I originally got it for ID'ing mushrooms with spores and other microscopic features like cystidia and it hasn't disappointed in that regard. I would say it is probably still better to hunt around for a high-quality used model but I am happy with how it performs for my needs. I'll just mention the things I have issues with because other than that the miscroscope is great (coming from an amateur). The main issue I have is the quality of the objectives, you can see my photo has some chromatic aberration (this photo isn't using one of the original objectives but the stock ones are about the same level of discolouration). However, for my first scope they are more than acceptable, but I am looking to switch them out this winter. Another minor issue I came across was in making a dark field filter, I did end up making one but it was a major pain compared to other people's experiences with different scopes. All in all I am really happy with it as a beginner and if I ever decide to upgrade to a new scope I will know what to look for and what sort of features I like. Microbe Hunter's review of this scope is great if you haven't seen it yet.