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How to check if condenser is aligned?
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 10:20 pm
by Raul
I was wondering these days if my condenser is not aligned, so I did some research on the internet and nothing. Nothing for light microscopy, so I ask you fellow members.
How to check/with what/ if the condenser is aligned?
Also I do not have a field diaphragm.
Regards,
Raul
Re: How to check if condenser is aligned?
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 10:46 pm
by zzffnn
Does your scope have condenser centering mechanisms? Some scopes don't and their condensers are usually aligned as they are, unless the scope has been abused.
Sometimes, if you close down condenser iris and if it is badly aligned, you can see the iris being off center, once you look into objective rear lens (remove eyepiece and look into eye tube).
Re: How to check if condenser is aligned?
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2016 11:52 pm
by Raul
Yes it has, a made a drawing (Fig 1)some time ago of it, sorry that I do not have pictures for the moment.
Also it seems that when fully closed the iris diaphragm is off center (Fig 2).
The condenser is an Abbe 1.2 NA
If I center the condenser using the light bulb (the illumination source) would that be alright?
Re: How to check if condenser is aligned?
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 12:30 am
by zzffnn
That iris closure looks fine to me. But you need to check the iris image on your scope. Turn on ligh source, remove eyepiece and look into eye tube.
Sorry, I don't use a bulb (I used diffused LED), so I cannot help there. I dont know if you can center condenser with light bulb - never heard it that way.
Re: How to check if condenser is aligned?
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 11:48 am
by Raul
I have the same a LED with a diffused lens on top, but I can remove it an see the LED (light bulb).
What if I made a temporary mark on the diffused lens, in the middle and I align the condenser with that, would that work?
Re: How to check if condenser is aligned?
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 5:11 pm
by Raul
It worked, I made a mark on the diffused lens, aligned the condenser with that, the iris closure was not on the center when looking through the eyepiece, but when the eyepiece was removed and I looked through the tube I saw that the iris closure was in the middle aligned.
zzffnn wrote:That iris closure looks fine to me. But you need to check the iris image on your scope. Turn on ligh source, remove eyepiece and look into eye tube.
Sorry, I don't use a bulb (I used diffused LED), so I cannot help there. I dont know if you can center condenser with light bulb - never heard it that way.
Thank you zzffnn for your help.
Regards,
Raul