MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Thought this might be fun, and besides I need sage advice from some of you who know your microscope stuff because I'm out of my depth. I have come across a deal on a Nikon Optiphot that appears to have DIC, but I don't know enough about DIC to judge how complete it is, or more to the point, ain't. I...

rnabholz wrote:The key is to play easy listening music in the lab.... It soothes the savage protist... ;^)

Thought you played 'em bluegrass...?

I love dark field, and am convinced it gives the truest color renditions we're ever gonna get of the things we're looking at.

Great stuff as always, Rod!

Welcome! If I were in the UK I'd think real hard about joining Quekett and attending some meetings.

Thanks Charles, I ordered a set.

I bought the lab jack too long ago for it to still be on the record, so can't tell exactly who I got it from except to to say eBay. About $40. Here's a close-up of what I got, which I repeat is nothing special. I think it'd help to apply dab of reel grease where the threaded rod enters the aluminum ...

Kurt, do you think you can DIY something of similar dimension? I don't know if store-bought glass blanks can be very thin, if so, DIY should not be difficult. What, exactly, are you asking about making again? In any case, hardware store glass runs about 2.25mm thick. Cutting to size and gluing it i...

Many glass dishes have uneven bottom, which is another cause of distortion. Plastic ones are easier to make evenly thin. At least that is what I heard. Well, you've just heard it again, because it exactly describes my experience... Got the lab jack off eBay. I watched them for a while and tried my ...

Fan, the distortion in the glass Petri dishes I'm talking about is plainly visible just with a glance at 'em in your hand. The glass was obviously never meant to be looked through at all. I'd like to find some dishes that have bottoms made like the sides of your culture flasks whether glass or plast...

Fan, I get pretty decent views through the inverted using plastic Petri dishes, but notice some distortion. I purchased some glass Petri's, but so far, more distortion, the plastics are still best. If you run across any in plastic or glass that are made to look *through* I hope you'll alert me (I su...

Thanks, Rod and CE! And thank you Fan, your comments and photo are very interesting (except there's nothing in your little tank!). First, using the microscope stage to mount your micro-aquarium is brilliant, and guaranteed to work better than my arrangement (while keeping in mind they're two differe...

First consideration was make 'em easy to maintain so as to have fewest excuses not to use 'em over the long haul. Therefore, they're large enough to get a hand in, for cleaning, because I just happen to know that cleaning a sample container after several months tends to require some serious scrubbin...

A few months ago I posted a web page discussing my homemade micro-aquariums and slide ringing table, see: http://sawdustfactory.nfshost.com/Micro%20Aquariums/ The little aquariums have been just the thing for observing wee pond critters in a natural setting using a stereo microscope head on a photo ...

Great thread! Me, I'm a huge believer in open source software. Open Office is what got me started on it. Here are a few others I love, and use often: Picasa 3. Agreed, a fine basic photo editing program, I use it a lot. The Export function makes resizing photos to specific pixel size too easy. GIMP....

Hey Rod, great seeing you around once again. When are you going to start posting some of your micro-photography? I swear you were taking some of the prettiest pictures I was seeing anywhere!

Charles, I was eyeballing that one myself, but passed on it in part because I was unsure what it even was. I thought probably a POL scope, but had never seen one with bino head, and thought it odd a POL scope would be applicable to cancer research? Glad to see you got it, and still want to tour your...

gekko wrote:(but you are embarking on a slippery slope )

Man, I wish you woulda warned be about that a dozen or two microscopes ago. Help, I've fallen and I can't get back up!

apochronaut wrote:Great workhorse microscopes of the past...

Phil, thanks, as always, for the information.

Like some other people we know around here <koff>, I just can't seem to stop patrolling eBay and pouncing on bargains when I discover them. I'm trying to show some restraint to prevent the necessity of having to buy a larger house, but couldn't help myself and fell for this baby recently. These old ...

gekko wrote:Kurt, many thanks for your comment. I don't know if this answers your question...

Yep, perfectly, thanks!

Yes, very nice photos! Have you discussed how you manage it somewhere?

...this diatom was pretty full and expanded, I am guessing the striae come out much better when it has been flattened or dried out? Please forgive me if I misunderstand what is being said here, but diatom frustules are basically glass, and neither contract, expand, or flatten out (unless crushed/br...

Hey Chris, I'd like to hear more about where & how you collected your specimen samples?

Fan, are you still into kayaking? I'm a sea kayak paddle instructor specializing in the Eskimo roll (great way to keep cool in Texas summer).

Gekko, no worries, I was mostly joking around, I know I have Professor Google right here if I need answers -- but at the same time THANK YOU for your considered reply! I'm aware that petrologist microscopy is highly specialized and not many people know much about it. Having started this conversation...

Thanks all. Kinda makes me wish I knew what the heck that means.

Thanks for the detailed reply, einman. I can relate to pretty much everything you said. I have a fairly ridiculous collection of microscopes myself, some of which are VERY nice (got incredibly lucky), but I'm always drooling over something even nicer.

I am excited. I have wanted one for several years. My Nikon SMZ-2T is a beautiful scope but the SMZ-U is a step above in terms of resolution, contrast and FOV. I'm curious on a couple points here: First, seems to me that any optical difference between those two scopes would constitute some pretty f...

Hello, daleo! I'm in Texas, and we can hardly speak English here either. No worries, and welcome!

apochronaut wrote:Does it have the capacity to accept filters?

Yes, arranged similar to the 370, only wider (full 1/4"), and with springs clips to hold the filter(s) securely.

I'm curious what the " more nicely made " means? Like I said, I have one of each so it's easy to compare them directly. The Spencer 370 is very nicely made, no doubt, but the Burton has a bit nicer fit and finish. Some of the parts are castings instead of sheet metal, everything is rounded instead ...

I agree with Phil, the #370 is more versatile than the #735 by virtue of its elevation capability. I use mine for illuminating other things around the lab quite a lot, including stereomicroscope subjects and micro aquariums for macro photography. I have a Spencer #370, but also this "clone": http://...