Upgrading my Laborlux K

[JonasR]

Dear microbehunters,

I am looking to upgrade some parts on my Laborlux K and I am having some difficulty figuring out exactly how to go about it.
The microscope is mostly used in the study of lichens, so I look at a lot of spores, spore sacs and various fungal tissues - most of which are hyaline and small (in the range of 1µm - 100 µm). I think most of the parts on the microscope are stock (the condenser has a "tilt" function and the objectives are "EF") and they work without problem, but I feel the need for more contrast when looking at spores in particular and I think upgrading to phase contrast is the solution. Now this is where I get lost... It is not entirely clear to me what parts actually fit my microscope nor can I find a good place to purchase the parts.
I am also unsure about what upgrading to phase contrast actually entails. I know I need a new condenser, but do I also need specific objectives and oculars?

I am grateful for any and all assistance in this matter.

Best regards,
Jonas

[Hobbyst46]

Phase contrast is primarily advantageous for the imaging of transparent or nearly transparent objects.

[viktor j nilsson]

For microscopy of fungal spores, a 40x phase contrast objective is very useful. 100x with oil may be required for certain species with very very small spores, but the 40x would work fine >95% of the time. At least that's what my mycologist friends tell me.

So to start, you would need a phase contrast condenser and a matching 40x phase objective. You really don't need anything fancy if you are mostly interested in identification. A regular 40x phase achromats or plan achromat will do fine.

[JonasR]

Thank you both for your comments,

I will get to work on finding a condenser and objectives - I think I need 100x as well as 40x, since spore ornamentation is sometimes a relevant character.
Do you happen to know a good place in europe to look for old(er) microscope parts? Right now I am only checking ebay.

all the best,
Jonas

[75RR]

.
Oblique illumination may serve you better than Phase Contrast. Usually much cheaper as well! Second link is to COL (Circular Oblique Lighting)

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... uetip.html

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... jcol2.html

[PeteM]

+1 to 75RR.

Darkfileld might also help clearly show the outlines of spores. It requires a darkfield condenser, but you can use your same objectives. Leitz also made plan fluorite objectives that are a bit sharper than your EF plan achro objectives and they sometimes show up affordably.

Leitz phase contrast is well done - but given these other options you might take time to hold out for a bargain?

[Plasmid]

Like 75RR mentioned oblique helps a great deal with spores, want to add that if you are looking at ascospores regular brightfield an polarization have yielded great results in my experience, specially looking at chitin under polarized light.

[mrsonchus]

Small observation,

I use phase quite a lot and find it's very useful indeed for intra-cellular contents (Botanical in my use) and cell-walls, often able to reveal the invisible and/or mitigate the poor differentiation of often overstained finer details of them both...

The view of cellular contents of a stained or unstained cell can quite often be a delightful revelation with properly executed phase (not expensive, just well configured phase).