Abstract: A microscope includes an observation optical unit that has a zoom optical system having variable zoom power and an objective lens optically connected to the zoom optical system, the observation optical unit receiving observation light emitted from an observation sample, a focusing unit that has a focusing mechanism to focus the observation optical unit on the observation sample, a light source unit that emits illuminating light to illuminate the observation sample, and an illuminating unit that has a reflecting optical element disposed in the observation optical unit but out of an optical path of the zoom optical system, the illuminating unit being partially disposed in the focusing unit, the illuminating unit illuminating the observation sample with the illuminating light via the reflecting optical element and the objective lens.

Abstract: A stereoscopic microscope according to the invention includes an observing optical unit 10 that has a zoom optical system 501 having variable zoom power and an objective lens 63 optically connected to the zoom optical system 501, and that receives observing light emitted from a specimen 2. The stereoscopic microscope also includes an illuminating unit 7 that emits illuminating light to illuminate the specimen 2. The microscope further includes a near co-axial epi-illuminatory optical system that has a reflecting mirror 13 disposed in the observing optical unit 10 but out of the optical path of the zoom optical system 501, and that illuminates the specimen 2 with illuminating light via the reflecting mirror and objective lens 6.