Using the e200 in australia - Nikon Instruments E200 Binocular Compound Biological Microscope Set w 4X-10X-40X MultiVoltage 100v to 220v

Living in Australia, I recently purchased a Nikon E200 microscope from OpticsPlanet and was most impressed with their competitive pricing and outstanding level of service. Anyone contemplating the purchase of a Nikon E200 should firstly be aware that the microscope is designed and fitted with infinity-corrected optics. This means that any future purchase of additional eyepieces or objectives must be selected from the Nikon range. Unfortunately, there is no international standard for infinity-corrected lenses; Nikon-Zeiss-Leica-Olympus lenses are not interchangeable. Conventional non-infinity-corrected lenses cannot be used.

Anyone expecting the legendary quality associated with the Nikon brand will be sadly disappointed with E200. The microscope is totally manufactured in China and there are noticeable design faults and lapses in the quality control. Firstly the good news; the optical quality up to 100x is pin-sharp. At 400x the image deteriorates. The uniformity of the variable halogen illumination is excellent. The focusing and mechanical stage movement are light, smooth and precise.

And now the bad news. The binocular head is plastic. The eyepieces are constructed with plastic barrels. The individually-focused eyepieces lack a graduated +/- diopter scale which makes it especially difficult to reset the eyepieces for individual users! The east-west movement of the mechanical stage is governed by a toothed-fiber belt, not a metal rack and pinion. Eventually the polymer fiber will deteriorate and fail. The future availability of a spare belt is doubtful. The mechanical stage is finished in a peculiar rough black matte finish which is impossible to clean if scratched with a fingernail the damage is permanent! My E200 left the Chinese factory with evident signs of poor quality control excess silicone grease weeped on to the surface of the mechanical stage and created a stain which was impossible to remove with non-aggressive, non-polar solvents. The thumb screw retaining the binocular head had a sizeable blob of excess grease wrapping the threads.

The Nikon E200 printed manual has an adolescent-character printed with cartoons for the high-school audience. The manual is non-technical and out-of-date the instructions to center the lamp/condenser assembly are void as the assembly is now fixed and non-adjustable.

In summary, the Nikon E200 is good, but the all German-made Zeiss Primo Star is better, but unfortunately discontinued.

Pros: Pin-sharp image up to 100x
Cons: Not of legendary Nikon quality

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.