Hi.
I found out today that, contrary to the ebay uk listing, this scope doesn't have a recommended dark field kit, so I'm sending it back.
So, now that I've found this helpful forum, I'd be really grateful for any thoughts/recommendations for a trinocular compound scope... not amscope this time. Price limit of about £500, maybe a little more. I'm particularly interested in observing, and photographing, protozoa.
Many thanks.
Returning my Omax M83EZ
Re: Returning my Omax M83EZ
A few thoughts:
- It's pretty easy to cobble together darkfield stops for most microscopes, up to 20x objective power. 40x is harder. Above that and you'll likely need a proper darkfield condenser and great care in preparation. So, if your heart is set on darkfield from about 40x (400x with 10x eyepieces) up, your best bet under 500 pounds ($660 or so US) might be to look for a good used darkfield condenser (harder to find) and then mate a matching used microscope to it.
- Phase contrast with a "Zernicke" type condenser (rotates to various phase stops) might be what you'd really enjoy for protists. In addition to the phase annuli, these usually also come with a darkfield stop usable with up to 20x, maybe the 40x, objectives. Leitz (Laborlux off-white scope era), Nikon (Labophot era), Olympus (BH2 era), and Zeiss (Standard models) are all decent when equipped with phase objectives and a phase condenser and in good working order. American Optical phase contrast systems are also good. With a bit of patience you should be able to find a used one of those brands under 500 pounds. You might also find just a used phase kit (I've had AmScope, Fisher, etc. show up) and then fit it to a scope.
Going back a generation to Nikon and Olympus "short barrel" phase objectives and condenser is another option with decent optics, which should be cheaper yet from a reasonable seller. Apo (Phil) might weigh in on the versatile and earlier American Optical finite scopes. Lomo is another lower cost (from a sane seller) option, a bit less desirable, but surely good enough phase contrast to fully enjoy. Lomo also has affordable used water-dipping objectives.
- It's pretty easy to cobble together darkfield stops for most microscopes, up to 20x objective power. 40x is harder. Above that and you'll likely need a proper darkfield condenser and great care in preparation. So, if your heart is set on darkfield from about 40x (400x with 10x eyepieces) up, your best bet under 500 pounds ($660 or so US) might be to look for a good used darkfield condenser (harder to find) and then mate a matching used microscope to it.
- Phase contrast with a "Zernicke" type condenser (rotates to various phase stops) might be what you'd really enjoy for protists. In addition to the phase annuli, these usually also come with a darkfield stop usable with up to 20x, maybe the 40x, objectives. Leitz (Laborlux off-white scope era), Nikon (Labophot era), Olympus (BH2 era), and Zeiss (Standard models) are all decent when equipped with phase objectives and a phase condenser and in good working order. American Optical phase contrast systems are also good. With a bit of patience you should be able to find a used one of those brands under 500 pounds. You might also find just a used phase kit (I've had AmScope, Fisher, etc. show up) and then fit it to a scope.
Going back a generation to Nikon and Olympus "short barrel" phase objectives and condenser is another option with decent optics, which should be cheaper yet from a reasonable seller. Apo (Phil) might weigh in on the versatile and earlier American Optical finite scopes. Lomo is another lower cost (from a sane seller) option, a bit less desirable, but surely good enough phase contrast to fully enjoy. Lomo also has affordable used water-dipping objectives.
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SizeDoesn'tMatter
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Re: Returning my Omax M83EZ
PeteM Wow, how knowledgeable you are... thank you so much. Lots to think about and explore. I'm very grateful that you'd take the time to help.
Thanks again,
Michael
Thanks again,
Michael