DIY plan objectives

[patta]

I show here the project I've worked last month:

I made some adapter to mount M12 lenses as microscope objectives.
a few 3D printed parts, that screw together, included the objective RMS screw. I had only green and red plastic..

As optics, I used an M12 lens, the small lenses mounted on cctv cameras etc, mounted inverted; they are also called S-lenses. With different focal lengths I can get 6x -20x plan objectives.
Ideally they're infinity corrected. NA is a bit fixed at 0.25, as most lenses are f/2. There are some f/1 (NA 0.50) but I didn't try those.
The so built objectives have good working distance, 3-5mm. Flat field is very wide, more than I can check. Image quality seems on par or better than my old 10xs. Can be set parfocal to other objectives (37,0mm in my case)

In terms of money effectiveness, I don't know, the M12 lenses (decent ones) cost 5-20$, and a basic 10x plan objective is more or less the same.
Anyway, fun! And you can make a 20x or a 6x with 0.25NA. Below the photos of the jewel.

I'll sell those objectives and become rich!

[Javier]

That is awesome. How do they perform?

[Chris Dee]

Fantastic design and print work patta. What printer/nozzle dia'/layer height did you use?

[patta]

The parts were printed with a Ultimaker S5, but I think any printer can do the job. Layer height the smallest possible (0,1mm), nozzle I don't know.
It took several trials to get the small threads, RMS and M12, printed right, now they work well. The M12 thread has a teeny 0.5mm pitch!

How they perform? Looks good to me, I prefer the one in the photo to my old 10x Achro for example. I'll try some photo comparisons in the far future. In principle they should be ok, all boils down to the quality of the lens. The good of M12 lens is that they are mass produced and very sharp, designed to resolve the small pixels of the digital sensors.

[Chris Dee]

Nice printer! I can only imagine how many editing/printing cycles you went through. I think my humble CR-10 or Ender 2 would flatly refuse those threads. Thanks for the further info' and well done once again.

[MicroBob]

Hi Patta,
very nice design and great looking threads!
It would be nice to see more of the performance of these lenses and how they do in practical use.

Bob

[patta]

Nice printer! I can only imagine how many editing/printing cycles you went through. I think my humble CR-10 or Ender 2 would flatly refuse those threads. Thanks for the further info' and well done once again.

The S5 is not mine... yes about 10 failed prototypes.
it will be interesting to check if the Ender2 manages, at least the RMS thread. Can you try?
I've put the designs on thingiverse (website often down..), you may try the RMS caps or the extender, they're tiny & useful, max 1 hour print.
https://www.thingiverse.com/pattarini/designs

[MichaelG.]

Great initiative, patta


Frankly, I suspect that printing an adapter sleeve to re-use old objective mounts would be better ... but it’s all very clever !

MichaelG.