The Walter Products 2057-RC Basic Monocular Compound Microscope has a 10x widefield eyepiece with pointer, a reverse-mounted nosepiece with three achromatic objectives that are parcentered and parfocal, LED illumination, coarse focus, a disc diaphragm, and a floating stage. The monocular viewing head has a fixed inclination to reduce eye and neck strain, and rotation capability to enable sharing. An eyepiece pointer is used to identify features for students. A reverse-mounted nosepiece keeps objectives out of the way to prevent damage and contamination, and to enable more secure slide handling. Rotation positions with secure, positive stops ensure accurate positioning and support a range of magnification options. Achromatic objectives provide color correction of magnified images. Parcentered and parfocal objectives ensure that the image stays centered and focused when the magnification is changed. The 40xR objective is retractable and spring-loaded to prevent damage to the slide or objective when focusing. A basic compound microscope is used in classroom, home school, and hobbyist settings for inspection and dissection of specimens when two-dimensional images are desired.

The microscope has lower (diascopic) brightfield illumination that transmits light up through the specimen for enhanced visibility of translucent and transparent objects. Brightfield (BF) illumination allows the specimen to absorb light, resulting in a dark image on a light background. The LED light source provides bright, cool light for working with temperature-sensitive or live specimens, and operates on AC power, or on rechargeable batteries for cordless operation. A disc diaphragm controls the amount of light illuminating the specimen. The round floating stage can be rotated horizontally, enabling the operator to turn the specimen without handling the slide. The coarse focus eases use for young viewers. A slip clutch prevents excess pressure from damaging the slides