The world has come a long way from the first light microscopes that were used, and one type of microscope for research that is very popular is that of the electron microscopes. Researchers all over the world use these highly technical scopes on a daily basis to find worlds that were unheard of until today's high tech world made them possible. However, issues plague these microscopes for research purposes, and one should definitely take the time to answer a few questions before they invest in one.

The first major issue with an electron microscope is that it is very expensive. The reason for this is simply because of the voltage that is required in order to operate these microscopes.

Light microscopy and the microscopes that are used with it are great for the average hobbyist, but the electron microscope is not for those people. These expensive magnifying tools can run into the thousands of dollars for the initial cost and the electricity bill will be outrageous in the end.

Another major disadvantage of the electron microscopes is that the microscope images have to be viewed in a vacuum. The specimens also require extensive preparation in order for them to be looked at under this microscope.

However, the images are amazing and can be viewed in a three dimensional image with a scanning electron microscope. The environmental scanning electron microscope is the only exception in the electron microscope category that does not have to view the samples in a vacuum. These images should be seen in a low pressure, wet environment.

Electron microscopes can prove to be a huge asset to many research labs across the world. However, if one does not have the correct funding or time to work these amazing devices, then one can have a hard time explaining why they actually needed one of these instruments.

The images that can be produced from these microscopes can be truly awe inspiring for a scientist, but the actual advantages can be overshadowed by the disadvantages that these scopes offer. One should definitely learn all they can about the electron microscope before investing hard earned research grant money into the purchase of one.