My big get: Nikon E800
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My big get: Nikon E800
I got this scope a while back, but because of ongoing renovations and moving things around I wasn't able to do much with it beyond basic buildout and testing. But now I have a new table in a dedicated microscopy space, so I figured I'd finally post about it.
I got a Nikon E800 with DIC!
Like everyone I've been consistently impressed with transmitted DIC imagery, and while epi DIC is wonderful it's just not quite the same. So when I saw this auction pop up on eBay I got very interested.
Here is how they presented it:
OK, standard broken scope, listed with photos and no other information. Those heads in particular love to break in that exact spot if eBay offerings are any indication. There are no objectives, so it's been at least a little stripped, but there are already promising signs--the CFIUW eyepieces are still there, the camera and adapter are still there, and so is the condenser, so if someone stripped it they did a poor job of removing the easily-transported valuable bits.
And a few pictures in, what's this?
At least one objective prism! And the DIC analyzer is still there too!
And if the labels are to be believed, at least two condenser prisms!
So I was in. I was sure a dealer would outbid me, but I managed to get it for 1200 dollars. As it turned out it had the M and H prisms for the condenser, plus PF 20, PF 40 oil, PA 60 oil and PA 100 oil prisms. Wow! Even better, two days after it came in a trinocular ultrawide head went up on eBay for 200 dollars--I think they though it was misaligned because when it came in one of the eyepieces had been reassembled with a reversed element. I also managed to pick up an L prism on eBay.
My objective lineup is very limited at the moment. I have of course one of the cheap 20x apos which is a wonderful performer, and does work well with the 20x PF prism. I also picked up a relatively inexpensive slide scanning microscope that Nikon sold for a while, but even though it was 20k new the objectives inside proved to be normal planachros--a real ripoff if you paid a normal price for it even given the surprisingly good performance of their 10x plan. Still, I am able to get passable DIC on both of them (passable by my standards).
On top of all that, I found a very cheap Olympus condenser prism, the 25xHR water immersion prism. With a little modification and an adapter I was able to fit it into one of the phase contrast slots in the condenser, and it works surprisingly well too though with different objective prisms. Kind of nice to have an extra option for future experimentation.
I live two doors down from the house I grew up in, and the same creek I played in as a kid is in my back yard. It's been enlightening to see what I was tromping through all those years! Like this larva.
Plus, my very first sample had a tardigrade in it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqo0BFYkQfM
Anyway, I have a ton to learn about using a traditional compound scope properly, but it should be a fun project.
As a side note, it is heavy! It even makes my measurescope look a bit shrimpy. It shipped with four handles that you can screw in to have two people carry it.
I got a Nikon E800 with DIC!
Like everyone I've been consistently impressed with transmitted DIC imagery, and while epi DIC is wonderful it's just not quite the same. So when I saw this auction pop up on eBay I got very interested.
Here is how they presented it:
OK, standard broken scope, listed with photos and no other information. Those heads in particular love to break in that exact spot if eBay offerings are any indication. There are no objectives, so it's been at least a little stripped, but there are already promising signs--the CFIUW eyepieces are still there, the camera and adapter are still there, and so is the condenser, so if someone stripped it they did a poor job of removing the easily-transported valuable bits.
And a few pictures in, what's this?
At least one objective prism! And the DIC analyzer is still there too!
And if the labels are to be believed, at least two condenser prisms!
So I was in. I was sure a dealer would outbid me, but I managed to get it for 1200 dollars. As it turned out it had the M and H prisms for the condenser, plus PF 20, PF 40 oil, PA 60 oil and PA 100 oil prisms. Wow! Even better, two days after it came in a trinocular ultrawide head went up on eBay for 200 dollars--I think they though it was misaligned because when it came in one of the eyepieces had been reassembled with a reversed element. I also managed to pick up an L prism on eBay.
My objective lineup is very limited at the moment. I have of course one of the cheap 20x apos which is a wonderful performer, and does work well with the 20x PF prism. I also picked up a relatively inexpensive slide scanning microscope that Nikon sold for a while, but even though it was 20k new the objectives inside proved to be normal planachros--a real ripoff if you paid a normal price for it even given the surprisingly good performance of their 10x plan. Still, I am able to get passable DIC on both of them (passable by my standards).
On top of all that, I found a very cheap Olympus condenser prism, the 25xHR water immersion prism. With a little modification and an adapter I was able to fit it into one of the phase contrast slots in the condenser, and it works surprisingly well too though with different objective prisms. Kind of nice to have an extra option for future experimentation.
I live two doors down from the house I grew up in, and the same creek I played in as a kid is in my back yard. It's been enlightening to see what I was tromping through all those years! Like this larva.
Plus, my very first sample had a tardigrade in it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqo0BFYkQfM
Anyway, I have a ton to learn about using a traditional compound scope properly, but it should be a fun project.
As a side note, it is heavy! It even makes my measurescope look a bit shrimpy. It shipped with four handles that you can screw in to have two people carry it.
Last edited by Scarodactyl on Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: My big get: Nikon E800
Congratulations on that find. A diamond in the rough!
It shows just what the value of ebay can be.
I just went through those Balplan heads this morning and will p.m. you about them.
It shows just what the value of ebay can be.
I just went through those Balplan heads this morning and will p.m. you about them.
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- Posts: 2804
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:09 pm
Re: My big get: Nikon E800
Thanks Apo! It should be an adventure. And if you end up having those cfi60 wi 100xes for sale I'll be very interested.
I'm sorry. I should have mentioned I found a decent deal on a binocular balplan head, and was able to transplant the guts into the trinocular body (a rare and very pleasing design decision on b&l's part!). That scope is almost at 100%, just needs new polarizing filters.
I'm sorry. I should have mentioned I found a decent deal on a binocular balplan head, and was able to transplant the guts into the trinocular body (a rare and very pleasing design decision on b&l's part!). That scope is almost at 100%, just needs new polarizing filters.
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- Posts: 6378
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am
Re: My big get: Nikon E800
I am glad you found one. Track wear and beamsplitter cement seem to be the problems. I have a couple with one side dimmer than the other : not too much of a problem if not that bad or if one's eyes have an opposite and equal problem. Custom made head!Scarodactyl wrote: ↑Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:13 pmThanks Apo! It should be an adventure. And if you end up having those cfi60 wi 100xes for sale I'll be very interested.
I'm sorry. I should have mentioned I found a decent deal on a binocular balplan head, and was able to transplant the guts into the trinocular body (a rare and very pleasing design decision on b&l's part!). That scope is almost at 100%, just needs new polarizing filters.
Yes, I have the NIS60 100X 1.10 W planachro objectives. I also have the same in NIS45, which work well on series 400 Reichert stands too.
It looks like the guts in both are the same. Supposed to be good to 25mm for the stands they equip with them. Hopefully, more.
Re: My big get: Nikon E800
What a wonderful scope - and great deal Stephen. This should be fun for decades to come.
Re: My big get: Nikon E800
Oh my gosh - now there's a post that made me sit up and start paying attention! Holy smokes, congratulations big time, and may you find some killer auctions on objective lenses now!!
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/
Re: My big get: Nikon E800
Very nice microscope.
In case you didn't know - the larva is a nonbiting midge Tanypodinae sp. (Chironomidae).
Thanks for helping me find an adaptor so I could take pictures with my stereomicroscope by the way (thread back in May). It works perfectly and the pictures are amazing.
In case you didn't know - the larva is a nonbiting midge Tanypodinae sp. (Chironomidae).
Thanks for helping me find an adaptor so I could take pictures with my stereomicroscope by the way (thread back in May). It works perfectly and the pictures are amazing.