Trinocular head for AO Series 10

[photomicro]

Looking for a trinocular head for my American Optical Series 10.

I enjoy using this instrument a great deal, yet at the moment cannot conveniently use it for taking pictures with my camera.

kind regards

Mike

[Charles]

I may have one...will need to check the spare trinocs I have, to ensure they are suitable. Even with the trinoc head, you will also need the proper phototube. I think there are still some on ebay.

[photomicro]

I may have one...will need to check the spare trinocs I have, to ensure they are suitable. Even with the trinoc head, you will also need the proper phototube. I think there are still some on ebay.

Hi Charles

that is very good of you to look through your spares, much appreciated. Am I right in thinking the phototube is just that, a tube, with no glass?

I have been tempted by the odd stand I have seen with a trio head, but they are nearly always the much later models such as the Reichert/Microstar variants, and i am never sure about the compatibility.

kind regards

Mike

[Charles]

Hi Mike,

Unfortunately my AO 10 trinoc head has a haze in the prism and the eyepiece tubes have corrosion.

There is one on ebay for sale but be sure to ask about the optics since he doesn't offer a return:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMERICAN-OPTIC ... SwjvRa9e41

And yes, the tube has no optics. Here is one one ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PARFOCAL-TUBE- ... xy63FS5wCR

[PeteM]

Where are you located? Our local children's museum has a couple AO trinocular heads (and even more scopes) for sale; but they won't ship.

An AO teaching head (cheap on Ebay) might be another start, if you have access to a metal lathe and are up for a bit of work. You'd need to machine an adapter, borrow a tube lens, and mate the whole thing (close fit & epoxy a t-mount adapter?) to your camera. Advantage would be an actual 50-50 split. The AO trinocular is either 100% through the eyepieces or 100% through the photo tube.

AO also made some monocular viewing tubes, which in combination with a dual (teaching) adapter could get you most of the way to a 50-50 camera setup.

[photomicro]

Hi Mike,

Unfortunately my AO 10 trinoc head has a haze in the prism and the eyepiece tubes have corrosion.

There is one on ebay for sale but be sure to ask about the optics since he doesn't offer a return:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMERICAN-OPTIC ... SwjvRa9e41

And yes, the tube has no optics. Here is one one ebay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PARFOCAL-TUBE- ... xy63FS5wCR

Oh well, thank you for looking. Also, for the links. As I am in the UK, shipping and import duties are often greater than the cost of such items.

I shall keep looking, thanks for your input.

[photomicro]

Where are you located? Our local children's museum has a couple AO trinocular heads (and even more scopes) for sale; but they won't ship.

An AO teaching head (cheap on Ebay) might be another start, if you have access to a metal lathe and are up for a bit of work. You'd need to machine an adapter, borrow a tube lens, and mate the whole thing (close fit & epoxy a t-mount adapter?) to your camera. Advantage would be an actual 50-50 split. The AO trinocular is either 100% through the eyepieces or 100% through the photo tube.

AO also made some monocular viewing tubes, which in combination with a dual (teaching) adapter could get you most of the way to a 50-50 camera setup.

The UK I am afraid Pete. As you say, a tube lens is needed for use of a teaching head.

[apochronaut]

You use the standard # 176 eyepiece as a tube lens for the 10/20 series scopes. . A # 1054 photo framing eyepiece is slightly better because it has some focus but that eyepiece's larger diameter can hamper the ability to fit some adapters that have a narrower tube. I use one of those but the fairly wide adapter I am using doesn't show up for sale anymore. The measurements of the off the shelf adapters that are sold cheaply, changes over time but the principle remains the same. Don't buy a microscope adapter. Buy a telescope adapter. The basic ones of each are identical except for the part that fits into the eyepiece tube. A 1/1/4" telescope adapter is large enough that it will fit over the microscope eyepiece tube, and with 3 threaded holes tapped into it and 3 nylon thumbscrews, you can place the adapter over the eyepiece and then, it is nicely adjustable up and down the tube . The adapter will have an M42 thread likely, which you can then put an inexpensive M42 to whatever camera bayonet you want adapter onto. You will likely also end up needing some distance pieces. I bought an 8.00 set of macro rings and one of them will be pretty close to perfect, so that you can maximize field coverage with parfocality. Having a bit of focus on the 1054 eyepiece helps but the 176 will be fine.

Having 50/50 with a series 10 will limit shutter speed flexibility but the system should work well.

[stjepo]

I may have one if I get a Correct Tokyo Seiwa trinocular head.

If I am lucky to replace it...

Regards

[photomicro]

I may have one if I get a Correct Tokyo Seiwa trinocular head.

If I am lucky to replace it...

Regards

So you do. Thank you for taking the trouble to reply.

What is interesting about this, is that the AO head has a lens system in it, as the AO objectives are infinity types, which produce parallel rays, which the lens system then converges for the eyepieces.

What do your Correct Tokyo Seiwa objectives have written on them?

Is it for instance 160/0.17 or oo/0.17 ? (the oo is a poor attempt at the infinity symbol)

I have a few spare binocular heads, one of which is from the Nikon S Series of microscopes. The dove-tail measures at about 48 mm diameter, and it fits on my AO scope, albeit that it seems narrower. It is meant for 160 tube length objectives. I can easily send it to you to try.

Intriguing.

Mike

[stjepo]

Thanks for your replay.

I send a picture of the objectives.

The AO is meant for infinite objectives mine are finite, that's why I want to get the correct one. I send you a test I made correcting the distance from the stage to the objective.


Regards

[stjepo]

I may have one if I get a Correct Tokyo Seiwa trinocular head.

... which produce parallel rays, which the lens system then converges for the eyepieces.

...

Mike

Yes, it is my problem

Let see if we can solve together our needs.

Regards

[stjepo]

This will help, you know more than I do.


Regards