MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Well in the words of my local microscope service guy.. current crop of Chinese scopes can almost be considered throw away. If they break..they can't be serviced as parts are not sold...older big 5 scopes have been around for decades and still perform better than most of the "new" scopes sold on E-b...

I will echo Oktagon's views. I can understand getting something brand new, shiny and clean right out of the box but the used microscope market is so much better for getting an inexpensive but high quality microscope which can be more easily accessorized as your experience grows. If look in the phot...

Sometimes get some flak for steering new hobbyists towards used stands from the "Big 4", but I contnue to insist that this is probably the best way to go. Not only those stands will grow with your hobby (will accept standard accessories), but they are typically much higher quality. For example, $350...

You can find unused LOMO Biolam scope for about $200-250. Better quality then Chinese Omax.

Yes, thank you. I have it.

I'm not familiar with this particular unit, but the fact that it is not a zoom is actually good for this level of microscopes. You'll get better optical quality. This unit appears to have pretty small working distance (distance between the objective and specimen in focus), which is a limiting factor...

Well, allot depends on what you want to look at. As a beginer, without any experience at prepping slides I would actually recommend good stereomicroscope. You can but a new chinese unit, or used unit from the "big 4" a.k.a. Zeiss, Leica, Nikon, Olympus; although in case of stereomicroscope there is ...

zzffnn wrote:. OP needs to find a good infectious disease MD that is covered by his insurance.

+100

Did you by any chance record this process with a camera? - would be interested in seeing not only how you did it but also what it all actually looks like. I did not, but it is not a bad idea. Next time I do it, I'll set up a camera to record the process. When I did it, I was more concered about abe...

I am a medical microbiologist and pharmacist. What you want to do is financially and logistically very difficult for any single individual without a professional lab. Even for someone like myself (who has doctoral degree in microbiology/virology/immunology), your goal is difficult, without at least...

I am a medical microbiologist and pharmacist. What you want to do is financially and logistically very difficult for any single individual without a professional lab. Even for someone like myself (who has doctoral degree in microbiology/virology/immunology), your goal is difficult, without at least...

why? I want to discover new things, why are you discouraging me? I see newbies posting pictures of their setup which is OMAX as well and you welcomed them with open arms. What if I want to look at blood samples and learn different things about plants and such? If you want to use the microscope as a...

I would suggest cancelling your order and getting your money back. I would also suggest talking with someone with a "medical" background about the feasibility of your "project". If you are unhappy with your doctor find another one. 100% agreed. Compound OR sereomicroscope are not going to be very u...

Compound microscope is designed to examine mounted specimens on a slide. For example, genital wart would have to be tissue processed, sectioned, stained and mounted on a slide. Fungus culture would have to be also mounted on a slide. If you are planning to examine large (1mm and larger) tissue and f...

Yes, that seems to be my impression so far, planned obsolescence... I was hoping creating prisms was more economical with modern technology. But as you pointed out, it is still a niche market. All the vintage de-lamination seems to just be lack of storage care (re no desiccants,) ignorance regardin...

Aus Jena filters are close to 33mm. They will not work in Zeiss West microscopes without cutting them own. It is easily dine in any optic shop where they grind eyeglasses lenses.

You raise interesting question. I have been playing with Zeiss gray line optics for more then 20 years, and thus far it has been more economically feasible to buy complete scopes, cannibalize them for parts and use the parts to assemble a complete working unit with no delamination, having fungus etc...

I was looking at 75RR's floor plan, and single countertop going around the room is a great idea. Now about the sink, since you are not locked in to the location of pipes/sewer, as you will have none, I would mount a small reservoir and a plastic sink on the wall by the door, right next to your micro...

Before you start using specimens, see if you can observe evenly illuminated white circle when you have your condenser in the uppermost position and objective lowered to almost touch the front element of the condenser. If you do, then specimen's relative opacity is likely your problem, if you do not,...

Negative ventilation has its benefits, but has a major drawback for clean labs. You will be sucking all the dust in from the floor under the door and blowing it upwards towards the exhaust fan. I would suggest installing a window AC unit, which has filter, gives you positive flow and climate control...

Something is not right here. Standard 100x 1.25 achromatic objectives should willuminate just fine in BF from 3W LED. Either the condenser is misaligned, or not set up correctly. Another possibility is that's the specimen is not transparent enough. If you take the specimen out of light path and see ...

Boy, you are keeping me busy. Spending my 74th birthday online! My surplus chair is so bad, an ergo height for the desk is 24", think I will get a new chair. My Nikon, due shortly, is an Eclipse E600, the inverted is a Biostar. Your ICM must be the 405? What a cool looking scope. When I mentioned f...

Thanks ainman, these are very valid comments. I think allot has to do with condition on the scopes I used, however having used newly made scopes as well, I must say that unless the scope is in particularly poor shape, performance will not be much different from when it was new. Well maintained instr...

Is Universal still available?

What kind of Nikon do you have? My scopes are all pretty big, Universal with original binocular tube, which is inclined at a higher angle requires lower desk, but I installed PMIII head, so it is less pointed upwards, so standard 36" table works just fine. The same goes for ICM405, they are approxim...

Looks like you are putting together petty good lab. My own is much larger, but it is in the basement. I don't have positive air flow, but I have hoods and clean box. If you have a way of installing HEPA filter in the air path, so AC does not blow dust into your lab, I would do it. The reason I sugge...

I would follow architect's suggestion and have one flush fixture with 4 tubes roughly in the middle of room, and use individual Dazor work klghts on each bench. They are the best in the industry. I use them exclusively in my home lab, as well as at work. They are still made in USA and go back to 50'...

Zeiss stereo scopes are fine. I personally prefer early Wild M5 mounted on AO/B&L boom stand, as well as Aus Jena (EG Zeiss) OPM1. The reason being long working distance (over 2000mm in case of OPM1) as well as sheer image quality (M5). Once you are in the magnification range, where mechanical stage...

A very fine instrument! Wild M20 is arguably the best medium sized scope ever made. They have a large list of accessories which are compatible with this stand. I have had privilege using one, and I think barring early black Leitz Ortholux and transitional black line-grey line Zeiss scopes, there is ...

Nice Canon L lenses