Digital microscope

A digital microscope is a variation of a traditional optical microscope that uses optics and a digital camera to output an image to a monitor, sometimes by means of software running on a computer. A digital microscope often has its own in-built LED light source, and differs from an optical microscope in that there is no provision to observe the sample directly through an eyepiece. Since the image is focussed on the digital circuit the entire system is designed for the monitor image. The optics for the human eye are omitted.

Digital microscopes are commonly low priced commercial microscopes designed for use with a computer, although advanced systems that do not require a separate computer can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The low price commercial microscopes normally omit the optics for illumination (for example Köhler illumination and phase contrast illumination) and are more akin to webcams with a macro lens. For information about stereo microscopes with a digital camera in research and development, see optical microscope.

An early digital microscope was made by a lens company in Tokyo, Japan in 1986, which is now known as Hirox Co Ltd. It included a control box and a lens connected to a computer. The original connection to the computer was analog through an S-video connection. Over time that connection was changed to Firewire 800 to handle the large amount of digital information coming from the digital camera. But some of their current advanced versions are all-in-one and do not require a computer. The most advanced all-in-one systems now have HD monitors built-in.

Invention of the USB port resulted in a multitude of USB microscopes ranging in quality and magnification. They continue to fall in price, especially compared with traditional optical microscopes. They offer high resolution images which are normally recorded directly to a computer, and which also use the computer power for their built-in LED light source. The resolution is directly related to the number of megapixels available on a specific model, from 1.3 MP, 2 MP, 5 MP and upwards.

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