Swift SW380T Compound Microscope Review

If you are thinking of buying a microscope to study cells and tissues, a high-magnification microscope is the best choice!

High-magnification microscopes are important, especially when studying microscopic specimens only visible under a microscope. These instruments are usually used as biology or microbiology microscopes in schools, research labs, and industries. Microscopes in biological research industries are typically up to 2500x, providing clear images of the specimen. Some professionals also make use of an electron microscope to examine cells.

However, one benefit of a compound microscope compared to an electron microscope is that you can examine live cells under a compound microscope.

Swift has the best trinocular microscopes, such as SW350T, SW380B, and SW380T. The Swift trinocular SW380T is far better if you want to take images of live cells and microbes through a camera. So, let’s discuss its features and performance.

The presence of an extra eyepiece makes the microscope easier for more than one observer to look at the specimen at once. This SW380T microscope comes in 40x to 2500x magnification. It makes Swift SW380T the best choice of microscope for students, clinicians, and university students. Hobbyists may also use it to study and understand microbiology better.

The adjustable interpupillary distance with an ergonomic design and multiple magnifications make it a better instrument than its other counterparts. The rotatable head and nose pieces make science fun while studying the specimen on a slide.

Let’s tell you everything about the Swift SW380T 40X-2500X microscope, along with its characteristics, pros, and cons.

Trinocular	40x – 2500x magnification	The ergonomic metal body design
Larger LED	Oil immersion lens	Ultra-precise focus

Swift SW380T Key Features

The Swift SW380T is the #1 Best Seller in Lab Compound Trinocular Microscopes on Amazon.

It is a sleek-design metal-body microscope with the perfect combination of style, durability, and functionality. It is not one of your boring microscopes. Instead, its ergonomic body and adjustable magnifications make it fun to study and analyze specimens. The handle is not attached separately, which improves the quality and makes it easy to carry.

This microscope lets you view the tiniest details of the samples through interchangeable wide-field 10x and 25x eyepieces with 4 DIN achromatic objectives. You cannot only observe through the eyepieces but also take images by attaching a camera. You may also add another USB Camera by removing one of the eyepieces.

Keep reading to know everything about the Swift SW380T Trinocular microscope.

High Magnification

You cannot make the best use of compound microscopes in biology or industrial labs until they have high magnifications. They are specifically designed to observe specimens such as cells, tissues, insects, pond water microbes, etc.

This microscope offers multiple adjustable magnifications ranging between 40x to 2500x. You can obtain 40x, 100x, 250x, 400x, 1000x and 2500x by rotating the 4 DIN achromatic objective lenses of 4x, 10x, 25x and 100x oil immersion objective lenses.

The interchangeable wide-field 10x and 25x eyepieces contribute to the ease of magnification. You can also adjust the diopter setting in the left lens for far and nearsightedness. While you can lock the objective lenses into place, some people are not satisfied with the stability of the nosepiece.

Trinocular Vision

Trinocular microscopes come with three eyepieces, of which two are your standard binocular pieces. The third one is an eye tube for inserting the camera. You may use a standard USB camera for microscopy or opt for a DSLR with an eye tube attachment for high-quality pictures.

Ultra-Precise Focus

Swift SW380T comes with an ultra-precise focusing system. Unlike other microscopes, you can adjust the focus through the knob to ultra-precise results. It makes sure that the image obtained does not look blurred at high magnification. The microscope has an ABBE condenser, coarse adjustment, and fine adjustment. The Siedentopf head ensures quick adjustment without losing focus.

Don’t forget to clean the microscope from time to time to ensure accurate, clear observations.

Ergonomic Design

While the functional specifications matter the most, we understand that no one dislikes a modern microscope. The Swift SW380T, with its super-sleek design, is the perfect choice for students, hobbyists, and professionals. The rotatable head is best-suited for shared use at an ergonomic 30 degrees to reduce neck strain. It also enables you to view the images from different angles through easy rotatability.

Sharp Images

You can obtain high-imaging quality through eyepieces and on camera at the same time. It is best to pair it with an adapter that you can attach to the trinocular head.

You may take photographs of the specimen from the eye tube or eyepiece simultaneously. It gives you the best of both worlds where your eyes and camera can observe high-quality photos. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the Swift SW380T microscope gives images as good as any expensive microscope.

Sturdy

Did anyone say that having a modern microscope cannot be functional or durable?

This microscope negates this point of view as it is the perfect combination of functionality, durability, and sturdiness. The metal body makes it easy for students, biologists, and industrialists to use anywhere.

It also has an inbuilt ergonomic handle, which enables you to carry it easily. Though it is not as small as a pocket microscope, the design ensures the convenient portability of the microscope.

Alternatives to Swift SW380T Trinocular Microscope

While Swift SW380T is an ideal trinocular microscope for students, researchers and hobbyists alike, there are various other options too. Despite similar features, some have an attached camera while others offer cordless operation. Let’s tell you about a few alternative choices to Swift SW380T that you may choose per your preference. Have a look at these options with additional features that suit your requirements.

AmScope T490A-5M

The AmScope T490A-5M is a digital compound trinocular microscope that has a built-in 5 MP camera with a reduction lens and software.

This microscope is among the best AmScope microscopes with a vertical camera station and Siedentopf head that allows two eyepieces. You can use 10x and 16x interchangeable wide-field eyepiece lenses to obtain magnification ranging from 40x to 1600x. While the magnification is not as high as the Swift SW380 T, the camera enables you to produce high-quality images without purchasing another.

The eyepieces come with interpupillary adjustment of 55mm to 75mm to modify the distance for your convenience. The head of the microscope is 360-degree rotatable with a 30-degree vertical inclination head. It provides a more detailed and precise look at the specimen without straining your neck.

Four inbuilt DIN achromatic optical-glass objective lenses, including the 4x, 10x, 40x Spring, and 100x Spring and Oil immersion improve sample examination. You can also adjust the focus through the rack-and-pinion focus control along with adjustable halogen and LED light. AmScope T490A-5M comes with three color filters: blue, green, and yellow to observe prepared microscope slides.

The best feature of this microscope is the in-built high-quality camera with a CMOS sensor. Besides capturing images, you can also edit them. Use the USB cable to view them on a PC or projector for your students or in meetings.

OMAX M83EZ-C02

Contrary to the AmScope T490A-5M, this microscope has a higher magnification of up to 2500x. The M83EZ-C02 is one of the best OMAX microscopes. It has 10x and 25x achromatic eyepiece lenses instead of 16x to provide a clear and magnified view of the specimen.

The transmitted illuminator on the lower side brightens the image using an LED light with adjustable intensity. You can also adjust the interpupillary distance between the eyepieces and the ocular diopter for better vision.

The camera in this microscope is 640 x 480 pixels with true color technology and a 0.45x reduction lens for a wider field of view. Conveniently view and take images through the camera and display them on Windows or Mac OS. It enables you to capture and edit images and videos. Meanwhile, it measures the angles and lengths of the specimen.

This microscope is the ideal choice for you if you want a durable piece of an instrument with a long-time warranty. Omax offers a 5-year warranty against manufacturing defects. However, be ready to receive a box without any manual as many users mention the issue. You may find operational instructions online.

AmScope – 40X-2500X LED Digital Binocular Compound Microscope

This highly-functional and customizable microscope by AmScope is #3 in Lab Compound Binocular Microscopes.

When purchasing the AmScope 40X-2500X LED Digital Binocular Compound Microscope with a 3D stage, you can choose different camera resolutions for varying prices. You may select a microscope without a camera or opt between 1MP, 3MP, and 5MP. It is functional and looks super classy with a white body.

The AmScope 40X-2500X LED Digital Binocular Compound Microscope with 3D stage is used widely in clinics and educational institutions. Just like M150c, It offers 6 wide-field magnification levels 40x, 100x, 250x, 400x, 1000x, and 2500x. The lenses are high-quality and give clear images and videos. The versatile choices of magnifications within one microscope combined with a high-performance camera make this a popular choice.

The 30-degree tilted binocular head ensures comfort besides precision. Two interchangeable eyepieces and four different high-quality achromatic objective lenses ensure improved color accuracy and resolution. It is sturdy, made of high-quality material, and looks sophisticated compared to many other models. It is compatible with Windows to save and edit images and videos. You may edit the images using Photobooth, but it does not work well with Mac OS.

Moreover, the camera attached to one of the eyepieces might be uncomfortable for some people. It eliminates the choice to see from either eyepiece.

Yet, it’s definitely a steal for the price offered by AmScope for this microscope.

AmScope T490B-DK 

If you are looking for a trinocular microscope with an abbe condenser, bright field/ dark field illumination, and a sliding head, AmScope T490B-DK is your ultimate microscope!

The AmScope T490B-DK trinocular microscope is one of the finest pieces and comes with 10x and 20x eyepieces offering up to 2000x magnification. It is reasonably priced for science enthusiasts and professional observers. The microscope has an optical-glass DIN achromatic Spring and oil immersion optical glass lenses. You may use it to observe cells, tissues, bacteria, fungi, viruses, and germs. Its built and high magnification makes it suitable for educational and research applications alike.

This one comes with adjustable intensity halogen illumination and a 1.25 NA Abbe condenser compared to several other microscope models. The bright field and dark field features provide bright, clear images in bright and dark areas regardless of available light. You can use it even in spaces with limited light without worrying about the colors and quality of images.

The mechanical stage has 1mm, stage divisions, with a double layer for improved focus and clarity and graduated fine and coarse focus to avoid stage drift. You may change the interpupillary distance between the eyepieces without changing the tube length. It makes observation of the specimen more convenient for you apart from the 30-degree tilt.

This microscope does not come with an inbuilt camera, but you can attach one to the third eyepiece (eye tube). Attaching a USB microscope camera to the eye tube lets you take accurate images. Display them on a larger screen such as a PC, laptop, or projector using a connecting cable.

SWIFT Stellar 1 Pro-T

As the name gives away, the SWIFT Stellar 1 Pro-T is a stellar microscope with modern technology and cordless operation.

It does not have a traditional design with a long eye tube for the USB camera. Instead, it comes with a photo port to take clear and crisp images of the specimen. The Siedentopf head, tilted at a 30-degree ergonomic angle, helps reduce neck strain when examining the samples.

The SWIFT Stellar 1 Pro-T has a built-in “quick start guide” to help amateur users take clear images; even if you are not familiar with the microscope previously. The focus guidelines let you align the markings easily and focus quickly.

Talking of focus, the high-intensity color-balanced portable LED illumination contributes to bright, clear images. You can improve the observation and image quality by adjusting the fine focus and coarse knobs for desired quality.

It is the best choice for a portable microscope because of its cordless power and sleek design. You can use it as a transportable device by connecting it to a portable battery pack. Alternatively, you may operate it at 5V, making it energy efficient besides being reliable and safe.

If you did not know about this amazing feature, the SWIFT Stellar 1 Pro-T saves power by automatically switching off. However, the brightness does not go dim for 30 minutes in case the observer needs to take an image to examine the cells or bacteria under a microscope. The microscope is easy to use, store, and transport with energy-saving features.

The Bottom Line

The Swift SW380T is an efficient trinocular for science enthusiasts, students, researchers, and industrialists. It allows you to take clear, accurate pictures while you examine the samples through the binocular eyepiece lenses.

However, some other users complain that the condenser is not aligned with the objectives. Thus, the pictures are not as precise as they should be.

You may consider alternative options like Celestron 44340 LCD Digital microscope or models mentioned above if you are looking for a similar microscope with a binocular or trinocular head or in-build camera.

We hope this Swift SW380T microscope review will help you decide on the right compound microscope for your needs that may also take images and videos. You can check these digital microscopes if you want to go for that option.

Let us know about your choice of a high-magnification lab-grade microscope in the comments!