To view a live specimen of bacteria, which type of microscope would be best to use?

Dark field microscopy can be used . Its a modification of phas contrast microscopy.

To view a live specimen of bacteria, which type of microscope would be best to use?
I think AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) and TOM (Transmission Optical Microscopy) should be the best. I have seen SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) images in some papers but after this procedure the sample won't be alive anymore.....





take a look at:





"using AFM"


http://www.formatex.org/microscopy2/pape...


http://jb.asm.org/cgi/content/full/184/1...


http://www.innovations-report.de/html/be...





"using SEM"


http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs...


http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/article...
Reply:A light microscope (phase-contrast).