- AmScope GM400TZ-10M Digital Trinocular Gemology Stereo Zoom Microscope

The instructions manual is not very clear and is not of the GM400TZ-10M model. I had to request to the Amscope team an updated manual. Still, it has no pictures at all and had to assemble it through the use of similar microscope youtube videos, the old manual and the text of the updated manual.A very important thing to point out is that, initially, it was impossible to get both of my eyes observe the same image through the adjustment of the interpupillary distance... I tried so many times, several adjustments and it simply did not work, I followed the instructions manual under the SETTING UP part and I could only manage to see with one eye or the other but not both.At the end, I had to just stop caring about the manual and had to do some research on the internet and recall some of my university memories about how to use one. And VOILÀ!! The microscope at its full power and capacity.I definitely have to mention that the tech support got in contact with me and worried about the microscope performance, they even offered to adjust the prisms or subtitute the focusing rack. They were very nice. At the end I believe the manual must be re-written and be more user friendly, with pictures.From originally having 2 stars, I'm giving 4 stars now because I am happy with my Amscope microscope, it is now working properly and is well built to last. Good camera... you need a high speed USB connection and still tends to go a little bit slow... but good quality pictures at the end...

I was so excited when this microscope arrived—until I tried to put it together. The instructions that came with it and those on Amscope’s website were minimal, at best: there are parts that aren’t identified, parts that are supposed to be put together (but are already together, so you go crazy looking for the parts), and non-existent customer service. When I called the “customer service” number, the rep interrupted my explanation of what I needed help with by saying, “I need to stop you there, because this is falling on deaf ears. There is no customer service or tech support.” He went on to tell me that AmScope made too many types of microscopes to be able to offer tech support for all of them, and they assumed that their customers were familiar with microscopes & didn’t need help. I then spoke to a supervisor who answered a few of my questions (after a day or 2 as he needed to find someone to ask). He told me to write back if I was still having troubles.This very expensive scope didn’t come with any tools (even though they’re needed to assemble the scope), no eye shields, nor even an extra fuse (my $200 microscope came with all of those things).Finally, I asked if there was some way to adjust the height of the objective as it did not go down far enough to make dark-field illumination possible—a necessity for gemological work. I got no response. I had no choice but to return the scope & I’m still waiting for a credit to my credit card. (Even though I live in the same city as AmScope, customers are not permitted to return scopes directly to the facility. Instead, I had to wrangle the 50# box by myself to UPS. If I had ordered directly from AmScope, I would have had to pay return postage, as well.)A microbiologist friend even tried to get the scope to work properly & couldn’t.

Setting up with a bit complicated, but managed it somehow. The manual is outdated and some features or options are not same in the new microscope but their email reply was fast to solve the problem. Exactly what a gemologist or a jeweler would need.The camera however is little slow (frame rate only comes to about 1 frame per second or slower). Not sure how i can capture the video at this rate. and sometimes even says USB bandwidth insufficient and even tried changing USB ports but no better.