Olympus BH2 - matching Phase components

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MikeBradley
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Olympus BH2 - matching Phase components

#1 Post by MikeBradley » Tue Oct 16, 2018 12:13 am

I have an Olympus BH2 with “Long Barrel” objectives and I’d like to start gathering the pieces to allow me to use it for Phase Contrast. I can find used BH2 phase condensers and some BH2 phase objectives quite easily but none of the objectives seem to be of the Long Barrel type. So my questions concern whether I should be consistent and search out the elusive LB style phase objectives or just use the regular style?

A second question is whether phase condensers/objectives combinations from other manufacturers are known to work in the BH2 without extensive modification?

Thanks
Michael
Olympus BH2,
AO110
Carl Zeiss Standard WL
Canon 90D

Hobbyst46
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Re: Olympus BH2 - matching Phase components

#2 Post by Hobbyst46 » Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:51 am

If in doubt whether the listed objective on the market is long barrel or not:
By default, phase objectives described as for a BH-2 should be long barrel. But AFAIK "LB" is not marked on the objective. So to verify, I would compare the length and printed/engraved specs on the objective to those of known objectives, ask in the forum, or consult the excellent alanwood info pages.

http://www.alanwood.net/photography/oly ... tives.html

The length of those long barrel objective, measured from the inner end of the thread to the tip (that is, end-to-end excluding the thread) is about 45mm.

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coominya
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Re: Olympus BH2 - matching Phase components

#3 Post by coominya » Tue Oct 16, 2018 7:52 pm

Hi Mike. That's a great microscope you have. I used the earlier model, the ECE for a year, but recently upgraded to a CH with the long barrel objectives.

I looked into this upgrading a while back and found it cost about the same price to buy the condenser and objectives separate, as it did to buy a complete PH microscope. Which I subsequently did. Look at this one for example.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Labophot ... 3591182297

And here is an average priced upgrade set, but from an Olympus scope older than yours.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-micros ... :rk:4:pf:0

And a good site for such http://www.nzmicroscopes.co.nz/microscope-condensers/


At the end of the day it's your choice, and I understand fully why people like to upgrade their existing scopes. For cost efficiency though it's usually better to just buy a complete unit, and this principle applies to bicycles, cars, all manner of things. Also having a couple of scopes is good because if one fails for some reason then you have a backup :D

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