WANTED: 0.5x Barlow for Konus #5424

[gratefulfrog]

Hi!

I'm looking for a good price for a 0.5x Barlow lens to increase the working height of my Konus #5424 microscope.

I use it for electronics.

The Konus new price for this lens is €200 + shipping! That is way too much for an amateur like me!

I am based in Europe.

Any ideas would be great!

Thanks!

[MichaelG.]

Hi!

I'm looking for a good price for a 0.5x Barlow lens to increase the working height of my Konus #5424 microscope.

I use it for electronics.

The Konus new price for this lens is €200 + shipping! That is way too much for an amateur like me!

I am based in Europe.

Any ideas would be great!

Thanks!

.
Ouch !!

At that reference price, I would start by experimenting with camera 'teleconverters'
... M42 threaded ones are usually available very cheaply.

MichaelG.

[gratefulfrog]

Thanks for that tip.

Are you sure that it's an M42 thread? I have no documentation about the microscope that I got used.

What would you think of the many Chinese 0.5x WD165 barlow lenses, e.g.

• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-5X-Barlow- ... 2578245123
• https://www.aliexpress.com/item/0-5X-Ba ... 11089.html

As to tele-converters, would you have a suggestion about a spec? Would I look for 2x?

Thanks so much for your help, I am a complete noobie here!
Cheers,
B

[MichaelG.]

... Are you sure that it's an M42 thread? ...

Apologies for not making my point more clearly

It is a fact that M42 [Pentax, Zenit, etc.] camera teleconverters are available very cheaply.
But unfortunately: It is not a fact that I know what thread is on the Konus #5424
http://www.konus.com/en/Catalogue/Scien ... YSTAL-PRO/

First experiments could be done with sticky tape fixing ... If the converter works optically, we can then find a better means of physical attachment.

Note: 1.4x and 2x teleconverters generally perform better than 3x

MichaelG.
.
.
Still not certain, but it looks like the nose 'filter' thread is M47 x 0.75
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3096285

[gratefulfrog]

Thanks for that update.

In the meantime, I borrowed some calipers and measured the microscope front lens threads and it is indeed M42 !

Are you saying that a 2x teleconverter will behave the same as a 0.5x barlow?

I saw quite a few M42 teleconverters on ebay, such as

• https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pentax-M42-m ... 3940983626

But I also found some Chinese 0.5x barlow lens for stereo microscope on ebay and aliexpress. Would you have an opinion about this one?

• https://www.ebay.fr/itm/0-5X-Barlow-Red ... 2578245123

Again thanks for your help and patience with a noobie...

[MichaelG.]

Thanks for that update.

In the meantime, I borrowed some calipers and measured the microscope front lens threads and it is indeed M42 !

Are you saying that a 2x teleconverter will behave the same as a 0.5x barlow?

Interesting that it's M42 !
... could you please either post a photo of the microscope front thread, or measure its pitch.
M42 camera thread is 1mm pitch, but T2 is 0.75mm pitch, and we need to be sure which you have.

Yes, in principle, the Barlow lens and the telconverter are very similar
... both being negative lenses.

I can probably do nothing today, but I will experiment with my Nachet StereoMicroscope and report back soon.

MichaelG.
.
Edit: That Ensinor looks expensive to me ...
I have bought better ones for £1 in the camera shop 'junk box'
I mostly strip them for the M42, or the Canon FD, mounts.

[mrsonchus]

Hi!

I'm looking for a good price for a 0.5x Barlow lens to increase the working height of my Konus #5424 microscope.

I use it for electronics.

The Konus new price for this lens is €200 + shipping! That is way too much for an amateur like me!

I am based in Europe.

Any ideas would be great!

Thanks!

Hi, I've just bought an Amscope trinocular stereozoom 'scope that I'm pretty sure is the exact-same 'scope as your Konus - and I just bought a 0.5x Barlow-lens for it too - to both increase the field and the working distance as you say...

I've been using the Barlow with it for about a week now and can assure you that it's a superb lens.

This is the 'scope -

scopepic1.JPG (60.35 KiB) Viewed 5122 times

and this is the un-badged x0.5 Barlow I have fitted to it,

barlowsnap.JPG (60.08 KiB) Viewed 5122 times

The Amscope certainly looks like the Konus.

[gratefulfrog]

@MichaelG.
I'm sorry, but I made an incorrect measurement. After removing the light ring holder, I discovered that the front thread is indeed M48.

That's a cool led light ring, by the way, and I'm going to print one for myself!

@mrsonchus

Indeed, the Amscope looks exactly like the Konus, as do so many other of the Chinese made scopes.

Thanks for the reference to the UK Barlow lens !!! I'm checking it out right away!

@both

Thanks so much for your kind help and patience!
Cheers!
Bob

[MichaelG.]

John's post trumps mine !!

Well played mrsonchus.

MichaelG.