Planning to upgrade to DIC in the near future. From what I've read there are different types of DIC reflected vs transmitted. Reflected is better? I know I need PlanApo objectives. I've been browsing ebay but I don't really know what I am looking at. I guess I need the slider, prisms, condenser? What all do I need?
Some parts I've found:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-U-DICT ... %7Ciid%3A1
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-ULWD-2 ... SwBahU~z2f
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-U-UCD- ... Sw9-JfoDMW
Upgrading BX40 to DIC
Re: Upgrading BX40 to DIC
I think you'll want transmitted DIC - to use with slides, pond critters, etc.?
For the BX40 you need:
- A DIC slider to fit in an intermediate piece over the objectives. It also includes a polarizer above the sliding DIC prism (it's missing in your first $1399 listing). These DIC sliders seem near impossible to find under $1000+
- The one picture is of a reflected DIC prism. You'd need a set of these, an epi-DIC illuminator, and the appropriate zero cover objectives fto have a reflected set. Which is probably not what you want?
- A DIC condenser with prisms to match each of your objectives. The condensers are hard to find - though your last link has one. The prisms seem to run a few hundred $$$ each. You'd probably want at least three.
Just adding up the numbers, you'll be around $4K+ for upgrade. If you're really lucky you might find a DIC microscope for a few thousand, keep the bits you need, and sell a DIC-less (well, that didn't come out right) BX to recoup some of your investment.
The good news is that you don't need Apo objectives. The Plan Fluorite UIS objectives work very well for transmitted DIC and even some of the regular Plan objectives are pretty good.
For the BX40 you need:
- A DIC slider to fit in an intermediate piece over the objectives. It also includes a polarizer above the sliding DIC prism (it's missing in your first $1399 listing). These DIC sliders seem near impossible to find under $1000+
- The one picture is of a reflected DIC prism. You'd need a set of these, an epi-DIC illuminator, and the appropriate zero cover objectives fto have a reflected set. Which is probably not what you want?
- A DIC condenser with prisms to match each of your objectives. The condensers are hard to find - though your last link has one. The prisms seem to run a few hundred $$$ each. You'd probably want at least three.
Just adding up the numbers, you'll be around $4K+ for upgrade. If you're really lucky you might find a DIC microscope for a few thousand, keep the bits you need, and sell a DIC-less (well, that didn't come out right) BX to recoup some of your investment.
The good news is that you don't need Apo objectives. The Plan Fluorite UIS objectives work very well for transmitted DIC and even some of the regular Plan objectives are pretty good.