Clips on the stage used to hold the slide in place.

This is the rough focus knob on the microscope.  You use it to move the objective lenses toward or away from the specimen (see fine focus).

This is the knob used to fine tune the focus on the specimen.  It is also used to focus on various parts of the specimen.  Generally one uses the coarse focus first to get close then moves to the fine focus knob for fine tuning. 

This is an adapter used with various types of video cameras.  Usually, you unscrew the lens from the camera and screw in the adapter.  The adapter then connects to the trinocular port on the microscope.

When you look through a microscope with two eyepiece lenses, you must be able to change the focus on one eyepiece to compensate for the difference in vision between your two eyes.   The diopter adjustment does this.  The way to correctly adjust this is to first close the eye over the eyepiece with the diopter adjustment and normally focus the mic [..]

The lens closest to the object.  In a stereo (low power) microscope there are objective pairs, one lens for each eyepiece lens.  This gives the 3-D effect.  On a high power binocular model there is still only one objective lens so no stereo vision.

Available on both high and low power microscopes, tri heads have two eyepiece lenses (one for each eye) and a third port at the top for a camera.  Some microscopes give you the option of sending all the light to the tri port, or perhaps half and half, or maybe 70/30%.  On some stereo tri heads with dual power,  the tri port transmits the image t [..]

  A specially designed lens that mounts under the stage and is usually movable in the vertical direction.  It has an iris type aperture to control the diameter of the beam of light entering the lens system.  By changing the size of the iris and moving the lens toward or away from the stage, the diameter and focal point of the cone of light that [..]

When light goes through a prism or lens, it is bent or refracted.  Some colors refract more than others and as a result, will focus at different points, reducing resolution.  To help correct this problem, achromatic lenses are used.  These lenses are made of different types of glass with different indexes of refraction.  The result is a better [..]

The part of the microscope that connects the tube to the base.  When carrying a microscope, grab the arm with one hand and place your other hand under the base.