The Nikon SMZ18 is a stereo microscope equipped with an innovative optical system known as Perfect Zoom System. It provides the a zoom ratio of 18:1 (zoom range: 0.75-13.5x). Even with a 1x objective lens, the SMZ18 captures the entire 35mm dish and simultaneously delivers microscopic details. The system dynamically changes the distance between the two optical axes as the zoom factor is changed. This change in optical axis distance enables maximization of light entry into the optical system at every magnification. The result is an uncompromised, large zoom range, high resolution in both eye paths, and minimal aberrations over the entire zoom-range. Furthermore, this breakthrough in optical design enables all of these desirable features be housed in a compact zoom body, resulting in an ergonomic instrument design. The stereoscope also features several eyepieces that allow for up to 270x total magnification. 

The SMZ18 also features epiflourescent observation and has four mountable filter cubes for visualizing the four standard fluorescent wavelengths (RGBY). It's newly developed flye-eye lens uniformly illuminates the entire field of view even at low magnifications, vastly improving the S/N ratio. 

The SMZ18 is paired with Nikon's flagship imaging software, NIS-Elements, which boasts a wide range of digital imaging capabilities, including multichannel, time-lapse, and extended depth of focus imaging.