Nikon's SMZ18 research stereomicroscope combines macro and micro imaging in one manual instrument for convenient, affordable viewing and manipulation of single cells to whole organisms. A high-performance fly-eye lens provides crystal-clear fluorescent images, with uniform brightness across the entire field of view. Using enhanced epi-fluorescence technology, the SMZ18 is better able to detect excitation light than conventional fluorescent stereomicroscopes, for improved S/N ratios and bright, high-contrast images, even in the low magnification range. Integrated intelligence allows SMZ18 to save imaging parameters along with the captured image as a convenient data file.