The most common form of light microscopy. This is usually the method that is meant by the term "microscopy". Microscopy in which light from a lamp is concentrated by a condenser and directed onto a specimen (which is usually examined on a slide which rests on the stage), then a series of lenses forms a magnified image of the specimen. This method results in an image of the specimen seen against a lighter background (hence, bright-field). One drawback of this approach is that translucent specimens are often poorly visible unless stained.