Administrative paperwork is essential too. Professional microscopists must apply for grants, justify the purchase of new instruments, arrange contracts for the supply and maintenance of equipment, and make sure the lab doesn't run out of essential materials. Running out of grinding paste or a particular stain could bring work to a halt until more can be bought, running out of liquid nitrogen could destroy expensive equipment by allowing it to warm above a critical temperature. Most amateurs hanker after a better microscope or a more powerful objective lens. Everyone has a wish list.
Professional labs have a range of microscopes depending on the type of work which is to be done.
Many other kinds of microscope are in use today, often for special purposes. Microscope technology continues to advance rapidly so new devices will continue to appear in the years to come. The acoustic microscope uses sound waves instead of light, so the images contain information about the sample's mechanical properties. X-ray and ion beam microscopes are available, so too are the extraordinary scanning probe microscopes which 'feel' the surface of a sample down to atomic scales. Take a tour round some of the world's microscopy labs to see what sort of equipment they are using.