How to Choose a Product

L-2 in handHand-held Microscopes
Hand-held camera microscopes perform all the functions of a digital camera, a movie camera, a gooseneck camera, and a traditional microscope all in one device. If you are looking for one product that can perform many functions, or if you want to supplement all or one of the other specialized cameras or microscopes you may already have, then hand-held cameras are right for you. Students and teachers also find hand-held cameras easier much more easy to use, more interactive, and more engaging than traditional microscopes. View our Hand-held microscopes

L2FullEdKitCloseBestScope Kits
School Technology Resources is the exclusive source for Scope Kits which include lenses and accessories specifically chosen for classrooms and labs. The Kits vary in components to provide a variety of uses and price points. The Kits were designed to make it simple to order just the parts you want under one part number.
Many of the parts in our Education Bundles were included based on Louisiana State University’s development of the Scope On A Rope™ for education and which are exclusive to School Technology Resources. We have accessories such as a stage for viewing slides and water samples, a backlight lamp with our exclusive LightBlocker, various size carrying cases, and our exclusive Teacher Resource CD with curriculum and lesson plans for the scopes. The accessories are described in detail on our Accessories page.
The advantage of our exclusive kits is an increase in functionality for specific classroom and lab use. Kit parts like the 1-10x lens combined with the stand and backlight lamp turn the camera into a document camera, a presentation, and a dissecting camera all in one. To make your scopes last longer and perform better, we have included a carrying case for protection and easy portability, and a CO2 air cleaner kit to keep the scopes clean. View our Scope Kits

MVPGooseneck Cameras
Gooseneck cameras are best used as document or presentation cameras; if that is all you want to accomplish, the gooseneck is for you. They are relatively easy to use devices with a 1x macro lens at the end of a gooseneck arm mounted to a base. Microscope adaptors are available or included with many models to allow connection to a traditional microscope. The gooseneck cameras come in analog and digital varieties. Our hand-held microscopes function as document or presentation cameras when you use them with the 1x lens and stand, and all of them also have optional microscope adaptors. School Technology Resources sells the whole line of Ken A Vision gooseneck cameras.
Traditional microscopes with built-in video camera are becoming more common and are best for viewing prepared slides at higher magnifications if you want video display for the classroom. Since all of the Scalar devices and most gooseneck cameras can provide video out for a traditional microscope, perhaps the best of all worlds is having a hand-held with all its lenses, a microscope adaptor, and a traditional microscope. View our Gooseneck cameras

TableScopeTabletop Microscopes
Tabletop microscopes and not hand-held, but are designed to sit on a flat surface while viewing samples placed underneath. The unique feature of this type of microscope is that they all zoom without external lens changes needed.  Zoom magnification vary by model. The Tabletop microscopes are best for samples that cannot be touched by the lens as the tabletop microscopes are all non-contact, allowing focus from a distance. What you give up is the flexibility of the samples you are able to view as the sample must fit underneath the microscope, limiting the size and shape of what you are able to view.
For many environments, the tabletop microscopes are the best solution.

ComprehensiveT-1901Traditional Microscopes
Traditional microscopes work better for prepared slides and higher magnifications, so if all you want to do is view prepared slides or other types of slide preparations, the traditional scope does it best. Traditional microscopes are typically single user devices, allowing only one person to see the image at a time. Our hand-held cameras all have stage adaptors that allow viewing prepared slides and water samples, but the process is more straightforward on a traditional microscope. View our traditional microscopes