MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

A big reason why isopropyl alcohol should be kept in a tightly closed container is that it is very hygroscopic, at least until it dilutes itself down to 65% (35% water).

75RR, I agree with everything you have laid out about ebay descriptive terms. However, I do think that necessarily ascribing nasty motives to a vendor (i.e., 'playing' you) is often inaccurate. Many of these mass vendors of used equipment may just be covering themselves against over-representing the...

For the neophytes reading the above, I second Apo's analysis of ebay returns. I have had very good luck with 'no returns' in getting a refund and/or free ship-back. In many cases, the seller gave a refund and said 'just keep it, no problem', not wanting to go through the headache of putting it back ...

Perhaps part of the cognitive disconnect that raises questions like this, i.e., I feel sorry for my microbes on my slide, I hate to hurt them, is it ok to flush them, etc., etc., arises from the mere fact that when examined under the microscope, the apparent size of the microlife is very macro, and ...

A great clinical/lab microscope, of an era between the older heavy brass-and-steel beauties, and the modern stylish-but-plastic Chinese-made types. Some of the best planachro optics out there. Look for one with: 1) full complement of objectives, and a couple of eyepieces, 2) smooth focusing througho...

1. No. Yes. 2. No. 3. It is labeled DIC because it is a strain-free, i.e., won't exhibit any colors when examined with polarized light; obviously that would interfere with DIC or polarization effects when using those techniques. Strain-free was originally required for polarization techniques, e.g., ...

+1, Apo. Well stated.

I certainly can appreciate both perspectives: the desire for some anonymity on the part of the poster, yet the frustration of readers who wonder "where the heck are you posting from?" Many posters, especially neophytes who are asking for advice on a possible purchase, are strongly encouraged to add ...

Most comparisons, very much such as the one you linked to, are specious, and are generally poorly done. It is most always an apples-to-oranges comparison: the N.A.s are not the same; the focus is on different points of the specimen for the different lenses; the magnifications are not the same; the p...

Member wporter is in the midst of a move and does not have access to documentation, nor his Reichert objectives, so he's not much help. My scope is a Univar, but uses some of the same optics as the Polyvar Met. But I will say that the Plan Fluors go down at least to 5x, although quite frankly, at th...

DNA is visible with a 100x objective, but it is all coiled up (with the coils coiled, etc.) into a chromosome. So you will not be able to see the actual double-helix of DNA, just the giant hyper-organized wad that is the chromosome: a reduction in length from the meter(s)-long DNA strand into a chro...

The ornamental design is downloadable from here (USD308879, 1990): http://www.freepatentsonline.com/D308879.html The rubber objective turret cover patent (!) along with a lot more (!?), is detailed here (US 4,770,520, 1988): http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4770520.html Why the patent 4,770,520 has ...

"I have usually heard it described as the FoV you'd get at 1x..." Yes, that's right; thanks, Scarodactyl. It is still a cumbersome number. So you have a real FOV with a 60x objective, e.g., that in microns will be (FOVmm*1000)/60). Fine; you want to measure a critter's length for a scale bar on the ...

Well said, Phil. Nice summary. I, too, would prefer standardization on apparent field. FOV in mm seems somehow extracted from some sort of optical design calculations, with not much users can relate to. It would be nice to have an easy way to determine apparent field of an eyepiece (relative field s...

"I'm wondering if it would be possible to put together a best guess on the attributes of various AO/Reichert/Leica infinity optics?" What a great idea. Maybe also separate columns for thread size (e.g., M28 for some of the Reichert Austria ones for the Univar/Polyvars), and for the needed type of ey...

It's a one-part, UV-hardening liquid. Relative to epoxies or other messy or problematic adhesives like super glues, very nice stuff to work with. For those who are using it to repair joined prism assemblies, stacked lenses, or other complex arrangements, some kind of jig or other hold-it-all-in-plac...

"Do you have to put the resin in a vacuum to remove possible bubbles?" No, definitely not. Although this depends on not having any entrained bubbles to begin with. Bubbles will arise from shaking the Norland bottle before using, or from applying in a manner that adds bubbles as you apply a drop to o...

For curing Norland 61, I use a UV flashlight for the initial set, at a few different angles for 20 min-1 hour total exposure. I then lay it out in the sun for a couple of days, usually placing the lens or prism on top of a mirror or white cardboard. Never had any failures, knock on wood.

You've sorta answered your own question.... Not to harsh on the inquiry, because it's a good one, and the images are good, too, but you must decrease the number of variables. That is, image the same subject, at the same magnification, polarizer angle, lighting (as much as possible), etc. You cannot ...

The EFs are the lowest grade of objective, I believe achromats. You might want to purchase only the NPL (near-plan?) or the better PL (wider zone of planarity than NPL).

Really well-done exposition and images, Phil. Very nice comparisons.

I wish we had more of this kind of answer on this forum; good images of this or that to support a point are generally worth much more than mere verbal descriptions.

Very dramatic, and nicely focused.

You might get a manual for this Zeiss and become familiar with the DIC components that are necessary, and then talk to the seller to make sure all of the components come with the scope. Oftimes sellers claim DIC, but half or all of the needed parts are defective or missing. It is highly desirable th...

Viewing eyepieces will also project a real image, and are not that different from projection eyepieces in that regard. This is easily confirmed by holding a ground glass screen or frosted slide above your normal (viewing) eyepiece; you will get a real image projected upon the screen. The real and vi...

This may help or not:

https://www.microscopyu.com/tutorials/eyepiece

The objectives marked 'DIC' don't have internal prisms, but rather have high-quality strain-free & occlusion-free optical glass. There is still a need for a prism external to and above the objective, and one below the objective. See the below page for a nice color graphic (Fig. 1) of a DIC optical s...

I don't need any of these parts at the moment; too much duplication of what I have already. Thanks for the heads-up, though.

Anyone else? Even though it's on Facebook Marketplace (which I guess is like Craigslist), the seller may package it up and ship it for a small sum.

It might work; it has to fit properly. The Leitz stage for this scope looks just like an upright scope x-y stage, and in fact may be one.

I'm sorry, but we're not allowed to give medical diagnoses on this forum.

But it was nice knowing you, MicroBob.

Possibly an air bubble.