MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Ok-Attached are photos of a stand I just purchased. I am not familiar with Zeiss stands. I would appreciate any assistance identifying it. It appears to have phase contract. The trinoc tube is missing. The lamp is functional and everything appears to work smoothly. It is "dirty" as I have yet to clean it. Excuse the surrounding mess as I am transitioning my lab from my basement to a much smaller room which is necessitating, I consolidate " a lot".

Thanks in advance. I believe it is a Zeiss WL stand. Just checking.

Einman, we'll likely have a Zeiss expert come along. However, the WLs I'm familiar with have a rectangular base. A Zeiss GFL has a similar round base. Does your stand move the stage to focus or (like the GFL I have) move the arm?

FWIW, I've come to the conclusion that Zeiss phase scopes, once checked for delamination, are among the best - and the best deals - in phase contrast scopes. The prices of Olympus BH2 and Nikon 'phot phase scopes seem to have doubled in the past few years - well above $1K for a complete phase scope. Even worse, if you want a mag changer. Zeiss are often a few hundred less -- and the Zeiss Standard/WL/etc. phase contrast quality is superb.

You're going to have a tough time figuring out which microscope you want to use on any given day.

Pete is right it's a standard GFL, same as mine just with an added accessory between the head and the arm. Probably an Optovar.

GFL moves the arm up and down for course focus, unlike WL which moves the stage for both. Therefore it is able to take more (heavy) accessories. WL has an exchangable objective nosepiece...

Congratulations, einman ! A beautiful Standard GFL.
I recognize a 10X/0.22 objective.

Which condenser is it ? there are several Zeiss turret models.
Which eyepieces are those ?

The Optovar is a great upgrade.
Some GFLs come with exchangeable 5-port nosepiece. Some with a fixed 4-port nosepiece.
My GFL microsocopes are upgraded with LEDs. And 12.5X eyepieces.

The WL has advantages over the GFL, however its footprint is larger - and it is rarer on the market...

Just to further praise Zeiss phase contrast scopes - the phase Neofluars are one of the reasons they compare so well to the rest of the "Big Four." The higher numerical apertures and better corrections of the Neofluars are a plus - and they are often a relative bargain. Most of the ones I've had have also been free of delamination, though it's still something that should be checked.

My perception, though without a controlled comparison to verify it, is that Zeiss somehow manages a better-looking phase image than most even comparing plan achro phase to plan achro phase. Someone else may have thoughts on that.

FWIW, my GFL has the interchangeable nosepiece, much like the WL's and Zeiss Standard 18's. That's another big plus, IMO.

Ok it is a GFL based on the focus mechanism. The objectives do not appear to be phase, at least I see no reference to phase such as "pH" etc. So my initial observation was incorrect or at least partially incorrect. The eyepieces are B&L not Zeiss, unfortunately. This came from the University of Kentucky. Everything works smoothly. Below are some more images of the condenser. It has additional lenses mounted below, presumably for use of lower power objectives, although I admit being totally ignorant of Zeiss scopes. They like knobs etc! There appear to be numbers marking slots for annulus although I have yet to look if it actually has any. It appears to be an optivar as suggested. I will send additional info regarding the objectives shortly. Does anyone have a manual? More to come. I would be more exact, except I am supposed to be moving my lab and cleaning the basement, but instead stealing quick looks at this scope and running up 3 flights to my office to post. Being retired only seems to have increased my "honey-do" list!!

Well ..apparently one of the objectives is marked as PH1. There are 2 2.5x objectives one marked a "plan" and the has a letter "F". The same goes for the 10X one marked as "plan" and the other with an "F". Here are the objectives:

I located the manual here on the forum. Just an FYI.

So another question. Why would they have put both plan and "F" (semi-plan?) objectives on the same scope, other than just to fill the spots?

Just to fill the slots, I'd presume. Looks like doubles of the 2.5x as well.

As you suspect, the lower swing-in/out lenses are needed to illuminate the low-power fields of view. The condenser is phase contrast - you'll want to check which phase rings are actually in it.

You can likely find a 40x phase objective for not much money.

Looks like the condenser has a flip-out 0.9 NA top lens. The BF-iris aperture "J" and three phase contrast positions 1,2,3. It differs from the achromat aplanat 1.4, that only has Ph2 and Ph3. That explains the 10X0.22 Ph1 objective on the nosepiece. The higher phase-objective mag., 16X, is already Ph2.

I notice a weird black accessory under the bottom of the lower sub-condenser filter carrier. Wonder about that.

Actually it is an Aplanat 1.4 na condenser per the identification on the condenser top.

einman wrote: ↑

Tue May 09, 2023 2:14 am

Actually it is an Aplanat 1.4 na condenser per the identification on the condenser top.

That is even better.

Congratulations on the GFL

Here is a link to an article on the Optovar: https://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/in ... tovar.html

Looks like you have one with an Analyzer, that's a big plus

Awesome thanks!