The drive has a manual coarse/fine focusing device using a gear drive and additional fine focusing using a motor. The latter is effected through an eccentric cam, rotatingly supported in a guide plate and coupled with the motor. A ball bearing rigidly joined with the object holder and the microscope stage rests on the eccentric cam. During operation of the motor, only the ball bearing and, thus, the microscope stage are raised or lowered; the gear drive for manual focusing remains stationary.