Search found 41 matches

by paleome
Tue Sep 29, 2020 6:34 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

Good news! Whatever is on a few of my mirrors doesn't seem to affect the image at all. I'm satisfied. At least, I was able to get rid of all of that dark brown stuff, and things look nice and clear now. Thank you again, Apochronaut, Scarodactyl, Element 56, and Hobbyist 46! You all really helped me ...
by paleome
Tue Sep 29, 2020 2:02 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

I am going to take the cautious path. Neither ISO 99 nor white vinegar would touch these spots, so I am going to put everything back together and test the image out. I don't expect it will be bad, but we shall see. Thank you, everyone, plus Hobbyist 46, for all of your helpful input. Have a good eve...
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:50 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

Another description: they resemble dried up water spots on a crystal clear drinking glass. Would it be safe to try cleaning with a vinegar solution, like one would with mineralizations (which they also resemble) ?
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:45 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

If there is no helpful solvent and the spots make a huge difference in the image, can these two mirrors be replaced? Somehow, I have a feeling these won't really affect the image that much. Let's see what tomorrow brings, and by then I will have tested things out. Thank you, Apochronaut and all othe...
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:40 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

Anyway, these spots look like what you get when you breathe on a mirror on a freezing day, just before it evaporates. Sort of like a very fine fog or mist. They are not any particular color. I have not been able to try ISO yet. Have to pick some up tomorrow. Would you also recommend 90%? I have acet...
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 3:31 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

I just saved a draft of a reply, but I can'tell bring it up to send it to you. What gives?
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:26 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

Great idea! I seem to remember being able to see through those spots. I just found out how to attach photos to a post here. I will try everything. Give me a little time, though. Its dinner preparation time. Thank you, Scarodactyl and Element 56! Deb
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:05 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

How do you attach photos to a post on this forum?
by paleome
Mon Sep 28, 2020 12:02 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Re: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

Actually, am I incorrect in calling them mirrors? Are they prisms? Anyway, I was able to get all the brown and hazy, smudging out of ALL of the mirrors. The last two look like dried out water spots, though they are obviously not from water. I was able to locate a local outlet for various concentrati...
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 9:38 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 5480

Cleaning mirrors in objectives of AO 570 stereoscope

I have already tried distilled water and eyeglass lens cleaner with real brand Q-tips. All but two of them clean up nicely. What is safe to use on the other two? They have spots on them as if from a spill (unknown). If Apochronaut or Scarodactyl respond to this post, please read further replies to m...
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:22 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

The lenses were fine. The problem is with the mirrors. I was able to clean all mirrors but two (adjacent to each other). I started cleaning with distilled water, followed by eyeglass lens cleaner. I do not have access to isopropyl alcohol. Maybe I can get some online. If that doesn't work, do you ha...
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:23 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

Oh , WOW! I was correct! They were force fit together. Now I can see screws I can loosen to get inside where the problem is. Stay tuned...
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 2:11 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

I wonder if the swivel housings for the tubes are force fit onto the upper shroud somehow, and just need to be coaxed out by inserting screw drivers between them and shroud. I shall try very gently. This is the only way I can figure out how to get to the swivel mechanism.
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 1:37 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

No, the tubes don't seem to be able to budge. There are no more bolts to loosen from the bottom. The only thing that moves are the small housings around the tubes the oculars sit in, and they just swivel back and forth for eye spacing adjustment. I cannot see how and where the swivel mechanism attac...
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 1:19 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

The long-nosed pliers did the trick, but after I removed the round/flat nuts, and the gaskets below them, nothing gives. I may have to approach things from the very top. I shall try to do so, but can I lift the tubes the oculars sit in, safely or at all?
by paleome
Sun Sep 27, 2020 12:18 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

Hello All! You are correct - it isn't at all difficult to open my AO 570 up and clean lenses. Fortunately, all the lenses in the bottom part of the mechanism are already clean and perfect. The problem is in the top part, housing the tubes within which the oculars sit, and where the 3D of the stereos...
by paleome
Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:39 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

Re: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

Thank you, Scarodactyl and Apochronaut! I will give things a try. I got the real brand q-tips today - no contaminants. I am working on one more project first, then I'll get to the stereoscope later in the week. As I mentioned before, I have some multi-purpose lens cleaner I get from my optometrist, ...
by paleome
Mon Sep 21, 2020 2:08 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance
Replies: 9
Views: 3293

AO 570 stereo star zoom , cleaning and maintenance

Hello all! I just got an second AO 570 with some really great accessories I couldn't find elsewhere separately. The price was great! Everything was fine, except for a problem in the head. It focuses fine, but somewhere internally, the lenses are brown and smudged. I was able to get a partial refund ...
by paleome
Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:41 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

I want to thank everyone who followed, and responded to, me concerning this original post. As a result of explaining things to me, and educating me on how to interpret microscope specifications, I have finally found the stereoscope of my dreams for Paleontology work. And, the price was very reasonab...
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:23 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

Thank you very much for your input. You have been extremely helpful in helping me understand how things can work! Deb
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:13 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

I have to disagree with Hobbyst46 re: mags over 50x on a stereo. It depends on what you're looking at, but for gemological work 40x mag is about where you start to see really interesting stuff, anything that tops out around there feels pretty anemic. I like 40x. Zooming means that you can continuou...
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:53 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

So that means I can put in higher magnification eyepieces, like 20x or 30x, or 40X, to my 571, without messing up the optics? I am pretty unaware of how far one can go to optimize a stereoscope. And what does the zoom feature exactly do, in layman's terms?
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:38 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

I'm able to answer some of my own questions now. So what does the zoom do, as opposed to the fixed body, in layman's terms?
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:33 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

Does the 569 go up to 30x or 40x? If so, that's what I need for my microfossils.
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:29 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

Thanks again. I have a basic compound microscope which starts at 40x, but the field of view is so small, and when I move my fossil to the right, the image I see moves to the left. I need to look at several hundred specimens at about 30x - 40x, and I am not willing to use my compound microscope with ...
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:08 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

The 571 is fixed at '1x' mag, so you're getting 10x through the eyepieces. The zoom models all go a lot higher than that, with the 569 topping out at 3x, the 470 at 4.2x and the rare 480 at 6x. They all produce a very good image. OK, so now I see how you are calculating the magnification. 1X body t...
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:01 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

Re: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

OK, so now I see how you are calculating the magnification. 1x body times 10x eyepieces = 10x magnification, right? Is it recommended to try to get and use higher magnification eyepieces with this model to achieve higher magnification, or would that mess up the optics? What is the benefit of using a...
by paleome
Sun Jul 12, 2020 7:32 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope
Replies: 17
Views: 6014

American Optical stereostar 571 fixed body stereoscope

Hello! I have the above-mentioned scope. It is wonderful, but I need a little higher magnification. Would a stereostar zoom model, such as the 570, do the trick? I have the manuals for these scopes, but with my relative lack of knowledge about some of the jargon, I have trouble interpreting descript...
by paleome
Fri Jul 03, 2020 6:58 pm
Forum: Introduce yourself
Topic: Microphotography newbie
Replies: 24
Views: 7276

Re: Microphotography newbie

Thanks for the clarification. I will try to be very careful.
by paleome
Fri Jul 03, 2020 12:36 am
Forum: Introduce yourself
Topic: Microphotography newbie
Replies: 24
Views: 7276

Re: Microphotography newbie

I'd suggest starting with a cheap USB eyepiece camera. Normally, I'd recommend USB 3.0 or HDMI because it updates faster and is better to taking moving pictures. But your fossils should be plenty happy with stills :-) and USB 2.0 if you want to save a bit. It will be a little bit slower to get focu...