Auckland Scientific Ltd
FREE INTERACTIVE MICROSCOPY TOOL
COMPOUND MICROSCOPE SYSTEM
Compound Microscope On-Screen Magnification & Field of View Calculator
Designed specifically for compound microscope systems. See how the objective, C-mount / relay adapter, camera sensor and monitor work together. Change the values below and the diagram updates instantly.
This calculator is for compound microscopes.
Stereozoom and macro-zoom microscope systems use a different magnification model. Use our separate Stereozoom / Macro Zoom Calculator.
1
Choose your compound microscope setup
Start with the objective, relay/C-mount, sensor and monitor.
Advanced settings
2
Follow the image through the system
The values shown on the diagram change as you change your setup.
Biological specimen
200 µm
1,396 µm wide field
→
Microscope
10× objective
→
C-mount / relay
0.55× relay
→
Camera sensor
7.68 × 4.32 mm
Optical image at camera: 5.50×
→
Monitor
200 µm
13" display
Approx. horizontal field of view
1,396 µm
Approx. displayed magnification
206×
Physical image width on screen
288 mm
What does “displayed magnification” mean?
It is how much larger the specimen appears physically on the selected monitor. A bigger monitor can make the number larger, but it does not create extra optical detail.
3
See why monitor size matters
The microscope and camera stay the same. Only the displayed size changes.
13" monitor206×
24" monitor380×
27" monitor428×
Optional: check the result with a stage micrometer
Measure a known distance on screen to calculate the actual displayed magnification of your complete setup.
Measured displayed magnification: 206×
Need help choosing a camera or C-mount?
Send us your microscope model, objective, camera and intended monitor size and we can help check the expected field of view.
Important: this is an educational estimation tool. Actual values can vary with microscope tube optics, camera-port design, relay-lens construction, active sensor area, software cropping and display scaling. For calibrated dimensional work, verify the complete imaging system with a suitable stage micrometer.
© 2026 Auckland Scientific Ltd.
Interactive tool, software, graphics and original content. All rights reserved.
Unauthorised copying, reproduction, republication, modification or redistribution is prohibited.
Interactive tool, software, graphics and original content. All rights reserved.
Unauthorised copying, reproduction, republication, modification or redistribution is prohibited.