A microscope system (10, 10', 10'', 10''') includes a laser (18) or light emitting diode (18''') that generates source light having a non-uniform spatial distribution. An optical system includes an objective (40) defining a field of view, and an optical train (22, 22', 22'', 22''') configured to convert the source light into an enlarged-diameter collimated light, to spatially homogenize the enlarged-diameter collimated light, and to couple the homogenized enlarged-diameter collimated light into the objective to provide substantially uniform static illumination of the field of view. A camera system (56) is statically optically coupled by the objective with at least most of the field of view.