small and I am sure slides and even the objective itself will be damaged by many users. Personally I would willingly trade the 690x for one of less than 30x if at all possible.

I had for some time been thinking of microscopy as a new hobby. I am retired (in my mid-70s) and the lockdown seemed a good excuse to splash out. I have used microscopes before and although this was some 50 - 60 years ago I was sure a microscope was just a microscope. How wrong can you be! I mean, I should have guessed that microscopy would have gone digital. So I went shopping on the internet. The Celestron 44347 TetraView LCD Digital Microscope was my final choice. Most appealing was the idea of a screen view. My sight is typical for my age and spectacles do not help when looking into a microscope eyepiece. This screen is just slightly larger than my smartphone. But the big advantage is that I can take a JPEG snapshot and then send it by USB to my laptop (Apple ... MoreI had for some time been thinking of microscopy as a new hobby. I am retired (in my mid-70s) and the lockdown seemed a good excuse to splash out. I have used microscopes before and although this was some 50 - 60 years ago I was sure a microscope was just a microscope. How wrong can you be! I mean, I should have guessed that microscopy would have gone digital. So I went shopping on the internet. The Celestron 44347 TetraView LCD Digital Microscope was my final choice. Most appealing was the idea of a screen view. My sight is typical for my age and spectacles do not help when looking into a microscope eyepiece. This screen is just slightly larger than my smartphone. But the big advantage is that I can take a JPEG snapshot and then send it by USB to my laptop (Apple MacBook) or even to my desktop PC. It works with the laptop and although I haven't tried it with the PC it should work. It talks about magnification and digital zoom. There are 4 objective lenses which, combined with the camera magnification, give 40x, 100x, 200x and 400x. What you see on the screen is equivalent to what I used to see down an eyepiece all those years ago. The screen image can be magnified up to 4x but that image is a bit blocky. That is a function of the view screen and is to be expected. But again the strength is that the snapshot when sent to a computer can be magnified and zoomed and photoshopped as well as any other JPEG. The microscope itself is robustly constructed and is certainly not a toy. But neither does it feel quite industrial or professional. It is, for me, a grown-up hobbyist instrument. There is much to recommend this for an older child, but not as a plaything. It is not easy to operate although having said that, any young person who has a smartphone and a laptop would be able to use it. I have seen another review where the author advises caution in adjusting the focus because of the possibility of cracking a slide and damaging a lens. I can see that and heartily agree. Another reason why it may not be suitable for a heavy handed child. The vernier XY stage is one of the better points of this instrument. It is also robustly made and sensible in operation. Delivery was timely and issue-free, a consideration in this time of lockdown. However, there were some discrepancies. There are only 7 prepared slides but this was offset by the SD card being 8GB instead of the advertised 2GB. But there was no USB cable, instead there were 2 AV cables. The supplier needs to get a grip on the package department! Fortunately I have a load of various cables and was not inconvenienced. Just mildly irritated and it cost them one star. All in all, I am satisfied with the purchase. I would advise anyone new to this (like me!) to also buy some sort of slide preparation kit and perhaps a couple of instruction books. There are several recommendations with the microscope.

The company needs to update the LCD screen, it s 10 years or more ago, they have RC cables to ,hook up to computer, im would not be surprised if there was a VCR instructional tape that came with it. This is a quality built machine, but to pay $450-600 is rough. The minute they do upgrade the electronics your $600 Penta view or $450 Tetra view will be worthless. I returned it only because the touch screen nis probably the first one Ever invented, i cant even get the picture on my cheap monitor , then pixels are too much. I would have top buy a commodore 64 computer to view the display. For those who bought this years ago, cheers. Celestron also plays games , i bought the tetra view for $450 ish, then im had a Penta view in my cart for $400. When i asked about it they ... MoreThe company needs to update the LCD screen, it s 10 years or more ago, they have RC cables to ,hook up to computer, im would not be surprised if there was a VCR instructional tape that came with it. This is a quality built machine, but to pay $450-600 is rough. The minute they do upgrade the electronics your $600 Penta view or $450 Tetra view will be worthless. I returned it only because the touch screen nis probably the first one Ever invented, i cant even get the picture on my cheap monitor , then pixels are too much. I would have top buy a commodore 64 computer to view the display. For those who bought this years ago, cheers. Celestron also plays games , i bought the tetra view for $450 ish, then im had a Penta view in my cart for $400. When i asked about it they quickly removed it and said i was too slow....

This microscope (44341) works to screen for fecal parasites and protozoa in my reptile. The value for the money is the best and the LCD screen is way better than trying to strain/focus your eyes in a lens. Can't beat being able to take photos and video instantly. I didn't want to have to worry about installing some old software and hookup via USB to see and switch between PC and scope/knobs. It gets the job done, and fine focus isn't really needed for the 400x (but wouldn't hurt). I bet it is needed for a 600x like in the Pentaview. You can see almost anything with 400x. I believe the QC isn't the best as my first scope I got had loose tension on the stage knob so it would droop (as others have noted), and the camera lens had an artifact. I wasn't having it, so I ... MoreThis microscope (44341) works to screen for fecal parasites and protozoa in my reptile. The value for the money is the best and the LCD screen is way better than trying to strain/focus your eyes in a lens. Can't beat being able to take photos and video instantly. I didn't want to have to worry about installing some old software and hookup via USB to see and switch between PC and scope/knobs. It gets the job done, and fine focus isn't really needed for the 400x (but wouldn't hurt). I bet it is needed for a 600x like in the Pentaview. You can see almost anything with 400x. I believe the QC isn't the best as my first scope I got had loose tension on the stage knob so it would droop (as others have noted), and the camera lens had an artifact. I wasn't having it, so I got an exchange - the difference is night and day. I now have one with proper tension and perfect camera image. Let it be known that Celestron made this with proper tension - however, who knows how many have the droop issue...Summary:Pros+LCD screen looks great+Plenty of options (exposure, zoom, etc)+Photos are high resolution, videos are 30fps and look good+See protozoa, flagellates, parasites, worms, eggs etc.+Sleek designCons- Quality control issues? Stage may droop, camera lens may be bad - seek an exchange.- Photo and video recording will turn off and crash the system if batteries are running low - no way to tell if power is low as light strength stays the same. A sensor would have been nice if possible.- The top LED light is not useful enough to see the top of objects/insects. Very faint on the highest exposure; you must use your own flashlight/spotlight to get the desired effect. Note: Higher magnifications close in on the stage too much for it to matter. Use lowest (40x) only.-+ Not really a con but I wish they made this model with fine focus so you aren't paying upwards of $300 just to have it.

I just received this microscope at work for the Engineering Lab where I work. I was so excited when I ordered the scope, so didn't have patience for the item's arrival. Now after I spent an hour with it, I have regrets about this purchase. I understand the microscope is cheap, but I didn't expect to see this kind of cheesy quality, so I don't even know from where to start my review. Pros:-The device is cheap, and it has a color LCD screen.- The item comes with a nice caring bag with zipper.- It takes pictures and clipsCons:- The device is cheap and has color LCD Screen. Although the microscope is made portable (AA 1.5 V battery x4) I dont thing this LCD screen would provide enough light so the object could be seen at broad-day light.- My battery compartment came ... MoreI just received this microscope at work for the Engineering Lab where I work. I was so excited when I ordered the scope, so didn't have patience for the item's arrival. Now after I spent an hour with it, I have regrets about this purchase. I understand the microscope is cheap, but I didn't expect to see this kind of cheesy quality, so I don't even know from where to start my review. Pros:-The device is cheap, and it has a color LCD screen.- The item comes with a nice caring bag with zipper.- It takes pictures and clipsCons:- The device is cheap and has color LCD Screen. Although the microscope is made portable (AA 1.5 V battery x4) I dont thing this LCD screen would provide enough light so the object could be seen at broad-day light.- My battery compartment came defective, it took me 15 min to place the last AA battery in the spot. They installed the last battery spring too big, so the battery wont fit inside.- You'd say that the scope came with power adapter anyway, right. Well, it does come with it, but mine came broken so the 110V adapter wont work unless I replace the adapter, or fix the power plug (I picked the second option, so the adapter is fixed with clamps drying on the table after I glued both parts together).- The scope comes with magnifiers up to 60x, yet only 4x would work great with upper light, and the rest will work only with the light under the mechanical stage (both lights are not so bright anyway). The distance between magnifier 60x and object is less than 1 mm, so there is no way to provide decent light from above.- Maximum size object that you can fit in the microscope is less than 1/2 " and this is when using 4x piece, for the rest pieces (10x-60x) object max size is less than 1/4 ". This scope is ideal for glass samples, but nothing else. This maybe be a right item for analyzing water samples, or microscopic stuff that will fit on sampling glass, but if you need this scope for something else don't waste your money. Actually I have another (normal) microscope with 10x, and I does great job, but I thought that buying a Celestron PentaView scope with 60x is better plus the option to do instant pictures, instead of using my creativity to capture a shoot with digital camera through the microscope ocular. I was able to observe surface of different objects with complex profile, where with Celestron this wont be possible. Make your research better before you decide about this microscope, so won't regret wasted time and money like myself.

Hi. The microscope is built with an interesting concept but has its own pros and cons;Merits:-Portable: mostly I work in the field and less in the lab, as it is light weight, I can take it where I go-Bag: it is very good of the seller that they added a bad to carry along all the accessories-Items and Price: it seems, the seller took care of all the needs, a memory card, cables, everything was nicely packed-Touch-screen and a Stylus: Yes, Although the screen is touch-sensitive, there is a stylus added which is very good for educational purposes. Demerits:-The lack of eye-piece, is of no good. I would suggest including eyepieces in the next model while keeping the screen in the design.-The lens capacity goes a maximum of 60x. I could not infer how it could reach 600x ... MoreHi. The microscope is built with an interesting concept but has its own pros and cons;Merits:-Portable: mostly I work in the field and less in the lab, as it is light weight, I can take it where I go-Bag: it is very good of the seller that they added a bad to carry along all the accessories-Items and Price: it seems, the seller took care of all the needs, a memory card, cables, everything was nicely packed-Touch-screen and a Stylus: Yes, Although the screen is touch-sensitive, there is a stylus added which is very good for educational purposes. Demerits:-The lack of eye-piece, is of no good. I would suggest including eyepieces in the next model while keeping the screen in the design.-The lens capacity goes a maximum of 60x. I could not infer how it could reach 600x resolution. Are you saying that the screen projects a 10x image, then it is something I do not believe.-The screen resolution is low and grainy. The digital zoom is of no use, as I can not see the details. Hence zoom will definitely enlarge the view but will reduce the quality at the same time.-The extra light is of no use, hence I suggest removing it in the next models.-For a camera to be 5MP, as stated, the quality of image is more like a VGA.