Olympus and Nikon are the two leaders in student frames. These microscopes are very good for practioners such as veterinarians, dermatologist and health clinics. If you do not use the microscope intensively and you don't need very high resolution a student frame microscope will be for you. They are very easy to use and tough to break. The bench top or clinical microscope is sold across the widest range of users.
Every manufacturer sells their bench top into all the main market areas.
These microscopes have Koehler illumination and are able to do all the major techniques and photography. If photography is the most important purpose of the microscope then a research frame would be better but if photography will only be a part time use a bench top microscope will work well. Bench tops can also use multi-viewing, most research frames can't. Every major manufacturer's bench top microscope is good. You pay your money and take you chances but you won't be disappointed.