newbie ??? re: Swift Collegiate 400

[Karl in NY]

I've been out of microscopy for 40 years as a hobby, but used them occasionally at work for preliminary
forensic screening use, to determine if a specimen was worthy of sending to our certified lab.

Just bought a Swift Collegiate 400 (round stage model) and have questions.

1. Is any dark-brown touch-up paint, or a Pantone or RAL color-code available? I tried the "new" Swift company to no avail...Hong Kong company under "National Optical", with no previous factory records retained on the Japanese models, after 2009 acquisition. They only wanted the brand recognition, since Swift/Japan has been around for decades, and was many peoples' first exposure to the minute world, in either high school and/or under grad. (me!).

2. Are objective lenses DIN or JIS thread specs?

3. I want to add a mechanical stage ("x-y micrometer slide positioner"). Are they the same part for both the square-stage and round-stage models? They are common, and cheap, on eBay, but I'm seeing two different P/Ns, I expect depending on round vs. square stage shape, but none of sellers seem to specify, or know.

4. All Allen-head screw heads (appear to be originally blued-steel) are rusted, and I assume metric...would like to find stainless replacements. Appears to be from sweaty fingers or lab fumes, as there is zero evidence of lens fungus.

5. 'Scope only goes to 400x, with 10x ocular...for higher power, should I replace an objective, or the ocular?

6. I want to eventually digiscope this...I have IP cameras, with both C/CS lens-mounts, as well as ones with "board lenses" (M12x0.5 thread), and a point-and-shoot super zoom Canon, with 20x optical zoom, 5mm-100mm focal length. My dial caliper suggests that the Swift ocular-tube O.D. is ~27mm, and ocular lens barrel has an O.D. of ~23mm. The Canon is threaded for 52mm filters. Any links to doing this would be welcomed.

Sorry to be so naive, and for asking so many questions in a single thread, especially for my 1st post here, and not knowing the "culture" of the forum yet.
Regards-

Karl
(not NYC, but just below Quebec border, BTW)

[lorez]

I'll try to answer a couple of your questions.

1. I have had paint matched at the paint store, but you are limited to their stock types. This is not a bad thing if the paint is being used to touch-up minor scratches, etc.

2. The objectives are JIS with RMS threads.

3. There are three holes, in somewhat of a line, across the back of the stage with the center hole being threaded. The outer two are positioning holes. There are minor differences among the various brands so measuring centers and off-sets is helpful. There is no specific slide holder for the round stage or the square stage. This is a pretty basic model.

I can't offer any help with 4-6.

If you are serious about photography I would recommend a better microscope.

It sounds like a fun project.

lorez

[Karl in NY]

lorez-

Appreciate the reply. The mechanical X-Y holes on the stage are similar to what you described, but in an arc parallel to O.D. edge of round stage, not linear.

I'm finding no metric screws that small locally, and don't have a metric thread-pitch-gauge that goes that small, and either do places like Grainger or Fastenal...I'll try places like Fisher Scientific, or McMaster, but it would help if I knew what I was looking for.

As far as this being a "basic model", that may apply to lab pros, but sure beats circles around what I could afford as a teenager...just a mirror for illumination...no bulb, condenser, filters, etc. for lighting,
and about 1/3 the weight. Of course, the ones I've used owned by employers are far more sophisticated, but were certainly not $75...many IP camera adapters are still pretty low-definition (like 480x640), so this should get me started.

Hoping to hear form some more forum members...

[lorez]

It sounds as though your stage will accept a circular slide holder. I know that Nikon, et.al. have them, but have never seen one for a Swift. Sorry about the misinformation.

lorez

[zzffnn]

I'm finding no metric screws that small locally, and don't have a metric thread-pitch-gauge that goes that small, and either do places like Grainger or Fastenal...I'll try places like Fisher Scientific, or McMaster, but it would help if I new what I was looking for.

Your local Home Depot should have metric screws. At least mine has them. You can take your original rustic screws and washers there to match them.

Sorry, I am not familiar with your cameras. What is an IP camera or board camera? What exact brand/models do you have?

Can you Cannon (what model?) be manually zoom to a focal length equivalent to 50-60mm in full frame format? If so, you can hold that camera over scope eyepiece and image that way. Auto zoom that cannot he manually set may not work that way.

23 mm is the standard size for compond microscope eye tube.

I used to use an Orion SteadyPix Pro digi-scoping adapter. If you search that at eBay and Amazon, you should be able to find cheaper clones (likely with comparable quality).

[Karl in NY]

My Canon point-and-shoot has 20x optical zoom, but not knowing the size of the image chip, it's hard to translate to a 35mm full-frame equivalent...it's an SX20, 12MP, which certainly exceeds the resolution of the Swift 'scope, I'm sure.

IP cameras are internet-protocol, either via ethernet cable or Wifi...I have about 8 brands. The expensive HD ones use either C or CS mount video lenses (or both, with a back-focus adjustment, or a spacer ring), a thread originally intended for pro-16mm movie cameras. "Board lenses" are tiny, usually used in very small surveillance cameras and mount directly to a circuit board, but are generally limited to a fixed focal-length rather than zoom or varifocal lenses, but are interchangeable.

The local stores had metric screws, but zero in allen-head cap-screw configuration.

[Karl in NY]

After finding no exact matches for the various size metric hex-head cap screws, I decided it's easier and more cost-effective to have them refinished...I'm sending a .45ACP 1911 pistol to my favorite plater, and he said he would hard-chrome the Swift 'scope screws for free...it's a very dull-matte chrome, and very rust resistant.

Am also looking at the circular sub-stage plate, apparently aluminum, which supports the condenser lighting and its toggle switch...it's gotten badly scratched over the years, so that will be disassembled and lightly bead-blasted.

Although I don't have cable TV, I've seen many episodes of "American Restoration", and like the concept of returning old stuff back to pristine condition, and have done my share. It's really a revolt against our disposable culture, and, preserving the past. I have a fully-restored vintage Moto Guzzi Le Mans motorcycle in my living room, for example, waiting for a few rare parts to make it rideable next spring.