Growing marijuana as a business or hobby requires the use of different tools that other casual growers overlook. One of the tools essential to perfecting the art of increasing the most quality trichomes is the marijuana microscope. A good microscope comes in handy when analyzing the bud quality with the hope of expanding the THC and CBD levels.
A good microscope also comes in handy in checking out if there are any impurities in the buds that could bring down the potency of the final product. Marijuana microscopes come in different types. The most popular are handheld magnifiers, regular microscopes, jeweler’s loupe, and digital microscopes.
In this article, we review five of the best marijuana microscopes in the market, giving you the features that make them stand out from the rest.
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Best Microscope for Viewing Trichomes
Carson MicroBite Plus 60X-120X LED Lighted Pocket Microscope
The Carson MicroBite Plus 60X-120X LED Lighted Pocket Microscope is one of the most popular among marijuana growers. Unlike many other microscopes in the market, this Carson model comes with extra magnifying abilities and can zoom from 60 times to 120 times. The microscope is especially ideal for those that prefer a magnifying lens to a loupe.
It is also the best microscope for viewing trichomes. The microscope is an upgraded and updated model of the older Carson Micromax as it comes with more magnification abilities. The quality device also uses AA batteries, which is unlike many loupe models that use expensive batteries. The spherical lens of the microscope creates sharp and clear images that make it almost impossible to miss anything.
It also comes with an ergonomic design with a convenient grip that makes it easy and steady to hold when using the tiny lenses. It also comes with LED light activated by a button. The LED light stays on until you switch it off. The microscope is lightweight and easily portable. It comes with a limited manufacturer’s lifetime warranty. It is affordable and easy to use.
Pros
- Compact, lightweight, and durable
- Zooms 60 to 120 times to provide excellent magnification of the trichomes
- Uses AA batteries
- Creates sharp, and clear images
- It has an ergonomic design with a grip that makes it steady to use the magnifying lens
- An upgrade of the Carson Micromax
- Comes with a LED light activated by a button
- The light stays on until you turn off the switch
- Affordable
- Comes with a lifetime warranty
- Popular among many marijuana growers
Cons
- Does not come with a return policy
- Batteries not included in the package
- Not compatible with smartphones
- The focusing dial is not easy to use
Best Digital Microscopes for Viewing Trichomes
Dino-Lite USB Digital Microscope
Dino-Lite USB Digital Microscope has some of the best performance features in the market. It provides you with the most explicit trichome images that you will not find in many other microscopes. The magnification microscope can zoom for up to 220 times with a resolution of 640 by 480.
The lightweight microscope uses a USB cable, and it is lightweight, making it easily portable. It comes with four LED lights that you can turn on with the push of a simple button. The LED lights stay on until you turn off the switch. It is simple to use the device, and it comes with software that is compatible with Windows and Mac OS.
You can also connect it to a smartphone or tablet using the DinoDirect connection. The compatibility allows you to take images and videos of the trichomes to study them later on PC. The lenses, made from quality glass also come with an optical magnification for clearer, cleaner, more accurate and crisp images. The device comes with a four-year warranty against material defects and workmanship.
Pros
- Provides clear, clean, crisp, and accurate images of trichomes
- High magnifying abilities to the tune of 220 ties with a resolution of 640 by 480
- Lightweight and easily portable
- Uses a convenient USB cable
- Comes with four LED lights and a switch
- Lights stay on until you finish taking images
- Compatible with Mac OS and windows
- Compatible with tablets and smartphones using DinoDirect connection
- Quality glass lens that provides better quality pictures
- Four-year warranty against defects and workmanship
Cons
- You may need to use a stand for more stability
- Images may look blurry due to instability
Plugable USB 2.0 Digital Microscope
If you are on a budget and need a quality microscope to view your trichomes, do not hesitate to buy the Plugable USB 2.0 Digital Microscope. The camera comes with excellent features, one of which is the ability to magnify images for up to 250 times, making it one of the best in the market. The construction of the microscope comes with an easy to use design that bears a light wheel.
The light wheel is easy to adjust, providing you with the ability to make changes quickly and accurately. It uses a USB cable, and it comes at an affordable price. It is compatible with both Mac and PC. You can also use it with photo booth tools on Linux achiness, windows camera on pcs, apple, and mac laptops.
The microscope comes with a flexible arm that acts as the stand for stability. Other accessories included in the package are a start guide and a USB cable. The cameral also comes with a built-in light that turns on automatically when you are using the camera. The light stays on until you finish taking the images. The microscope is lightweight and easily portable.
Pros
- Affordable and provides value for money
- Easy to use design
- A light wheel that provides you with more comfortable adjustment options
- Lightweight and easily portable
- Excellent magnification at 250 times
- Compatible with Windows, Mac OS, Linux and pc
- Comes with a flexible arm for stability
- Comes with an in-built light that stays on until for as long as the camera is in use
- Comes with a quick start guide for those using it for the first time
- Comes with a USB cable
Cons
- Can only work through a USB port
- Magnification not good enough as compared to some other models in the same class
- The flexible arm is not too stable
- Images may appear blurry due to instability of the microscope
Best Jewelers Loupe for Viewing Trichomes
Dreame 30x 60x LED Lighted Illuminated Jeweler’s Eye Loupe
Jeweler’s loupes are different from the usual microscopes or magnifying glasses. They come with specialized designs that look more like camera lenses. Loupes come in handy when examining microscopic objects such as the trichomes. Dreame 30x 60x LED lighted illuminated jeweler’s eye loupe is a popular magnifier that comes with versatility. It is popular with cannabis growers because if its ability to examine the smallest details in trichomes.
The LED light illumination is bright enough to allow you to have clear images of whatever you are viewing. One of the features that make it stand out is the light focus that comes with excellent precision. The construction of the loupe consists of robust and durable aluminum and plastic housing.
The loupe also comes with a dual-lens that allows you to view the trichomes in 20 or 60 times. Both lenses come with their lights that are easy to switch on. The Jeweler’s loupe also comes with a foldable option and a small case protector that help to cover the lenses for a longer lifespan and more convenient storage abilities.
It is lightweight, compact, and easily fits in your pocket. Dreame loupe is also affordable, easy to use, and comes with three LR1130 batteries that are rather expensive to replace.
Pros
- The construction is durable and robust aluminum and plastic housing
- Comes with dual lenses with independent switches
- It has excellent LED light illumination
- Has the ability to examine and magnify even the smallest trichomes with excellent precision
- ’Provides clear images
- Magnification ability of 30 and 60 times
- Lightweight, compact, and easily portable
- Comes with a foldable design
- A small case protector to cover the lenses
- Affordable
- Comes with three LR1130 batteries
Cons
- Batteries are expensive to replace
Best Magnifying Glass for Viewing Trichomes
Fancii LED Lighted Slide out Pocket Magnifying Glass
If you are looking for a small portable magnifier that you can fit comfortably in your pocket, you will love the Fancii LED Lighted Slide out Pocket Magnifying Glass. The magnifying glass comes with a slide-out design and a discrete appearance that allows you to explore the tiniest parts of the trichomes. Construction of the magnifying glass is a durable and sturdy thick aluminum frame.
The design also keeps the magnifying lens protected from damages. It comes with strong built-in LED lights, with UV backlight that automatically triggers when you focus the lens on the object. It provides magnifications of 10, 20, and 30 times, making it one of the most versatile small magnifiers in the market.
The focus of the lens is extremely precise, and you can view your trichomes without any fear of distortion. It comes with pre-installed batteries and protective PU leather cover. The compact, lightweight, and small nature of the magnifying glass makes it easily portable. You can fit it into a purse, pocket, or backpack with ease. It is also affordable.
Pros
- Comes with a discrete slide-out design
- Provides an optimal focus on the trichomes with excellent precision
- Comes with LED light illumination and a UV backlight that trigger on automatically
- Offers clear images with no distortion
- Compact, lightweight and easily portable
- Magnifying abilities of 10, 20, and 30 times
- Affordable
- Comes with a protective PU leather cover
- In-built batteries
- Durable and sturdy construction of an aluminum frame
Cons
- LED light angle is not too convenient with some users
Types of Magnification Devices
Magnification devices come in different types though they all play the same role of analyzing the trichomes. The most popular types are as follows.
Handheld microscopes/magnifiers
Handheld magnifiers are more popular with less professional marijuana growers. They come with a light that helps to improve illumination, and they are easily portable. The downside of handheld microscopes is that they may give you blurry images if you do not hold them firmly for steadiness.
Jeweler’s loupe
Jeweler’s loupes are tiny devices that you can carry with you everywhere you go. They help to access and analyze the quality of the trichomes, and their magnification abilities are not as good as the microscopes, they are ideal for small-scale marijuana growers.
Digital microscopes
Digital microscopes come with modern and advanced features that allow you to connect them with other devices to view the images. They provide excellent viewing experiences, and they use a camera and a display instead of eye-to-eye pieces of a microscope.
Basic microscope
You can also use the old traditional lenses to view the trichomes. The devices, unlike others, are stationary and come with excellent magnifying abilities.
Why Do You Need To Look At The Trichomes On Your Cannabis Plant?
Trichomes are the smallest parts of a marijuana plant. As little as they are, trichomes play some of the most critical roles in the growth of marijuana. They are responsible for the production of cannabinoids, flavonoids, and aromatic terpenes.
They also help to protect the plants from harsh weather conditions and predators because of their stickiness, and they produce a potent aroma and a bitter taste that pests and animals that keeps animals and pests at bay. The development of trichomes also helps to determine the right time to harvest marijuana. If you harvest your marijuana before trichomes achieve their color, you will end up with low potency buds.
Since trichomes are tiny to view with the naked eye, a magnifying glass or a microscope comes in handy to improve the images. Without seeing the trichomes, you would probably end up with low-quality buds, which is the reason you need to look at the trichomes on your marijuana plant.
Wrapping it up
Every serious marijuana grower should have a microscope or magnifying glass as part of his/her valuable gardening tools. The devices help you to have better control over the time to harvest your crops for maximum potency and quality. They help you to monitor the development of trichomes that play a significant role in the quality and power of your product.
The same devices come in handy after the harvest because they continue to help with bud inspection of your produce. All the above tools come with excellent qualities that will make your trichome viewing easy and accurate.