Leica Galen III

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Aatjebanaantje
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Leica Galen III

#1 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Tue Oct 09, 2018 7:16 pm

I have bought a cheap second hand Leica Galen III microscope. However, the microscope came without a condenser or oculars. I measured the tube for the oculars and it's 23 mm inner diameter. I also noticed that 3 objectives are phase contrast objectives, they have a small ring inside.
So here are my questions:
What type of ocular do I need to buy for this microscope? I found loads and loads of oculars online but I don't know which one will fit. The oculars from my stereo microscope don't fit.
Do I need a phase contrast condenser or can I just get a normal condenser? Maybe do the trick with the 3D-glasses? Are the condensers interchangeable between models/brands?
I thought I knew a thing or two about microscopes but it seems i'm a total noob :)

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Re: Leica Galen III

#2 Post by Hobbyst46 » Tue Oct 09, 2018 8:03 pm

You definitely need a phase condenser in order to get phase contrast images. The phase condenser includes the phase stops for three phases as well as brightfield with iris diaphragm. I think that many years ago, the Galen microscope was a Cambridge Instruments model, made in China.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#3 Post by wstenberg » Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:01 pm

23 mm sounds like the standard size oculars. There are different kinds, but I would just see what you can find and try it out. I've recently purchased a set of the cheap Chinese 10x oculars on EBay. They are OK; good enough to get started.

Like was previously mentioned, you'll need a phase contrast condenser to do phase contrast, but you can probably do brightfield with those objectives in the meantime. For now, try looking at things without a condenser while you're trying to locate one. At least at low magnifications it will be ok. It will just get better and better as you add the proper parts.

Welcome to the forum. Post some pictures when you can.
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75RR
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Re: Leica Galen III

#4 Post by 75RR » Wed Oct 10, 2018 5:57 am

When buying an incomplete microscope it is always best to inquire into the availability of parts, their cost and shipping charges.
Your microscope may in the end cost you more that you had originally assumed it would.
You might want to consider either returning it or selling it on.

Here is the owners manual to help you decide:

http://pdf.directindustry.com/pdf/reich ... 61474.html

You will see it mentions WF 10x/18 eyepieces

They do not show a Phase condenser but they do mention a kit.

Here is one for sale in the UK, curiously it is 110v

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Biological-B ... Swqo5bfu8V

If you are interested in photography a trinocular head is practically a must. You should look into its availability.
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Re: Leica Galen III

#5 Post by apochronaut » Wed Oct 10, 2018 7:12 am

Hobbyst46 wrote:You definitely need a phase condenser in order to get phase contrast images. The phase condenser includes the phase stops for three phases as well as brightfield with iris diaphragm. I think that many years ago, the Galen microscope was a Cambridge Instruments model, made in China.
Correct on that as the Galen III . The Galen series , were originally Bausch & Lomb's basic lab microscope, that they imported to fit that market. The Galen I was an Olympus made microscope, the Galen II was a Kyowa made microscope and the Galen III was made by one of the larger Chinese factories; NIngbo, Phenix,NOIF or the like. The III was a 4 objective scope with planachro objectives.
In the 80's, Cambridge Instruments purchased the Scientific Optical Products Division of Bausch & Lomb and the Galen III became branded Cambridge.
Around 1990 with the Wild-Leitz/Cambridge Instruments merger and the subsequent rebranding of the merged company as Leica; the Galen III was again rebranded Leica.
Lafayette sold the Galen line of microscopes, as well.

In looking at some old catalogues, there is nothing to distinguish the Galen III microscope from other Chinese microscopes that are similar. The objectives are 45mm D.I.N. and the default eyepieces were 10X/18. I'm pretty sure those type of eyepieces from any Chinese microscope would work.

I can't remember what the style of condenser carrier was on those. Could you post a picture? It is likely that one of the current types of common Chinese microscopes is the same. The Chinese instruments haven't morphed all that much.

Aatjebanaantje
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Re: Leica Galen III

#6 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:21 pm

Here are some pictures for the condenser holder:
Attachments
20181010_221835.jpg
20181010_221835.jpg (62.66 KiB) Viewed 10169 times
20181010_221829.jpg
20181010_221829.jpg (53.12 KiB) Viewed 10169 times

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Re: Leica Galen III

#7 Post by apochronaut » Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:47 pm

O.K. measure the diameter of the sleeve in mm.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#8 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:53 am

The inner diameter of the condenser holder is 37 mm.
would a normal condenser with small cards work, something like https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microscope-Pha ... SwyXNaG~8o

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Re: Leica Galen III

#9 Post by MicroBob » Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:37 am

Your linked ebay offer ist just for the stops, not for the condeser itself.
Your condenser has to fit your 37mm sleeve and it has to be long enough for the top lens to reach the slide.
LOMO-condensers have 37mm and are widely and available for little money. Optically they are designed for use with an external Köhler lamp. So they are acceptable but not perfect for a stand with built in lighting because the field stop is a bit close. I frequently use one in this condition so it is not that important.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#10 Post by apochronaut » Thu Oct 11, 2018 1:34 pm

Aatjebanaantje wrote:The inner diameter of the condenser holder is 37 mm.
would a normal condenser with small cards work, something like https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microscope-Pha ... SwyXNaG~8o
The original part for that I am pretty sure was a double row of built in sliders . Each had 3 places, with one being open, so 4 annuli could be optioned for.
I have that part, with the sliders but I do not have the condenser nose itself. It is an internal threaded condenser, just slightly bigger than the 37mm.
I will dig it out and measure it exactly, to see if it is the exact part. Might not get to it until Sunday.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#11 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Thu Oct 11, 2018 4:29 pm

I went ahead and bought new eyepieces, now I only need a phase condenser.
I guess https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOMO-LABOROSCO ... :rk:1:pf:0
would work for this microscope?
I also found the manual for the phase contrast kit : http://www.reichert.com/reference_manuals.cfm

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Re: Leica Galen III

#12 Post by MicroBob » Thu Oct 11, 2018 5:01 pm

The phase stops have to match the phase rings in the objectives. So it is unlikely to get a proper phase image with a mix of components.
The phase kit you linked is complete with objectives and quite cheap. The objectives are a quite modern version, I have never seen them. They might even be for an infinity scope. The condesnser has a circular dovetail at the bottom, so the sleeve at the top might not be any specific diameter. I don't know what optical design your scope and the LOMO phase objectives are, so it might work and it might not.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#13 Post by apochronaut » Thu Oct 11, 2018 7:23 pm

Aatjebanaantje wrote:I went ahead and bought new eyepieces, now I only need a phase condenser.
I guess https://www.ebay.com/itm/LOMO-LABOROSCO ... :rk:1:pf:0
would work for this microscope?
I also found the manual for the phase contrast kit : http://www.reichert.com/reference_manuals.cfm

You have been very effectively busy. Great stuff you have found. I remembered that there was a Galen III manual out there but I couldn't remember where.
It looks like the phase slider unit I have is for another Galen. Possibly the II. The price for that Lomo kit is hard to beat and you are being offered 3 D.I.N. objectives and the telescope as well. As long as the condenser can be made to get close enough to the specimen in order to establish Kohler illumination, that set will work because you are acquiring the condenser and the D.I.N. objectives, which are the same parfocal length as what you already have. You can probably use your existing 10x planachro objective as well and get some type of contrast enhancement, maybe even decent dark or a bright phase with one of the annuli or DF, with the large one( 100X). Phase is a continuum, not an either or situation, so don't be afraid to experiment. Sometimes there is a bit of a background colour shift when mixing and matching phase objectives and condenser annuli but that is irrelevant,
as long as the resolution and image contrast are useful.

I am unsure of the diameter of the Lomo Laboroscope condenser sleeve diameter. You should ask the seller.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#14 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Sun Oct 28, 2018 10:47 am

So I have new eyepieces and a condenser. Next step is to try and make some phase annuli and a darkfield plate to place in the condenser. I will print and try some of the annuli found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3067166/files

The optics are a bit dirty and the 100X objective is unusable because the lens is covered with rust from the inside so I will need to clean them. Anyone have a suggestion how to get rust off a lens inside the objective?

Here are some pictures of the current setup
20181028_105032.jpg
20181028_105032.jpg (102.57 KiB) Viewed 9686 times
20181028_105100.jpg
20181028_105100.jpg (131.36 KiB) Viewed 9686 times
20181028_104938.jpg
20181028_104938.jpg (102.02 KiB) Viewed 9686 times

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Re: Leica Galen III

#15 Post by MicroBob » Sun Oct 28, 2018 11:48 am

Nice to see that you are getting along on your way to complete the microscope.
The condenser is imaged in a position (way down, auxillary lens moved in) that is only useful for the weakest objectives.
Is the last image the rust on the front lens of the 100:1?
Under normal circumstances nothing comes close to enter the room behind the front lens. If there is dirt it would be useful to know how it came there:
-Oxidation or fungal growth inside after long damp storage
-Dirt coming from the nosepiece direction?
-Dirt coming through a seam in the middle of the objective
-Dirt coming past the front lens

I have once bought a microscope where two objectives had oil inside of them. :shock: Then I once bought a nice Leitz Planapo 100:1 with a loose front lens (From a microscopy expert, lens was refunded, heavy paperweight now, I might try a repair one day)
I have bought several objectives with fungal damage (mostly cleaned up well) and one nice Vickers Planfluo 10:1 where the front lens was dirty from behind (was removalble, cleaned up nicely).

If you are sure that the dirt is really behind the front lens: Post a photo here so maybe someone can suggest where to get into it the easiest way.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#16 Post by 75RR » Sun Oct 28, 2018 11:57 am

Looking at the last two pictures I would suggest that the condenser was a little low.
One should use the dimmer to control the brightness not the condenser height.
Yellow tinge suggests that you are missing a blue filter- Place it below the condenser.
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Re: Leica Galen III

#17 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Sun Oct 28, 2018 7:03 pm

I lowered the condenser to take the picture, normally it is almost at its max height. I'll make sure to move the auxiliary lens out of the way.
Here a picture of the lens with rust on it. The rust is coming from the spring inside the objective, it was that way when the microscope arrived so I don't know what type of liquid got inside the objective.
Untitled.jpg
Untitled.jpg (88.82 KiB) Viewed 9649 times

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Re: Leica Galen III

#18 Post by MicroBob » Sun Oct 28, 2018 8:01 pm

When the rust is from the spring, I would expect it most probably on the back of the back lens - much easier to clean than the back of the front lens.
As a beginner you should better reserve the 100:1 objective for later use as it takes a bit of experience to get along with it.

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Re: Leica Galen III

#19 Post by Aatjebanaantje » Sun Oct 28, 2018 8:28 pm

So I printed some darkfield annuli. At the moment I'm printing phase annuli and after that I still need to make a holder for my phone to take some stable pictures.
At the moment I'm still testing the microscope just staring at a hair and a bee wing, I ordered some cover slips but they haven't arrived yet.

here an image in BF
BF.jpg
BF.jpg (28.04 KiB) Viewed 9638 times
and here the same image in DF
DF.jpg
DF.jpg (40.33 KiB) Viewed 9638 times

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