I am a frequent traveler and I use this to check for bedbugs. Often there will be specks on the mattress and this helps me determine if it's just a fleck, or an actual bug. I like that it has a light too - makes a big difference! Wouldn't say this is for any "serious" scientific use, but it's small, portable, and lets me look at things closer - goal achieved.

Love this one as well as my MicroBrite, A little smaller, more compact, and is a great backup for those places the larger one can't get to. Quick and very easy to use. I use this mainly in the field to aid in identification any tiny critters I come across ( a hobby of mine - biology major). Not sure how it will hold up to rough handling, and since the price was right, I purchased 2 of them. Leave one at home on the workbench, and never leave home without the other.

Absolutely a piece of JUNK. Amazon did a great job of getting this item to me quickly. When I peered through the viewfinder all I saw was dirt, dust, gunk and junk on the inside of the lense(s). Could not see a thing other than the debris in the unit. Very poor production procedures and probably no quality control whatsoever. Yes, I know you get what you pay for. But, if someone gave this to me free I would have thrown it in the trash. I finally did get to see a small image of print in the viewfinder. Again, very, very poor quality. The cost is not great, and I almost just threw it in the trash, but I want Amazon and whoever made this (in their garage?) what a piece of junk this is and I am returning it. Please, please don't waste your time and money/

This thing is freakin' awesome! An absolute MUST for rockhounds!!! Now that I have it, I'll be carrying it everywhere. The magnifying glasses that I got in my mineral kits when I took geology are okay, but they only do 10x. This thing does 60x-100x and it's lighted!! I struggled to look at the crystalline structures of the rocks I collected in Baghdad through my $20 microscopic. Since I didn't have rock tools there (other than my multiple tumblers, my rock hammer and my chisel), I had to try to chip off pieces small enough to fit on the tray, and I had to use a flashlight from the side for illumination. This thing illuminates right next to the lens so it casts the light directly on what you're trying to view. I'd love to share photos, but my camera doesn't have a lens that small.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

Don't expect to see moving cells or anything, but you can see the little dots on bugs' eyes. I bought it initially to look at trichomes on certain plants, and the image is actually very clear and detailed. It's a high quality-low quality microscope, in that it was meant to be low quality, but ended up being great compared to other low quality microscopes. I've had it for almost two years and it's still running great; I haven't changed batteries yet either. The rubber piece on the ocular lens came off after a while but it slides right back on no problem. Just yesterday I used it to get a close look at a bug I'd never seen before, mind you while it was still alive. I managed to identify it as a male carpet beetle once the little guy stayed still . Great great great buy for the price, but certainly not for a professional.