Light Microscope

• Most widely used, all compound (use several lenses to obtain a high magnification) and different stains are available that show specific parts of the cell such as DNA, lipids, etc
• Illuminated by light and focused with glass lenses, no magnification limit, but higher levels blur due to resolution limit of 200 nanometres; objects <200nm are invisible and two points less than <200nm seen as one
• Benefits: Inexpensive to buy/operate, relativelysmall, littleexperience needed, original specimen colour can be viewed and the specimens can be living or dead
• Flaws: Limited resolution (see tissues/cells but not organelles), so difficulty analysing internal cell structures, and specimens have to be stained