optical microscope

Scientist using an optical microscope in a laboratory The optical microscope, also referred to as a light microscope, is a type of microscope that commonly uses visible light and a system of lenses to generate magnified images of small objects. Optical microscopes are the oldest type of microscope, with the present compound form first appearing in the 17th century. Basic optical microscopes can be very simple, although many complex designs aim to improve resolution and sample contrast.

Objects are placed on a stage and may be directly viewed through one or two eyepieces on the microscope. A range of objective lenses with different magnifications are usually mounted on a rotating turret between the stage and eyepiece(s), allowing magnification to be adjusted as needed. In high-power microscopes, both eyepieces typically show the same image, but with a stereo microscope, slightly different images are used to create a 3-D effect. A camera may be used to capture the magnified image (micrograph).