A surgical microscope (100) has a viewing optic (101, 104, 115) which allows a viewing person the enlarged display of an object region (116) in a viewing area (117). The viewing optic (101, 104, 115) has a continuously adjustable magnification system (104) with which a viewing optic adjusting unit (119) is associated. The surgical microscope (100) has an adjustable illuminating system (150), which provides illuminating light (151) for the object region (116), in order to illuminate the object region in an illuminated area (152) using illuminating light (151) of adjustable radiation intensity. An illumination system control unit (175) is provided in the surgical microscope (100), the control unit being connected to the viewing optic adjusting unit (116, 117) for receiving information as to the adjusted magnification of the viewing optic (101, 104, 115). The control unit is also operatively connected to the illumination system (150) in order to adjust the same to adapt the size of the illuminated area (152) to the size of the viewing area (117). The illuminating system control unit (175) controls the illuminating system (150) as a function of the adjusted magnification of the viewing optic (101, 104, 115) such that, in a first magnification range, the size of the illuminated area (152) is varied while keeping the radiation intensity of the illuminating light constant in the object region (116) and, in a second magnification range, the size of the illuminated area (152) is adjusted while changing the radiation intensity.

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