What are the types of optical microscopy and what are their pros and cons?

Brightfield microscopy: specimen is illuminated against bright background, used to observe stained biological samples. pros: simple, inexpensive, widespread use. cons: low contrast, limited resolution. dark field microscopy: specimen is illuminated from the side, used to observe live and stained specimens. pros: enhanced contrast, live specimen observation. cons: limited application, image interpretation. phase contrast microscopy: transparant and colorless objects can be observed. pros: no staining is required, live cell imaging. cons: complex set-up, limited to transparant specimens. confocal microscopy: a laser light is used to create a 3D image of the specimen. pros: optical sectioning, high resolution, 3D reconstruction. cons: cost and complexity, photobleaching and phototoxicity.