How does the field of view change when microscope magnification increases?

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microscope Colour-enhanced scanning electron micrograph (magnified 50×) of a bean aphid on a leaf.

When using a microscope, the field of view—which represents the total area of the specimen visible through the eyepiece—is inversely related to the magnification.

As you increase the magnification of the microscope, the field of view decreases. This occurs because the optical system is designed to enlarge a smaller portion of the specimen, effectively "zooming in" on specific details at the expense of the broader context. Consequently, while higher magnification allows for the examination of finer details, it restricts the total area that can be observed at one time.1