Microscopes are instruments that produce magnified images of small objects

Biological microscopes are used to study organisms and their vital processes

Optical and light microscopes use the visible or near-visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to magnify images of objects

Specialty microscopes are designed for specific applications such as metallurgy or gemology.

Electron microscopes use a focused beam of electrons instead of light to "image" the specimen and gain information as to its structure and composition

Microscope stages are platforms where specimens are placed for observation with a microscope.

Digital and video microscopes are instruments that use digital technology to magnify images of objects.