Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
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Unseen World
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Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2020 5:19 am

Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#1 Post by Unseen World » Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:51 am

Looking for objectives for Zeiss Universal/Photomicroscope. Hoping to spend under $100 each, maybe a little more if they are worth it.

Any particular objectives known to be good bang for the buck? Epiplan HD? Planapo? Neofleur?

Thanks guys!

Colin
AO Series 4 Bright/Dark Phase
AO 120 Darkfield
Zeiss Photomicroscope (being built slowly)

BramHuntingNematodes
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Re: Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#2 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Mon Oct 19, 2020 3:29 am

the epiplan HD are pretty nice for epi darkfield but make sure you get a seller that will stand by their item or accepts returns as they somehow can have internal lens elements completely decompose in some situations
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

PeteM
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Re: Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#3 Post by PeteM » Mon Oct 19, 2020 3:58 am

Neofluars are often affordable and well corrected. Just be sure you can return if delaminated.

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75RR
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Re: Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#4 Post by 75RR » Mon Oct 19, 2020 6:14 am

This is what the Zeiss Optical Systems brochure says of the Neofluars:

"Using fluorite instead of crown glass, microscope objectives can be built which are distinguished by considerably improved correction of aberrations
although they have the same number of lens elements as achromatic objectives.
The design we use for our "NEOFLUARS" and which can be traced back to R. Winkel comes very close to the correction of apochromatic objectives.
Only secondary color has not been completely eliminated although it is far less noticeable than with the achromats.
It is obvious that the Iimited number of lens elements used in the NEOFLUARS does not allow a correction for field curvature.
However, the low number of glass-to-air surfaces in these objectives ensures a minimum of flares so that they produce images of surprisingly high contrast.
The excellent correction of NEOFLUARS makes it possible to achieve considerably higher numerical apertures than in achromatic objectives,
thus the N.A. of NEOFLUAR objectives-insofar as they are dry systems is 15 to 30% above that of normal achromats."


Digital photography and hence focus stacking has mitigated somewhat the limitation of non plan objectives.
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

Charles
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Re: Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#5 Post by Charles » Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:02 pm

I would also say Neofluars will give you the most bang for the buck and often can be found for around $100.

Chris Dee
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Re: Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#6 Post by Chris Dee » Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:39 pm

I use Zeiss Neofluars (16x and 40x) and have been very happy with them. The photo eyepiece I use for video/photo crops the view significantly so planarity is not an issue for that. Through the binocular eyepieces field curvature is only noticeable at the edges of the FOV which I seldom pay attention to. However, if you can find one of the Zeiss Jena Planapochromat 25x shown below for a reasonable price, grab it. By far my favourite objective, but not a common one.
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Ziess_Jena_PlanAPO.jpg
Ziess_Jena_PlanAPO.jpg (137.72 KiB) Viewed 2733 times

Unseen World
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Re: Best bang for the buck Zeiss Objectives?

#7 Post by Unseen World » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:43 pm

Thanks for the info guys!

Hmm, I'm torn on what to do...

So I have one AO stand with Dark and Bright phase objective sets, and another AO stand with 100W illumination and darkfield condensor for darkfield work.

Not sure whether to set up the Zeiss as a straight brightfield setup, where I can get Neofluars for cheaper, and in better condition. Or set the Zeiss up for Phase and Brightfield work, and the other AO stand set up for the other type of phase (not sure if Zeiss is bright or dark phase). Will lose resolution when doing brightfield work with phase objectives on the Zeiss though.

Can only afford one set of objectives.

Leaning toward straight brightfield on the Zeiss, for the best image quality, but would also be cool to have both types of phase ready to go without changing any objectives.

What to do... what to do...
AO Series 4 Bright/Dark Phase
AO 120 Darkfield
Zeiss Photomicroscope (being built slowly)

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