Another microscope question

[Texas T]

I am researching microscopes, and I have used the search feature here and read some opinions. I realize many love the Sonlight one. I have read a lot about the Magiscope also. My oldest will be in 9th next year, then I have three others all the way down to preschool age. The magiscope is appealing to me right now because it sounds so durable and like something all the kids could use, rather than one I'd have to be hovering over with my life because of it cost so much. Would it be possible for that to work for high school level work? The price seems more what we would like, and I find the idea of it's ruggedness for my younger ones. Opinions?

[April in CA]

Hi!
I have both the Sonlight microscope and the Brock Magiscope and I love them both. The magiscope is rugged and durable and you can take it with you to the park or on a hike to look at field specimens in great detail, no plug needed. However, the standard eyepiece on the magiscope is 5X rather than 10X magnification (at least on the one I bought several years ago), and while you can change the lenses to higher power (you can buy additional lenses from Brock) the lower power lenses are the easiest to bring into focus. For really detailed slide viewing, (which you are more likely to need at home than on a hike!) I prefer the Sonlight scope - love that mechanical stage! In short, you certainly can use the magiscope for high-school, high-manification slide work, but you will have to work harder. If you can swing buying both, I would say go for it - a grat way to stimulate the economy and your science lovers!
Blessings,
April