MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

PM sent.

Tom

Hello PeteM,

I'm new to the forum and I don't think I can send you a personal message.

I'm interested in the "Set of GF Zeiss Jena PhV objectives" that you mention. You have only the objectives, right? What are the objectives?

Thanks,
Andrey

Andrey,

The set of four Zeiss Jena PhV objectives I have are all Planachromat GF (wide field) infinity. There's a 12.5x, 25x, 40x, and 100x. These have a 25mm mount and the 100x is longer than DIN. By design, the 100x is apparently longer either to incorporate all the extra glass in a wide field plan phase objective or to minimize oil contamination.

I've tried these on both a Leica DMLS and a Nikon E600, which use the same 25mm thread and are infinity. It's likely they would work on M25 to RMS adapters, being infinity and happy to accommodate a longer tube length, but I haven't tried that.

As you probably know, the Zeiss Phv type of phase contrast is somewhat unique in having two phase rings. One can use just the inner one and use the condenser aperture to block off the outer one for some specimens. Or use both annuli and the Phv condenser for maximum contrast. I don't have the matching Zeiss PhV condenser, but have achieved decent phase contrast by matching up a single inner phase ring with various annuli I have on hand.

This is what they look like: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... n+kliton77

If this is what you are looking for and have something to trade, great. If not a trade, I'd sell them for a fraction of those Ebay prices.

Thanks for the details and your experience with the objectives. I'm aware of the Jena GF infinity system but have no experience with the PHV. Recently I acquired a Jenaval microscope in good condition but only with bright field objectives. I'm interested in the lower magnifications 12.5x and 25x. For trade I can offer from the same CF250 line the Planachromat 20x 0.40 oo/0.17-A and Planachromat HI 100x 1.30 oo/0-A. I don't need the 20x because I also have the POL version. And 100x is out of my magnification preferences. Even 40x is too much for me
Let me know if you need those or if you're willing to sell only the 12.5x and 25x objectives. Have a nice day!

Hi a.kat -- It probably only makes sense to trade or sell the four Zeiss Phv phase objectives together. Wouldn't need more in trade. Would sell the lot of four Zeiss GF plan infinity phase objectives for less than current Ebay listings for a single one of that type of objective. Once you post a bit more I believe we can send messages.

Hi PeteM,

I agree and I would have done the same I guess! Hopefully I will be able to contact you soon via PM.

PM Sent

Several changes to the above list.

Still hoping to find some Nikon Eclipse DIC stuff and a couple Leica prisms.

Several items previously listed are gone.

I dropped you a PM.

Updated. A Leica "K2" condenser prism for the DM series scopes is now top of the want list. Several items for trade no longer available, a Leica DIC (ICT) scope added.

Dear PeteM,
Can u send me pm with details about Olympus BHS microscope?
Cheers,
Karol

Hi Karol,

I suspect that safe shipping to Poland would make it uneconomical for both of us. Especially now. I know, for example, that I can't even get parts sent from Germany to the US unless it's a very pricey shipment method. What I have is a complete stand, with all sorts of options for binocular or trinocular heads, teaching heads, plus sets of Achro, DPlan, SPlan objectives, phase contrast, etc.

I'd urge you to try to find something nearer, maybe German Ebay? If that fails after a while, feel free to message me.

You might also consider an Olympus BHT (same removable nosepieces as the BHS) and a LED upgrade to get the lamp closer to the brightness of a BHS.

Just updated the want list - now down to mainly wanting an "L" prism for Nikon Eclipse C-CU condenser and a "K2" prism for Leica DM DIC.

If there's interest, I've been trying to assemble a range of DIC scopes and will soon be able to offer at least comparative impressions between Nikon and Olympus finite DIC, and AO, Leica, Nikon, and Olympus infinite DIC. Don't have any Zeiss experience and if there is ever a thread comparing systems, hope someone else could contribute there.

American Optical
- AO Biostar inverted microscope
- Various components, heads, objectives

Hello PeteM,
Brand new member, so I can't PM you. Would you be willing to share pics, descriptions, etc., for the Biostar gear you have available? Trying to refurb mine, and looking for as much bling as I can find

PM sent. The extra stuff is mostly A.O. for scopes other than the (complete) Biostar.

Bump - still looking for a Leica K2 prism and a Nikon L prism - as noted above. Lots of stuff as possible swaps (objectives not listed above, heads, etc.). A couple scopes gone, couple added to the list above.

Hi PeteM

I’m interested in a dic setup. Do you still have scopes for sale?

Stew

Hi Stew, I have a few that are near ready to go, including a Zeiss Standard 18, a Leica DMRB, and a Nikon E600 Eclipse. Still, haven't quite finished comparisons. PM me when you have enough posts to do so. A couple other forum members are first in line on a Nikon Optiphot and a Leica DMLB. Regards, Pete

Wow, Pete, are you assembling multiple DIC scopes piece by piece, compare them and selling most of them?

That is quite a bit of work. Nikon finite DICs are not easy to find, I heard.

I am in Boston. Please feel free to ask me, if I can help you with anything. There should be surplus scopes for sale here, but I have not found the location or contact person.

I am trying to adapt a PZO DIC system on my teaching Nikon Optiphot Frankenstein scope with LOMO apo objectives (which may or may not work for DIC).

Hi Fan. I've been gob-smacked by the images DIC can provide. Sort of like tugging on a ball of string and pulling . . and pulling . . . I decided to learn what I could and compare some systems. Eventually I'll keep one or two and try to recover costs on the others. Have to say, while there are some annoyances with each system, I haven't found a transmitted DIC system I don't like. Choosing will be sort of like deciding which kids to send out for adoption.

Like you, I've been playing with a PZO DIC condenser as well. It's a good value and adaptable (I machined a dovetail to fit it to Nikon and Olympus). Finding top prisms that mate really well has been almost-not-quite in many cases for me. In many cases, the PZO prisms are off 45 degrees from where I'd want them - and my adaptation sometimes won't rotate that amount and still clear the stage. A next attempt is likely to pull out a 20x PZO DIC prism and adapt it to an OLympus finite DIC condenser - mine has only the 10x, 40x, and 100x. That way I can get the orientation just right - prism shear angles hopefully close enough to work.

Appreciate your offer. I'm finally pretty close to finding most of the missing pieces (sadly, at a price) for the other scopes and hope to be moving on to some other insanity in a year or so .

Just to add for those interested. I was able to remove the PZO 20x prism and place it, properly oriented, in an Olympus BH2 phase condenser. It does a pretty good job filling in the missing 20x DIC position for an Olympus DIC system with only 10x, 40x, and 100x positions. The prism doesn't allow the deep dark backgrounds an OEM prism might provide, but it extends to a fairly dark gray with an even (to the eye) field and a very good 3D effect.

That's great to know, Pete! Did you need to modify the prism at all?

viktor j nilsson wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:07 am

That's great to know, Pete! Did you need to modify the prism at all?

The PZO prisms are housed in a removable metal surround. The diameter was OK to fit into an Olympus phase condenser and be secured by the setscrews. The height, however, was too tall and needed to be cut down to a bit under 6mm thick using a collet and lathe. A bit of a nervous task. I ended up cutting down all four PZO prisms. The 100x, which didn't have as much metal surrounding the larger prism, got a bit of delamination in the corners just from collet pressure.

Picture shows a 10x and 20x PZO installed plus a U-DP100 that didn't have a home in my too-few-holes BX DIC condenser. The U-DP100 is too large to fit, but there is just enough metal in the Olympus phase condensers to bore it out a bit larger.

The PZO 40x and 100x are going to go into a slider. I've since put proper labels to replace the Ph2, Ph3 etc.

Just an update to this thread. My learn-about-DIC project is just about done and several complete DIC scopes are about to head out. Would still like that Nikon "L" prism if anyone has one to sell.

My thought has been to offer these at good prices to people who might help with "Micronaut" lessons.

A massive Leica DMRB scope is on its way to a new owner. This is a terrific infinity scope if you find one - just way too large for me to cart around. The very wide field of view on that one has likely spoiled me forever.

A forum member asked to be put first in line on a Nikon Optiphot 2 DIC system. If he decides he wants it, it will run about half the price (and with better objectives and the newer brighter stand) than the one that just sold today on Ebay for just under $6K. Some may have noticed the quality of images from Nikon Optiphot finite systems. These are limited to 20x, 40x, and 60x/100x magnifications but provide really excellent DIC. Probably my favorite finite system, edging out Olympus.

Another forum member has asked to be first in line for a Nikon Eclipse 600 system -- we're waiting to meet up post Covid-shots. It's hard to find some Nikon Eclipse parts, but these are outstanding systems.

Two other DIC systems will be up for grabs. A Leica DMLB (infinite 25mm objectives) with DIC only on 20x and 40x and 50x oil objectives (excellent contrast and 3D effect on all) and a very complete Zeiss Standard. Zeiss is another scope with a strong following here and some pretty astounding DIC images.

PeteM wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 14, 2021 6:22 am

viktor j nilsson wrote: ↑

Sun Feb 14, 2021 5:07 am

That's great to know, Pete! Did you need to modify the prism at all?

The PZO prisms are housed in a removable metal surround. The diameter was OK to fit into an Olympus phase condenser and be secured by the setscrews. The height, however, was too tall and needed to be cut down to a bit under 6mm thick using a collet and lathe. A bit of a nervous task. I ended up cutting down all four PZO prisms. The 100x, which didn't have as much metal surrounding the larger prism, got a bit of delamination in the corners just from collet pressure.

Picture shows a 10x and 20x PZO installed plus a U-DP100 that didn't have a home in my too-few-holes BX DIC condenser. The U-DP100 is too large to fit, but there is just enough metal in the Olympus phase condensers to bore it out a bit larger.

The PZO 40x and 100x are going to go into a slider. I've since put proper labels to replace the Ph2, Ph3 etc.

BX and PZO prisms in Olympus condenserSmalljpg.jpg

Here's something fun!



What you see are two Nikon Optiphot epi-DIC prisms placed in the AH-NC NIC/phase contrast condenser for my Vanox AH.

The Optiphot epi-DIC unit came with four prisms (three types) and two of them turned out to give markedly better DIC with my 10x and 20x short-barrel PlanApo objectives than the original prisms. (These are the magnifications that I haven't been satisfied with before, so it's a huge upgrade).

I got the prisms off by loosening the glue with ethanol. From what I've gathered, the cement in the Nikon prisms should be UV cured and tolerant to ethanol - so far no separation.

Pretty stoked this turned out to work so well. Thanks for inspiring me to try, PeteM!

That's very cool, Viktor. Finding an affordable epi DIC prism that works for brightfield is sort of like winning the lottery. Have to buy a lot of "tickets" - but when it pays off . . . !

It also looks as if you managed the prism transplant with the skill of a surgeon.

Congratulations! Sounds like you now have a complete and wondrous DIC system.

First post updated - now looking for a Nikon ED Plan or Plan Apo 1.5x or 2x objective for an SMZ-U stereo microscope. Still lots of cool stuff for a possible trade, should you have a 1.5x or 2x Nikon stereo objective that's surplus to your needs.

Pm'd you,

Al.

First post updated again. Looking for Olympus SZH10 parts and a Leica DM stand and "B" prism. Lots of items available for trade.