A surgical microscope (100) has a viewing optic (101, 104, 115) which allows a viewing person to view 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), 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 (119) for receiving information as to the adjusted magnification of the viewing optic (101, 104, 115).