A microscope comprising: a stage for receiving a sample; a plurality of fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) which are lens units composed of a combination of objective lenses (16a, b, c, d) and imaging lenses (20a, b, c, d) for imaging light collected by the objective lenses (16a, b, c, d), the observation power of the lens units being mutually different when observing a sample placed onto the stage; and a zoom lens unit which is a lens unit configured to continuously change observation power; characterized by further comprising: a switching mechanism that is a turret on which the zoom lens unit and the plurality of fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) are mounted, the switching mechanism configured to rotate to insert any one of the lens units into the observation light path, wherein said switching mechanism is configured to select any of said fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) and said zoom lens unit as the lens unit to be inserted into the observation light path; a control unit (5,300) configured for controlling the movement speed of the stage in an optical axis direction according to the observation power of the lens unit inserted into the observation light path; a display unit (3,2100) configured for displaying an observation image of said sample; a partial area acquisition unit (5,300) configured for acquiring the setting results of a partial area configured for the observation image displayed in the display unit (3,2100); and a selection unit (5,300) configured for selecting a lens unit according to the setting result of the partial area, wherein said switching mechanism is configured to insert the lens unit selected by said selection unit (5,300) into said observation light path. a stage for receiving a sample; a plurality of fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) which are lens units composed of a combination of objective lenses (16a, b, c, d) and imaging lenses (20a, b, c, d) for imaging light collected by the objective lenses (16a, b, c, d), the observation power of the lens units being mutually different when observing a sample placed onto the stage; and a zoom lens unit which is a lens unit configured to continuously change observation power; characterized by further comprising: a switching mechanism that is a turret on which the zoom lens unit and the plurality of fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) are mounted, the switching mechanism configured to rotate to insert any one of the lens units into the observation light path, wherein said switching mechanism is configured to select any of said fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) and said zoom lens unit as the lens unit to be inserted into the observation light path; a control unit (5,300) configured for controlling the movement speed of the stage in an optical axis direction according to the observation power of the lens unit inserted into the observation light path; a display unit (3,2100) configured for displaying an observation image of said sample; a partial area acquisition unit (5,300) configured for acquiring the setting results of a partial area configured for the observation image displayed in the display unit (3,2100); and a selection unit (5,300) configured for selecting a lens unit according to the setting result of the partial area, wherein a switching mechanism that is a turret on which the zoom lens unit and the plurality of fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) are mounted, the switching mechanism configured to rotate to insert any one of the lens units into the observation light path, wherein said switching mechanism is configured to select any of said fixed-power lens units (27a, b, c, d) and said zoom lens unit as the lens unit to be inserted into the observation light path; a control unit (5,300) configured for controlling the movement speed of the stage in an optical axis direction according to the observation power of the lens unit inserted into the observation light path; a display unit (3,2100) configured for displaying an observation image of said sample; a partial area acquisition unit (5,300) configured for acquiring the setting results of a partial area configured for the observation image displayed in the display unit (3,2100); and a selection unit (5,300) configured for selecting a lens unit according to the setting result of the partial area, wherein said switching mechanism is configured to insert the lens unit selected by said selection unit (5,300) into said observation light path.