Frequently Asked Questions

To what quality is the Em1 manufactured?

The Em1 will be manufactured to guaranteed ISO 9001 standards with customised injection moulding and casting tools to enable high volume production.


I want to buy microscopes at volume. What do I do?

If you would like to buy microscopes at volume, please contact us at sales@em-microscope.com to discuss your needs.


Do you ship internationally?

Yes. We ship internationally and to most countries. All orders are tracked and insured. If you are concerned, please contact us for more information.


What will my order contain?

Every purchase of an Em1 microscope will include:

  • The Em1 microscope
  • RMS 10x wide field eyepiece
  • 10x, 40x, 60x or 100x objectives (lenses) depending on model
  • Slide clips
  • XY Slide indexer
  • Fine focus adaptor
  • 4 specimen slides and cavity slide
  • 3 x AAA batteries and instructions
  • USB external power cable
  • Rugged foam lined carry case
  • Smartphone adaptor
  • Product warranty

 

Is there a warranty?

Yes. The Em1 microscope is supplied with a 1 year, return-to-supplier warranty. Details of the warranty can be found here.

 

What is the customs duty or sales tax on shipping?

Depending on the policy of each country, the package may be subject to customs/import duty or sales tax when you receive your order. You will be responsible for the relevant duties, costs or charges. However, if we ship the Em1 to you and you live in the UK, the sales tax (VAT in the UK) is included when you check out.

 

Can the Em1 be mounted on a standard tripod mount?

Yes. The Em1 comes with two mounting bushes (1/4" UNC) on the underside of the microscope enabling you to quickly affix it to any standard photographic tripod. This is a particularly useful feature for photography or long periods of investigation and reduces operator fatigue.


Can I use standard slides with the Em1?

Yes. You can use standard 3" x 1" (75 mm by 25 mm) slides. The use of other formats is possible as the provided micrometer XY indexer includes a spring-loaded arm that will hold various slide sizes in place. For formats that are larger or custom, you can remove the XY indexer and replace it with slides clips (included with every Em1).

 

What magnifications are available?

Each Em1 comes with one RMS 10x wide field eyepiece for all models:

  • The Em1-400 comes with objective lenses of 10x and 40x - providing 100x and 400x magnifications

  • The Em1-600 has objective lenses of 10x, 40x and 60x - providing 100x, 400x and 600x magnifications

  • The Em1-1000 has objective lenses of 10x, 40x and 100x - providing 100x, 400x and 1000x magnifications


How long do the batteries last?

At high magnifications, which require brighter illumination, the 3 AAA batteries will provide approximately 300 hours of use - used for 1 hour a day, that's nearly 10 months of battery life. At lower magnifications, the battery life should last up to three times as long, approximately 1,000 hours or nearly 3 years.


Is there an alternative to battery power?

Yes. The Em1 can also be powered by micro USB (cable included). You can also lift the lighting arm and use the sun as your light source.


What does the Em1 weigh?

The current minimum weight of the Em1 is 480g (Em1-400 with side clips, USB powered with no batteries).


At what temperatures can the Em1 operate effectively?

The Em1 has been successfully field tested in sub-zero Antarctic conditions as well as in sub-Saharan Africa. The Em1 supports ambient temperatures up to 50º degrees Celsius. The Em1 must not be left in direct sunlight.

 

How small is the Em1?

The maximum overall dimensions of the Em1 are:

  • Length - 154mm
  • Width - 122mm
  • Height - 66mm

 

What is the Em1 made of?

The chassis of the Em1 is made from a precision high pressure die-cast aluminium alloy with CNC machined bores and mirror mounts. It also features hardened rotational and sliding bearing surfaces, and the general surfaces are aluminium oxide pressure blasted and black anodised. The protective outer casing is made from injection moulded PC/ABS.


How do I best protect my Em1?

The Em1 is designed to be a 'take-anywhere and use-anywhere' microscope and is supplied with a rugged foam lined carry case that will protect it well in different environments and on your travels.


How easy is it to adjust the focus on the Em1?

Focus is achieved with a rotating knob on the edge of the Em1. A continuous cam-action is employed and this novel feature ensures that focus is always achieved within a single revolution of the focus wheel, no matter which way it is turned. For fine focus, a larger clip-on focus wheel is provided as standard to provide very precise focus, especially at higher magnifications.


What happens if the LED dies after purchase?

We run extensive tests on all our components, including the LED - which, when tested, was still going after 3 years (more than 26,000 continuous hours) before being switched off. To put this into perspective, if you used the Em1 microscope for one hour every day, it would last for more than 72 years...

If it should fail, you will need to return the microscope to us and we'll happily replace the LED free of charge.


Are third party eyepieces compatible with the Em1?

Yes. The Em1 uses standard RMS eyepieces (23.2 mm drawtube diameter) and will therefore accept other standard monocular eyepieces of different magnifications.