Most middle and high school students have probably encountered the dissecting microscope in their school laboratories.  This is one of the most commonly used types of microscopy within the educational setting and is often a tool to introduce nature to students and hobbyists.  The dissecting microscope is also a favorite with biologists and naturalists because it provides enough details for viewing an enlarged image of the specimen and it is also designed specifically for the cutting and slicing of materials.  To enhance the functionality of the dissecting microscope, certain accessories are used.  These include:

Optics
One singular feature of the dissecting microscope is its lack of high magnification power.  Most units make do with low magnification power lenses primarily because the purpose of a dissecting microscope is to view details on an enlarged image and not to examine cellular structure.  In the dissection of an insect, for example, viewing the minute details on its wings is often a secondary pursuit to the main goal of taking the insect apart.

Buy optical accessories only if the standard optical system on your dissecting microscope is not enough.  The most common mistake with microscope users is their goal to obtain the instrument with the highest possible magnification, something that is most often not a requirement for dissecting microscopes.  These units work well even with low magnification power.  However, if minute details are desired, additional eyepieces and objective lenses may be added.

External lighting system
For school laboratories and home schools, the built-in illumination of the standard dissecting microscope usually suffices, since many units use bright halogen or fluorescent lamps.  Some dissecting microscopes may also come with a substage mirror, which can be used as a source of light.

If more illumination is required, an external lighting system or illuminator may be used.  This is a common accessory for a dissecting microscope, particularly if the unit is often used in less than ideal weather or lighting conditions.  Lighting accessories come as single arm, dual arm or ring illuminators.  Aside from halogen and fluorescent lamps, some units may also use the newer fiber optics light system.  This type of lighting is ideal for use when the observer would rather not heat up the specimen.  Standard lamps often radiate heat while fiber optic lights don’t.

Adapters
Adapters help transition a dissecting microscope from a standard microscope to a feature-rich microscope capable of taking pictures, video or storing images with the use of auxiliary devices such as digital cameras and computers.  The most commonly used adapters for dissecting microscopes are the C-mount adapters, which usually work on microscopes with a trinocular port.  The adapter helps a device, such as a still camera or a videocam to be attached securely to the dissecting microscope through a C thread.

Another common adapter is the F-mount, although for serious focusing and image capture, most users prefer the C-mount, particularly because it works better with a digital camera’s CCD sensor.  This is especially true if the working lens used for image capture belongs to the microscope and not to the camera.

Digital microscope camera
Digital microscope cameras are fast becoming a standard accessory for dissecting microscopes, primarily because they provide a way to capture and store images of dissected material.  However, consider the dissecting microscope unit you have before buying a digital microscope camera because compatibility is a consideration.  This problem can be remedied with the use of an adapter, which mounts on the microscope and attaches the camera onto the instrument.

Digital cameras for use with dissecting microscopes are not built in the same fashion as standard digital cameras.  Instead of a camera lens, most of these digital cameras use the built-in lens of the microscope.  The image is translated from analog to digital by the camera’s CCD sensor.  This image is the picture captured and stored on the camera.  This system allows the user to take pictures of a dissected material or the dissection process at high resolution, offering contrast that is often effective in showing the true colors and fine details of a specimen.

Choosing accessories for a dissecting microscope
For general use, a standard dissecting microscope is usually enough.  The optical system, illumination and specimen mount on board can already provide enough functionality to the student or hobbyist.  Accessories are only added in order to enhance or supplement a feature that may not be enough or is absent from the unit.  Consider only an accessory for your dissecting microscope if it is truly needed.  Otherwise, it will only be a costly investment.