10 replies to this topic

[KarlL]

All -

 

I recently bought, for $10, a used set of Amscope prepared slides from Half Price Books. About half are of botanical tissues, and many are torn. There’s debris on many of them under the slip. Some of the specimens are of low contrast. There are a few where the tissues are folded onto themselves. Despite the issues, there is an interesting variety of specimens.

 

For $10, they’re not bad. One will pay much, much more for quality from Lieder & Triarch, something I’ll be doing in the near future. They’re not a good value at $15 or $20. I was considering a 200 slide Amscope set for $122 on Amazon, but I’m going to pass.

 

Regards,

 

Karl

[mich_al]

I found a decent set on the local Craigs List for a great price

[KarlL]

Al -

 

Same set? How many slides? What were the specimens? What brand?

 

Regards,

 

Karl

[Herodotus]

I wasn't thrilled with my set. As you noted, debris and torn samples.

[AstroPhotog]

Thanks Karl, good to know info here since I'm looking for sample slides. Not meaning to hijack your thread, but are there any suggestions on a decent set costing less than $50?

 

Is this the one being discussed? - https://www.amazon.c...B0055DZ3EK?th=1

 

Thanks All!

[KarlL]

I don’t know of any decent sets under $140 (US). Lieder in Germany & Triarch in Wisconsin are said to be really excellent, but they are very expensive. I saw a single slide in the Triarch catalog for $12. Both companies have extensive sets.

 

I do believe I have the set you linked to on Amazon. $17 is too much for the quality. I’m surprised that they are not more expensive.

 

There just does not seem to be affordable quality slides available. eBay has a lot of Amscope sets & trashy-looking slides that are several decades old. The ones I have seen have looked badly mounted & dirty.

[Herodotus]

Id be interested in getting some Diatom slides if any of you know a quality place to order from. Haven't really been into prepared slides, fresh water and sea water, soil samples have been my go to. Easy for me to collect and something about living moving microorganisms registers with me. Although...... some of those guys can really swim!! Hard to keep them in fov

Edited by Herodotus, 22 March 2025 - 07:25 PM.

[KarlL]

There’s an Italian maker who prepares diatoms & radiolarians. I don’t recall his name or website, unfortunately. Again, very pricey.

[desertstars]

I picked up this set at the beginning, and have used it to relearn the basics of the microscope and then the camera I added. They aren't fantastic, but they weren't expensive and they served the purpose.

 

https://amscope.com/products/ps25

 

More recently, I acquired a set of botanical prepared slides from an outfit called Home Science Tools. The company mostly serves the home schooling parents out there, but someone on the Facebook microscopy group recommended them. Haven't had a chance to check them out yet. They weren't as inexpensive, and I'm hoping for better quality. I'll report back when I can.

 

https://www.homescie...tany-slide-set/

[KarlL]

Thomas -

 

I’m nearly 100% sure that’s the set we’re discussing.

 

Regards,

 

Karl

[mikemarotta]

... There are a few where the tissues are folded onto themselves. Despite the issues, there is an interesting variety of specimens.
 
For $10, they’re not bad. One will pay much, much more for quality ...

I bought several inexpensive sets from different online seller including AmScope and gave all but one to the Goodwill along with my five monocular microscopes (children's to "student"). I kept the set of 50 from AmScope, but I agree that you get what you pay for. Shopping around, the truly professional slides seem to be $5 to $50 per side depending on what the subject is. The ones you and I bought are "factory" production. (I have to imagine children working an assembly line.) Most disappointing was the Silverberry Scaly Hair which was folded. 

 

However, if you have never seen Saturn or the Orion Nebula in a telescope, then your first view is always stellar. Later, you get picky. 

 

Clear Slides,

Mike M.

 

Edited by mikemarotta, 29 March 2025 - 07:44 PM.