Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

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erikwetterskog
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Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#1 Post by erikwetterskog » Fri Apr 12, 2019 11:58 am

Dear forum,

I recently posted some questions regarding a microscope at work. I got fantastic responses and I figure now is the time to get my "home" Microscope, the Nikon S-Ke flying and fixed up properly. I will try and put questions in where I can.

I bought this whole lot some years ago at a photo auction. I was desperate to land a compound microscope, so I still paid quite a deal of money for it (so more than $100). I came in the wooden box with tons of accessories. I tried to take a picture of the whole lot. I'm sort of a beginner with this hobby, I've used more quite modern microscopes in my old research job but mostly episcopic models (I'm a materials chemist).

Image

The microscope is in really nice condition, an odd scratch here and there but the surface looks great! When I bought the microscope, the fine focus was busted but I managed to purchase a brass replacement gear and the focus is now 100% working.

The base is an S-Ke with the original lamp housing (Q1: Can you get new lamps nowadays?).

Image

The four objectives on the turret were:

1. Nikon "M" 10 Plan
2. Nikon "S?" 20 Plan
3. Nikon 40 APO
4. Nikon 1.2 Plan with a diaphragm (Q2: This is a weird one, I can't seem to get an image with it).

Q3: How well does these objectives hold up today? Later in the text, I will be looking for pathways to upgrade the set of objective.


There are two condensers + a differential phase contrast set. Q4: What are the differences between the two? One says "1.25" and the other "Achromat 1.40".

Image

If you disassemble the housing of the illuminator, the last piece of glass has heavy separation and is busted. Q5: Can I replace this? What is it? A lens or a piece of glass? I don't want to take the thing apart without some knowledge.

Image

Then there is a "interference phase contrast" module complete with box. I realized after checking MicroscopeU, that one of the eyepieces were the "centering telescopic eyepiece" for this unit as seen in: https://www.microscopyu.com/museum/inte ... -accessory Q6: I'm very excited about this, but I guess I need some special objectives to use this accessory, is that correct? What would be your recommendations?

Some of the annular discs appear to have some separation, both in the condensor and in the "top piece". Q7: Can you buy replacements of good quality?

Image

Then there is the vertical illuminator, which I actually purchased later off Fleabay. I have been a bit obsessed with episcopic microscopy. It came without a lamp, so I bought a custom LED-kit from retrodiode, but I cannot get any good images. I think something is not alright with the illuminator, because I get a boatload of flare in the images, whatever adjustments I do. I need help with this too, but perhaps a topic for a separate discussion. (I did also try and buy a diffusing filter for the LED, but it did not help.)

Image

Then there is a photo adapter and a lot of eyepieces. Strangely, there are many eyepieces with no "sibling", i.e. a 5x, 15x, and 20x. Q8: What could be the reason for this?! Can you use them as photo eyepieces perhaps?

Last but not least, there is a few of really nicely preserved folders and brochures and a price list from a Swedish retailer in the 70's (boy it was expensive accounting for inflation). One of the brochures, for instance has a list of all the Nikon S components. If these are interesting, I could scan them and make them available. Let me know.

I'm trying to make sense of how I best can put this beauty to use. In conventional transmission mode, the pictures look fine with the C-mount camera on top. There seems to be a lot of out of focus "black spots and blobs" that does not move with the sample, I'm guessing dirt in the system. Q9: How do I go about cleaning the scope, and figuring out which parts are necessary to clean? Perhaps some of this is due to separation of the glass element in the illuminator.

I'm also looking to get the epi-illuminator and the interference phase contrast going, but I just did not have the time or knowledge to pull it through in recent times. Now I have a bit more time at hand, so I would be very happy for some input.

I think that is all, thanks for reading this really long post. I'll end with a sample image of some human small intenstine. I'm guessing the 40x objective. EDIT: The camera is not show, it is a OMAX C-mount with a 0.5x reduction head slipped into the trinocular port.

Image

Images in higher resolution: https://ibb.co/album/mfX2wF
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#2 Post by 75RR » Fri Apr 12, 2019 1:11 pm

Q:5
If you disassemble the housing of the illuminator, the last piece of glass has heavy separation and is busted. Q5: Can I replace this? What is it? A lens or a piece of glass? I don't want to take the thing apart without some knowledge.
Looks like fungus, while normally a problem on lenses the glass on the field housing is basically a dust cover so there is no coating to be ruined, a clean should return it to original condition.

Q9:
How do I go about cleaning the scope, and figuring out which parts are necessary to clean?
Clean only those lenses that you can reach without dismantling, if you still have 'dirt' problems then a little more preparation (i.e. instruction) is required.

https://microscopy.duke.edu/sites/micro ... scsope.pdf
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#3 Post by MicroBob » Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:12 pm

Hi Erik,
You've got a beautiful and probably rare microscope equipment there. It seems to be as well made as an old Nikon F.
You described the condition and questions very well, but I would suggest that we treat them in separate topics with a link to this description. It will be easier to stay on track this way. Topics could be divided into general , epi, phase interference,???

Bob

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#4 Post by 75RR » Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:23 pm

MicroBob wrote:Hi Erik,
You've got a beautiful and probably rare microscope equipment there. It seems to be as well made as an old Nikon F.
You described the condition and questions very well, but I would suggest that we treat them in separate topics with a link to this description. It will be easier to stay on track this way. Topics could be divided into general , epi, phase interference,???
I would agree with that. Get the microscope working properly in Brightfield before trying out more advanced illumination techniques.
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#5 Post by apochronaut » Fri Apr 12, 2019 2:42 pm

That's a nice complete system and should give you good results, once tuned up and you are familiar with it.


Your 1.2 objective is an extremely long W.D. ( working distance) objective, of around 56mm or something like that. The microscope might not be able to give it that kind of relief, so no focus. I am not sure of the that objective's original application.

75RR is probably correct about the fungus on that illuminator window . I have also seen where, something got spilled on there or the owner attempted to clean the upper surface with something and the liquid crept around and under, clinging to the undersurface of the window, subsequently drying and crystallizing whatever the substance was. Fungus might follow that up. Do I see scratches there? It is pretty simple optical glass. If a replacement was necessary, only the diameter is important or a lightly tinted blue filter could be used. I have a bunch of those in various diameters, if you need one.


Older plan achromat objectives from a quality maker, Nikon being one of them, are as good or better than modest planachros made today. The best way for you to improve the optical quality of your scope without spending a bundle is to look for a set of compatible short parfocal Nikon plan fluorites. That way you would not have to get new eyepieces. If you searched out plan apochromats, the increase in image quality might not be consistent with the cost required to acquire them and you would need a set of compatible eyepieces to go with them. Objectives need not be Nikon as long as they are a consistent set , 160mm tube length and have compatible eyepieces. Sometimes you can mix objective brands but that is generally not the rule and it is a trial and error enterprise.
Have fun with that. Looks like you have some literature too.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#6 Post by PeteM » Fri Apr 12, 2019 3:48 pm

Gorgeous set up.

Search for instructions on best removing fungus - a mix of ammonia and hydrogen peroxide is my recollection of the most effective solution.

Check that your fine focus is OK - a plastic gear is commonly broken.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#7 Post by Hobbyst46 » Fri Apr 12, 2019 3:53 pm

Erik, this is a very nice microscope.
I believe that the retroDiode illuminator does not include lenses, their LEDs are very bright so the issue you describe is probably related to optical parts in the microscope base. I would suspect the mirror as well as the glass plate.
Replacement of the glass disk:
1. Since the lamp is a LED, if a warm white one (and certainly so if it is a cool white one), I would prefer a clear glass disk or alternatively an amber glass filter, for example Nikon A2 or equivalent or even stronger if it is a cool white LED. Not a blue filter IMO - there is plenty of blue in the LED light. I use a KR12 filter with a cool white LED.
2. One inexpensive source for ready made thin glass disks is UV filters from the Far East (eBay). For example, from a supplier called rice-UK. They come in different diameters, in thin aluminum collars. The collar can be easily removed with a needle file (or a Dremel tool, which would be an overkill).

The fourth optical part in the series of eyepieces etc, encased within the wooden block, is indeed a Nikon phase telescope.

BTW - you are probably familiar with this page ?
https://www.mccrone.com/illumination-sy ... icroscope/

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#8 Post by MicroBob » Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:20 pm

Is 1.2 really the magnification or is it the numerical aperture? A oil immersion 100:1 doesn't give much of an image without oil.
That phase interferece kit is interesting, it seems to be different from normal phase contrast.

Altogether a nice men's construction toy! :lol:

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#9 Post by erikwetterskog » Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:37 pm

First off, thanks for all your input! I will try to work my way through this, piece by piece as suggested. My main problem is that my 1-year old is sleeping in the room with the microscope at night, so I only have 1-2 hrs during the day to work with it.
75RR wrote:Looks like fungus, while normally a problem on lenses the glass on the field housing is basically a dust cover so there is no coating to be ruined, a clean should return it to original condition.
Thanks, this is stop 1 on the list, and I'll proceed according to the suggestions.
apochronaut wrote:The best way for you to improve the optical quality of your scope without spending a bundle is to look for a set of compatible short parfocal Nikon plan fluorites.
Perhaps a set of Nikon Fluor, with phase contrast -> then I can get started with the interference phase contrast? Is there any drawback with the phase contrast objectives, compared to "vanilla" ones?
MicroBob wrote:Hi Erik,
You've got a beautiful and probably rare microscope equipment there. It seems to be as well made as an old Nikon F.
You described the condition and questions very well, but I would suggest that we treat them in separate topics with a link to this description. It will be easier to stay on track this way. Topics could be divided into general , epi, phase interference,???

Bob
That sounds like a great idea. It is going to be quite chaotic jumping between subjects. I will use this thread as a common reference then.
Hobbyst46 wrote:I believe that the retroDiode illuminator does not include lenses, their LEDs are very bright so the issue you describe is probably related to optical parts in the microscope base. I would suspect the mirror as well as the glass plate.
The LED-kit is for the vertical illuminator, and there is certainly something amiss with this setup as I cannot get a decent image. The "regular" illuminator is powered by the original lamp-setup. But as Bob suggests, I will create a special thread for the EPI-illuminator. I will try and diagnose it in more details, add images etc.
MicroBob wrote:Is 1.2 really the magnification or is it the numerical aperture? A oil immersion 100:1 doesn't give much of an image without oil.

That phase interferece kit is interesting, it seems to be different from normal phase contrast.
I always assumed it was the magnification, looking at the other objectives it seems to be the case. Regarding the phase interference kit, I will try and post the description of the technique from one of the brochures, it is described in some detail.
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#10 Post by PeteM » Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:45 pm

Just to add the "S" marked on one of your objectives probably means it is strain-free and suitable for polarization work.

Snap a picture of your "1.2" objective and folks here can help you sort it out. I'd guess the long working distance description is correct.

Your Nikon interference contrast setup is very rare and desirable. We'll be eager to learn how well it does once you get to taking pictures.

As for the separated annuli (phase? or DIC prisms??) - if they're phase contrast the ones you have might work. Finding, adapting, or making others with the same ring diameters is feasible. Doesn't look, though, that you have phase contrast objectives in your otherwise very complete setup?

If it's DIC prisms that appear partly delaminated, you might try them and see how they work. Sometimes a bit of delamination isn't too harmful to the image. If they're shot, sorry to say you might wait a long while to find others. This will still be a wonderful scope to use even if all the interference contrast bits aren't up to 50-year-younger par.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#11 Post by Hobbyst46 » Fri Apr 12, 2019 7:55 pm

erikwetterskog wrote:...
From the linked mcCrone article I posted above, the answer to your question Q5 seems to be (citation):
"Consequently, the optics inside were very clean indeed, not really requiring cleaning. Indeed, the mirror itself was very clear, and above this is a perfectly flat glass window immediately above the field iris."

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#12 Post by zzffnn » Sat Apr 13, 2019 2:43 am

Welcome to the forum, Erik.

Your 1.2 plan is an objective with 1.2x magnification and longer than usual working distance. Your stage may or may not go down enough for it to focus though. I have that 1.2 plan objective myself, which works on my Nikon Optiphot mk1.

Your 5x, 10x, 15x and 20x eyepieces are visual eyepieces designed to optically compensate short S series objectives that are more powerful than 20x NA 0.40.

Those short objectives are of decent/good quality, but not very good (not as good as modern research quality objectives such as long Nikon CFN objectives), but good enough for most hobbyists.

Your Interference Phase Contrast unit is not very rare, but interesting and may be desirable for some microscopists. It is used for transmitted light microscopy only (won't work for epi or reflected light). It is designed to provide phase contrast for ordinary brightfield objectives. The IPC unit can project an objective phase annulus to back focal plane of any brightfield objective, plus adjustable color background and contrast intensity, IF (and only if) you can find a matching condenser annulus.

The big problem is that "if". Its original IPC condenser annuli (which you may have in that IPC condenser) are only designed to match short Nikon S series achromat objectives (not short fluorite, not short apo, not long 37mm or 45mm objectives). To match any objective, you need a condenser with variable annulus (illumination ring), the cheapest of which is the Leitz Heine condenser. I have one of those adapted to my Nikon Optiphot.

You can read about IPC here:

http://bettermicroscopy.blogspot.com/20 ... t.html?m=1

http://bettermicroscopy.blogspot.com/20 ... t.html?m=1

I am somewhat curious about the IPC unit (let me know if you ever want to sell it for a good price), but am not sure I will like its images from a photographic view point. IPC may give too much halos (donut bokeh). But to be fair, I have never like any phase contrast, even though I own and have used some.

I personally think DIC always provides prettier images, but it may not be accurate representation.

Edit: most of your proposed repairs can be made (DIY) or purchased, by are all very model and part specific. I owned a Nikon S microscope before, but did not have your exact parts to comment specifically.

Your 1.2 plan and M plan 10 are best used for epi or reflected light. If you post pictures of your 20x and 40x apo, we may be able to tell you more. The 40x apo is most likely a transmission light only objective to be used with 0.17mm cover slips.
Last edited by zzffnn on Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:36 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#13 Post by PeteM » Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:16 am

zzffnn wrote:Welcome to the forum, Erik. . . .

Your Interference Phase Contrast unit is not very rare, but interesting and may be desirable for some microscopists. It is used for transmitted light microscopy only (won't work for epi or reflected light). It is designed to provide phase contrast for ordinary brightfield objectives. . .
Fan, I've never seen one of these except in photos, but this description leads me to believe it's more a DIC system (with negligible halos, though artificial "3D" contours) than ordinary phase contrast?? It describes the condenser as having various "beam splitting prisms" rather than annuli.

https://www.microscopyu.com/museum/inte ... -accessory

Have you ever had an opportunity to see one of these? Impressions? One wonders if the author of your link got to try a system with an ordinary phase-annuli-equipped condenser - and merely got color effects from the wave plate above? Or if the Nikon site is a bit hyperbolic about its past tech??

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#14 Post by zzffnn » Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:51 am

PeteM,

Author of my linked articles (Dave Jackson) has an IPC head unit, but I don't know if he has a matching IPC condenser. His intent is to use the IPC with better CFN objective, and he has Leitz Heine condenser, so he probably did not need or care for the matching IPC condenser.

I have not seen the IPC unit myself. But from reading those articles, my impression is that it provides adjustable phase contrast, not DIC. Please see those IPC images provided by Dave (they don't look like DIC to my eyes).

Dave is an expert microscopist who owns many rare equipments. If IPC can provide DIC like effects, using original condenser, I think he would have obtained the condenser, even if he did not have it at the time. My gut feeling is that Dave has read the manual of IPC.

Some circular oblique effect may be achieved by the IPC, depending on the contrast dialed in, but I doubt it will as smooth as DIC, and its imagery likely won't be as three dimensional looking. Remember the objective annuli there are fixed in size (provided by IPC head unit) and not adjustable (at least that was what my impression after reading Dave's article and emailing him about it).

I don't know about if the color effect requires condenser prism or not.

Unfortunately, Dave has not responded to my emails for months. If Erik has manual for IPC, perhaps he can read it, try it and share with us. Or maybe you can ask author or that Nikon article?
Last edited by zzffnn on Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:04 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#15 Post by PeteM » Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:02 am

Thanks, Fan. I'm pretty sure the color effect can be obtained with just a single top-side wave plate. If you're ever in touch again the with author, I'd be curious to know whether it's annuli or prisms inside of his condenser. The Nikon piece seems convinced it's prisms.

It's not really clear to me how either the bottom side (conventiional DIC prisms? annuli?) or top side (more like a Plasti-DIC effect??) is supposed to work. Maybe, Erik, our original poster can weigh in.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#16 Post by zzffnn » Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:15 am

Forum member @SpocksSister
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=1366

Seems to have an IPC unit https://spockssister.com/category/micro ... on-s-l-ke/

Maybe she can comment as well?

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#17 Post by PeteM » Sat Apr 13, 2019 5:05 am

Thanks, Fan. From the link it sounds as if it's phase rings, not prisms, in SpocksSister's condenser.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#18 Post by 75RR » Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:09 am

Inside the Field Diaphragm Housing there is a mirror set at 45 degrees. It may be a first surface mirror, in which case it is easy to scratch as they are quite delicate.

Do not lie it face down if you need to remove it.

A photo of the dismantled Field Diaphragm Housing might help diagnose the 'flare' problem.
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#19 Post by MicroBob » Sat Apr 13, 2019 3:36 pm

As a predecessor of epi Dic there was epi phase contrast. Is this Nikon incident phase capable of epi phase too?

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#20 Post by erikwetterskog » Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:59 pm

zzffnn wrote: Your Interference Phase Contrast unit is not very rare, but interesting and may be desirable for some microscopists. It is used for transmitted light microscopy only (won't work for epi or reflected light). It is designed to provide phase contrast for ordinary brightfield objectives. The IPC unit can project an objective phase annulus to back focal plane of any brightfield objective, plus adjustable color background and contrast intensity, IF (and only if) you can find a matching condenser annulus.

The big problem is that "if". Its original IPC condenser annuli (which you may have in that IPC condenser) are only designed to match short Nikon S series achromat objectives (not short fluorite, not short apo, not long 37mm or 45mm objectives). To match any objective, you need a condenser with variable annulus (illumination ring), the cheapest of which is the Leitz Heine condenser. I have one of those adapted to my Nikon Optiphot.

You can read about IPC here:

http://bettermicroscopy.blogspot.com/20 ... t.html?m=1

http://bettermicroscopy.blogspot.com/20 ... t.html?m=1

I am somewhat curious about the IPC unit (let me know if you ever want to sell it for a good price), but am not sure I will like its images from a photographic view point. IPC may give too much halos (donut bokeh). But to be fair, I have never like any phase contrast, even though I own and have used some.

I personally think DIC always provides prettier images, but it may not be accurate representation..
Thanks for the all the useful info and input, that finally explains why there are no phase contrast objectives in my kit.

I sort of also understand why it is of limited use, since it is only compatible with the entry-level contemporary optics. I wonder if the IPC unit it does work with my current 10x and 20x objectives, as they need to be achromats? At least the M 10 a "plan achromat" I would be very happy if was able to use my current kit to study live microorganisms. Since I have no experience with this, I wonder which objective magnifications are most desirable for this application?

According to the brochures, (I'll upload them later next week) the 1.2x objective is intended for "scanning and macrophotography" and has a "free" 29.7 W.D. The only objective I'm not able to locate in the brochure is the 20x, I will examine it tomorrow.

For starters, I'm not looking to immediately get crazy with buying more optics etc, since I already have more at hand than I can handle. As a person who has recovered from gear-acquisition syndrome in the past (more specifically analogue cameras) I hope I learnt the difference between owning equipment and using it.

I'm still very glad that the system can be expanded and upgraded with better objectives, and the variable annulus (heine) condenser from Leitz sounds interesting but still seems very expensive of Ebay.
75RR wrote:Inside the Field Diaphragm Housing there is a mirror set at 45 degrees. It may be a first surface mirror, in which case it is easy to scratch as they are quite delicate.

Do not lie it face down if you need to remove it.

A photo of the dismantled Field Diaphragm Housing might help diagnose the 'flare' problem.
.

I think I may have confused you all with mixing in both of the two illuminators in the thread. The "flare" issue is with the epi-illuminator/LED-combination, but I guess it also has a half-silvered mirror inside. The optical train of the illuminator in the base seems OK apart from the fungus issue, but perhaps also the mirror needs cleaning? The background is not clean in any case.

Thanks again for all your help. I'll do some more testing and will start a 2nd thread to get help with the episcopic illuminator. Would be great if I could get that going...
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#21 Post by zzffnn » Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:39 pm

Your IPC may not work with your 1.2 plan or 40x apo. But it does not hurt to try them all. Most likely, it will work with Mplan 10x and 20x.

Many microscopist like using 20x and 40x objectives for pond protists. People interested in insects usually don't go over 20x (mostly 4x and 10x). But I use 65x water immersion objective quite a bit. It depends.

That free 29.7 working distance is measured from objective tip to subject surface in focus. That means your microscope stage has to be lowered to at least
29.7mm below the objective tip. Nothing will be in focus, if stage stops above that.

That 1.2 plan actually has a relatively short working distance for that magnification (it takes specialist optical design to achieve that). Most 1x objectives have WD of around 160mm. It becomes hard to tell, when you get to 2x, some 2x objectives have short WD, some have long WD.

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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#22 Post by abednego1995 » Sun Apr 14, 2019 3:31 am

Hi, great haul you have there!
Lots of questions, and some are already answered well in the thread. I'll add in where there is improvement possible.

Q1: Can you get new lamps nowadays?
A1: Yes, Nikon actually still lists them as current items.
IMG_1973.JPG
IMG_1973.JPG (66.82 KiB) Viewed 14695 times
The left bulb is the 6V30W bulb for the base. The part number is MXA20315.
The right bulb is 6V18W flanged pre-centered bulb for the epi-illuminator. P/N MXA20317

4. Nikon 1.2 Plan with a diaphragm (Q2: This is a weird one, I can't seem to get an image with it).
A2: The 1.2x, 2x, 3x short barrel objectives have parfocal distances of 60.6mm. (objectives above 4x have 33.6mm)
The S-Ke should be compatible with 38mm of stage travel. Just crank it down. (Illumination is another problem. use the NA1.25 condenser with the top lens removed.)

Q3: How well does these objectives hold up today? Later in the text, I will be looking for pathways to upgrade the set of objective.
A3: They are objectives that were designed 60 years ago, they will work as long as you don't expect them to perform as modern objectives :-)
The mounts are RMS, so it is possible to use later CF, CFN optics on the scope. (However, you'll probably will be better satisfied using the later Optiphot stands for them)

Q4: What are the differences between the two? One says "1.25" and the other "Achromat 1.40".
A4: The NA1.25 condenser is an Abbe condenser. It is insufficiently corrected for planarity and chromatism. The NA1.40 Achromat is much much better at high NA.
At low NA, you will probably not notice the difference.

Q5: Can I replace this? What is it? A lens or a piece of glass? I don't want to take the thing apart without some knowledge.
A5: That is a IR absorption plate, and it gets clouded over the years. This is unavoidable. There are 2 options, remove it and polish it, or replace it with a similar disk.
As the filter plate is immediately above the field diaphragm, any blemishes on it will be projected on the specimen plane (they are conjugate planes) so it is imperative to keep it spot clean.
The filter is held in a screw mount under the field lens, and is only held in place with a split ring. This is easy to remove.
If you replace the illumination system from the incandescent lamp to LED, there is nill problems with IR reaching the specimen, so you can use plain glass.
IMG_1967 copy.jpg
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Q6: I'm very excited about this, but I guess I need some special objectives to use this accessory, is that correct? What would be your recommendations?
A6: The IPC unit is only furnished with 5 settings. 0, 10,20,40,100x. Use normal achromat or Plan achromat objectives to get best results.
(The back focal planes for each objective are at different positions, and the polarizing phase plates in the upper unit are adjusted as so. Not that other objectives are unusable, but will require trial and error or adjustment of the unit itself which I would not try.)

Q8: What could be the reason for this?! Can you use them as photo eyepieces perhaps?
A8: The eyepieces for the S series have or have not Bi engravings on them. The Bi denotes precision matched magnification and eyefield stop height. For crucial work with binocular/trinocular heads, use the Bi eyepieces. The unmarked ones are suitable for monocular observation or as photo-eyepieces.

Q9: How do I go about cleaning the scope, and figuring out which parts are necessary to clean?
That's a difficult question. From a optical point, as you already have a centering telescope in your kit use it to see within different conjugate planes in the optical train. This will make it easier to identify where and what component needs cleaning. (disassembling everything with get you in a nightmare of realigning things...)

PeteM wrote:Just to add the "S" marked on one of your objectives probably means it is strain-free and suitable for polarization work.
The "S" means the objective has a spring-safety in it. For strain-free objectives, it should have "P" engraved.

Plus, the flare you are observing with the epi-illuminator can be improved by 2 ways.
Observe flat shiny specimens, this will get more reflected light from the object than the internal reflections and stray light. Another is getting the polarizer/analyzer set for the epi-illuminator.
IMG_1975.JPG
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Another thing I just noticed.... the epi-illuminator you have is missing the lens that compensates for the added tube length. without that lens, objectives with TL160 will not work well especially at higher NAs.
IMG_1976.JPG
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Edit: My bad, it looks like you still have the lens in it. I didn't notice the retainer ring until later. The black ring in my example is only for indicating the analyzer direction.

Cheers,
John

P.S. I've PM'd you about the brochures. I have manuals for the IPC, and other units for trade.

MichaelG.
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#23 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:05 am

That's a very helpful post, John

I'm just a disinterested [as opposed to uninterested] observer; but
I have learned a lot which might prove useful in future.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

erikwetterskog
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#24 Post by erikwetterskog » Mon Apr 15, 2019 9:00 pm

MichaelG. wrote:That's a very helpful post, John
MichaelG.
I agree with that statement! Thanks so much John, I have a lot to work with now. I'll keep you posted with the progress (which will be rather slow).
Nikon S-Ke - Old goodie
Olympus CX40 - Fluorescence [Selling]
Olympus BX61 - Phase contrast, DIC, fluorescence [Work-in-progress]

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KurtM
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Re: Nikon S-Ke with lots of accessories - A humbling experience, help needed

#25 Post by KurtM » Tue Apr 16, 2019 1:24 am

Yes, a lovely haul indeed! I get a feeling that whatever you paid for it was probably okay, as you seem to have ended up with a very complete and original array of kit in very nice condition, and for us it's a rare and wonderful thing to see. It's exceedingly nice that it appears to have found an excellent home!
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/

dolmadis
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Nikon Interference Phase Contrast (IPC)

#26 Post by dolmadis » Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:37 pm

Hi to all on this posting.

I would like to have some extra photos of the silver coloured cross piece please.

I borrowed the photo below from the post above.

What I am very interested in seeing are the annular rings which I assume are there from reading about the IPC in various places.

In particular some dimensions of the annular rings?

Many thanks.

Best, John

Image
Last edited by dolmadis on Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

dolmadis
Posts: 45
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 6:06 pm

Re: Nikon Interference Phase Contrast

#27 Post by dolmadis » Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:45 am

Hi All

I came across the images I needed on this eBay Listing.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324753478739 ... Sw8vRhGE4t

Image

Image

In case anyone reading this thread was also curious to interpret how The Nikon Interfrence Phase Contrast works I have linked the photos to the thread.

Apart from one aperture these are all phase annuli?

And the two dials either side of the silver piece holding the annuli, as in photos above in my previous post, could control the rotation of polarisers?

Thoughts welcome.

John

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