My Zeiss Microscopes

Message

ImperatorRex · #1 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 8:12 pm

Yes I am a little proud

Here is my "working horse":

Zeiss IM35

Zeiss Stemi III

Zeiss Standard RA

Zeiss Universal III (it has a FOV 25!)

and my two black beauties - Zeiss Standard WL

Sincerely
Jochen

Charles · #2 Post by **Charles** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 9:33 pm

Welcome Jochen,

A very nice selection of Zeiss scopes. At least four with DIC! I guess you was shaking with excitement with all your beautiful Zeiss scopes (seeing most of the pictures are a bit blurred).

I almost thought I was looking at some of mine!

charlie g · #3 Post by **charlie g** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:33 pm

Thank you so much for sharing your 'stable of elegant work horse microscopes', Jochen.

It is always a special treat for this kind forum when members take the time to show their 'work horse stands'! Thank you, thank you. And it is always good to hear from member, Charles, who has enthralled us with his sharing microscopy equipment in his stable, and with his deeply useful posts on microscopy over years of forum sharing.

Bravo, Jochen/ Imperatorrex! Charlie guevara

Crater Eddie · #4 Post by **Crater Eddie** » Wed Apr 04, 2018 11:46 pm

Beautiful instruments!
CE

KurtM · #5 Post by **KurtM** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 12:59 am

Very nice indeed, thanks for sharing!

A couple of questions for Jochen and/or Charles, if I may?

Which four scopes have DIC? I'm guessing the pair labeled "two black beauties - Zeiss Standard WL" may be old style DIC? If so, how does one know it by looking at them (condenser turret could be phase contrast)?

What type of (round) stage is that on the one labeled "Zeiss Standard RA", which is obviously one of the DIC scopes? Looks similar to one of the pair of black beauties?

GaryB · #6 Post by **GaryB** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:22 am

I looked at the first one.. nice
The second... sweet
The third.. Dang!
Fourth... ok, now getting jealous
Fifth.. In love

That's an amazing collection of beautiful instruments, Jochen.

75RR · #7 Post by **75RR** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:26 am

I think the collective noun is a 'feast' of microscopes!
Can see how one WL did not seem to be enough ;)

Could you provide closeup photos and details on the flash setup on the IM35?

GaryB · #8 Post by **GaryB** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:32 am

75RR wrote:I think the collective noun is a 'feast' of microscopes!
Can see how one WL did not seem to be enough

Could you provide closeup photos and details on the flash setup on the IM35?

Hah, I was going to ask about that but got so distracted as I went down the 'feast' of microscopes I totally forgot!

ImperatorRex · #9 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:42 am

Thanks for all the compliments

Yes there are emotions and exitement sharing all the stuff with you. Glad to share these within such a forum and with you.

The round stage is a gliding stage, benefit here that you can also circle the stage but also glide the stage. Circling is good respectively for DIC where you have the DIC Azimuth depending on orientation of the specimen.

Yes the black WLs do have the old Zeiss DIC. They have the large DIC slider in the intermediate tube and the Zeiss INKO condensor shows "one arrow". The Zeiss Standard RA has the new finite DIC where you can spot the small individual sliders at each of the objectives, located within the "stools". The DIC condensor itself is marked with INKO and has two "arrors" labeled on the top cover. I can provide details later.

The IM35 has the 465273 INKO condensor IV Z7. These condensor has the 0.63 n.A. front lense instead of the 1.4 lens. The good thing is that there is a spare lot for an additional Wollastan prism, so I have added the prismn II matching for a 1.4 front lense. So this gives the flexibility to switch to a 1.4 front lense aperture

I will be very glad to share and provide details on the flash system ... later since I now need to leave for work.

ImperatorRex · #10 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 3:42 pm

Hi Charles,
I just browsed through all of the phantastic Zeiss Microscopes reports that you have shared. How many do you actually own if this question is allowed?
Jochen

Charles wrote:Welcome Jochen,

A very nice selection of Zeiss scopes. At least four with DIC! I guess you was shaking with excitement with all your beautiful Zeiss scopes (seeing most of the pictures are a bit blurred). I almost thought I was looking at some of mine!

ImperatorRex · #11 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 4:55 pm

Some details on the flash system:

It uses the old Zeiss beam splitters used for the analog cameras at that time. The camera was connected on the top, on the side there was an optical view finder installed. The beam splitter just has an mirror with fixed split ration 30/70, no other optics is inside. So this is what we need! I took this idea from Bernd "Normarski" from the german micro forum.

Here a very initial version:

Later I replaced the beam splitter with a similiar Zeiss-Winkel version. Note that the Zeiss Winkel dovetails differs in dimension, so I needed some self made connectors

The Zeiss Winkel beam splitter has a larger (circular) light path, where the former C. Zeiss beam splitter had a square shape, not supporting the small objectives 6,3 and smaller.

What I also can recommend is to use the Yongnuo speedlite flash - it is very powerful and is an exact clone of the Canon Speedlite. Only a fraction of the costs! Note the plastic piece that was with the original packing of the flash, it makes a nice adaptor:

Also note that this beam splitter can be connected to the Zeiss Standard RA dovetail instead of the the lamp house 60

Let me know if you are interested in more details
Jochen

75RR · #12 Post by **75RR** » Thu Apr 05, 2018 5:41 pm

Thanks for the flash details.
Some questions if you do not mind.
Can you still focus the filament of the 12v 60w lamphouse despite the use of the beam splitter?
Is there a catalogue number for that type of beam splitter?
I take it you have the 70% on the 60w bulb and the 30% on the flash?

Also note that this beam splitter can be connected to the Zeiss Standard RA dovetail instead of the the lamp house 60

That is how I would like to connect it. Any chance for photos of the beam splitter to see how it would fit. Thanks

ImperatorRex · #13 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:47 pm

Below the the photo with the flash mounted at the Zeiss Standard:

Actually it makes not really any difference, the filament of the 60W bulp stays focused, even after mounting the beam splitter. Seems that the few more inches distance added are not critical. Makes sense, Zeiss also had this mirror-switch-box where you can install two different lamp housings. It also add some distance.

75RR wrote:I take it you have the 70% on the 60w bulb and the 30% on the flash?

For the 60W bulb I would connect to the 70% entry. LED you have much more reserve, so would use the 30% there. Gives you then the reserve for the flash.

Bye the way: Would like to share a easy and flexible retrofit solution to switch from 60W bulb to LED

Only one or two Euros to get below LED bulb by ebay:

Few mods and it fits for Cree- LED

I can share more detail if somebody is interested

Hobbyst46 · #14 Post by **Hobbyst46** » Fri Apr 06, 2018 6:09 pm

Would be nice to know, which LED is it - which color? And how does it affect photography, white balance ?

ImperatorRex · #15 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Fri Apr 06, 2018 6:23 pm

Actually you need to fit a new LED. The original LED has multiple segments and therefore is not suitable. But I found the bulb socket quite nice to use for fitting a Cree-LED.
Maybe the below foto tells the story better:

I used the alu metall sheet of the original LED as an carrier to mount the new Cree LED. Just apply an 90 DEG angle and you have the proper support.
Also I cutted/shortened the length of the LED cooler body so the LED is in the right location:

I could add another screw ... but never did. LED cooling is still sufficient.

Here is the ebay link: https://www.ebay.de/itm/1x-H6-BA20D-DC- ... 2749.l2649

75RR · #16 Post by **75RR** » Sat Apr 07, 2018 6:53 am

Thanks for the close up photo of the beam splitter - is there an ID (catalogue number ) on it?

re-LED conversion. That was a good work around!

I went the old fashion route: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... ersion.pdf

Have a look at the LuxDrive Buckblock - it is current driven and avoids banding, smooth too.

http://www.luxdrive.com/content/A009_BuckBlock_V1.pdf

ImperatorRex · #17 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Sat Apr 07, 2018 7:10 am

75RR wrote:Thanks for the close up photo of the beam splitter - is there an ID (catalogue number ) on it?

It has a number on it: "133682". But this is a serial number, so just a sequential counter that Zeiss have assigned in the past. Later they changed to a catalogue number what identifies better.

If you want to search for buying you can also try the german phrase "Grundkörper" (beam splitter). Should not cost more than 50 Euros, but sometimes you need some patience to grab it.

Again the Zeiss Winkel has larger prismn and can be used with 6,3 objective, the Carl Zeiss version only starts with 10x obejtive but has two matching dovetails.

75RR wrote:I went the old fashion route: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... ersion.pdf

Yes this is a straight forward and perfect solution. My workarround solution was driven to not require any part turning/machining. It just requires screwdriver and a cheap iron saw to cut the alumina body of the cooler.

75RR wrote:Have a look at the LuxDrive Buckblock - it is current driven and avoids banding, smooth too.

Will check that, I am alway curious to get a good solution. Thanks.

ImperatorRex · #18 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Sun Apr 08, 2018 6:24 pm

some experience that I like to share:

I like to use the high N.A. objectives and as such I need to use the coverglasses with 0,17 mm.

Basically I have substituted the usual carriers 76x26x1mm with larger cover glasses 24x60mm. OK, the cover glasses are a bit undersized and to short. So I depent on the self-made carrier. Think the pics below tell the whole storry:

Since it is an inverted Micro I need to turn any specimen:

I use large cover glasses and a alu-frame as a carrier:

The 24x60mm cover glases have been an ebay bargain - so they are all for one off use

Place one of the cover glasses in the alu carrier. One drop pond water and on top another cover glass. This makes quite a stiff combination. Even (water) immersion is possible without bending (but it is better to immergate then condensor and objective)

I do not use Petri-dishes but prefer the small "Micro-aquariums": 1 mm Alu-sheet with hole, vaseline to fit two cover glases:

The organisms often like to rest/stay on the lower coverglass - gravity

This is good for my high NA obejctives

What is your practise?

wstenberg · #19 Post by **wstenberg** » Sun Apr 08, 2018 10:47 pm

Beautiful collection of Zeiss microscopes!

zzffnn · #20 Post by **zzffnn** » Mon Apr 09, 2018 3:36 am

Very creative adaptation!

Regarding your Micro-aquarium though:
High NA condensers are usually corrected for 1.0mm slide, while your cover at the condenser side seems to be 0.17mm.

That may not matter much at NA 0.40 or less, but have you seen difference at high NA (say, of 0.85-0.95?)

ImperatorRex · #21 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:27 am

Thanks William.

wstenberg wrote:Regarding your Micro-aquarium though:High NA condensers are usually corrected for 1.0mm slide, while your cover at the condenser side seems to be 0.17mm.

This is a very interesting information. Actually I am not sure if it there are really issues with the correction of the condensor?
Just thinking...maybe it is more the problem that high NA condensors have a small working distance? So they eventually touch with their frontlense into the cover-glass? My experience with the 1,4 condensor was, that it is still possible with the 1mm chamber, but very close of touching. For the 1 mm micro-aquarium I therefore often use the 0,63 Condensor or I fit a 0,9 n.A. Front lens.

Objectives of coarse depent very much on the cover thickness, starting with approx 0,4 n.A. as you stated. I never liked the long distance Objectives that can manage larger glass thickness...usually they are achromats and have even lower NA compared to the convential Objectives.

ImperatorRex · #22 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:09 pm

I am very proud to present my first "non Zeiss" member in the microscope family: An Olympus SZH10 microscope

Now I need to check for a suitable DSLR adaption for my EOS 650D camera

75RR · #23 Post by **75RR** » Wed Jun 13, 2018 7:05 am

That looks very nice. Congratulations.

ImperatorRex · #24 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:05 pm

Thanks 75RR! Guess this will be my final Stereomicroscope

einman · #25 Post by **einman** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:54 am

ImperatorRex wrote:Thanks 75RR! Guess this will be my final Stereomicroscope

Famous last words!

RobBerdan · #26 Post by **RobBerdan** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 3:46 pm

Nice selection of microscopes, many are research quality are you a retired researcher? I took have lots of microscopes from Zeiss, Wild, Olympus and Nikon and will show some pictures in the future - waiting for one more to arrive.

I look forward to seeing some of your pictures taken with the microscope.

ImperatorRex · #27 Post by **ImperatorRex** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:52 pm

Thanks Rob. Actually it is just a private hobby that I have started maybe 6 years ago. After having bought my first Zeiss Standard Microscope I was becoming more and more crazy to try out every Zeiss "finite" bit and piece

I guess I tried nearly every eyepiece or objective available for the Zeiss finite series.

And I think microscopes are like pack animals, after the first one, more and more are joining.

How does it work for you - pls. show also your microscopes

Actually I have not too much photos to share, if you like have a look here: https://mikroskopie-forum.at/gallery/in ... userID=142

einman · #28 Post by **einman** » Tue Nov 20, 2018 8:33 pm

Beautiful collection!

SutherlandDesmids · #29 Post by **SutherlandDesmids** » Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:11 pm

A splendid collection, especially the Universal. DIC too!

redflanker · #30 Post by **redflanker** » Sat Nov 24, 2018 3:15 pm

perfect condition, must spend lost of time on the restoration

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