A microscope is indispensable for studying the smaller plants and animals. The picture on the right is the microscope that I have used for taking many of the photographs on this site. It is 50 years old but it provides clear and contrasty images that rival what can be obtained with a modern microscope. However, old microscopes of this vintage can be purchased at a reasonable cost and are truly a lifetime investment.
At the top of the microscope is a digital camera–a single lens reflex. Remove the lens and replace it with a tube that joins the camera to the microscope and you now have a camera system for recording your observations.
Below is a picture of a section of a plant leaf enhanced with polarized light.
-Brian
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Brian Matsumoto, PhD