Halogen and LED Microscopes: Pros and Cons
If you’re a homeowner, you may have needed to choose between halogen and LED bulbs for your outdoor spaces. In the same way, as a researcher, you may need to choose between halogen and LED microscopes. Let’s cover some of the pros and cons of each.
Halogen Microscopes
Pros
When comparing halogen and LED microscopes, there is one clear advantage of halogen microscopes: their bulbs are easier to change. If using a microscope is a significant part of your daily routine, your bulbs will be burning out more frequently. Halogen bulbs can be changed easier than LED bulbs, and they cost less too.
This means you will save time and frustration when it comes to change your bulbs. Moreover, a burnt halogen bulb replacement is not very disruptive to your workflow.
Cons
However, the main disadvantage of halogen microscopes is that their bulbs burn out more quickly. So while the upfront cost of a new bulb will be much less when compared to LEDs, you may spend more time and money over the lifespan of the device.
LED Microscopes
Pros
There are several advantages to LEDs when comparing halogen and LED microscopes. LEDs produce very little heat, which makes them energy-efficient but also a good choice for temperature sensitive specimens. Furthermore, there is very little color temperature, which means you can view your specimens as close to true color as possible. Lastly, LED technology is very advanced, which means that they last much longer and are of higher quality.
Cons
Despite their many advantages, LEDs can be expensive to replace. The light source itself can be costly, and some models will need to be repaired by a qualified technician. MicroscopeStop has several resources for repairing your LED microscopes.
Conclusion
When we compare halogen and LED microscopes, each has their own pros and cons. However, when we look at the lifespan of the device and analyze industry trends, LED microscopes are the way of the future.