
Diatoms - Nature’s Jewels viewed with a Microscope
Motic America
Diatoms are unicellular algae (Division Chrysophyta, Class Bacillariophyceae). Diatoms are microscopic in size, live in water, soil and moist en...
Read ArticleDiatoms are unicellular algae (Division Chrysophyta, Class Bacillariophyceae). Diatoms are microscopic in size, live in water, soil and moist en...
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Have you ever crashed your microscope objective into a sample ?
At some point we all have This is where the concept of Working Distance comes in. You will see Working Distance (WD) often listed as a spec in microscope or objective brochures. This spec is important as it tells you the distance between the microscope objective lens and your focused sample.
A longer working distance will have less resolution but more space.
A short working distance will have better resolution but can come awfully close to your sample.
When do you make the decision to choose between Long and Short distance microscope objectives ?
It really depends on your sample. A mostly flat sample can afford a short working distance and good resolution. A sample with a lot of differing heights or peaks and valleys will benefit from a long working distance objective so as not to crash into neighbouring peaks.
One other benefit of longer working distance is you have less out of focus areas in a thicker sample. This is known as Depth of Field.
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