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Seeking informations

Posted: Fri May 24, 2019 8:16 pm
by Glycolyse
Hi everyone,

I might purchase a stereomicroscope, but when I looked for it's name (Zeiss Ikon Stemi DV4), I couldn't find any information on it. Instead, I found informations about the Zeiss Stemi DV4, a blue (high-end ?) stereomicroscope, which is different from the one I want to buy.

Here is a photo:

Image

By the way, does someone know the fair price/estimation of this stereo' ?

Thanks !

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Fri May 24, 2019 9:46 pm
by Hobbyst46
Hi Glycolyse,

Owning a stereoscope in addition to a compound microscope is very rewarding - I enjoy it very much.
The Stemi in the above photo appears to have eyepieces of a relatively narrow FOV. Although I cannot decipher the marks on them.
I find wide-field eyepieces a great advantage for the stereos. The wider the better, as far as the microscope tube allows.
I am using inexpensive Chinese eyepieces on my Japanese Olympus scope, and the view is excellent.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Fri May 24, 2019 10:05 pm
by Glycolyse
Hey Hobbyst, thanks for your reply, I'll take your advices into account for sure !

Here are the eyepieces:

Image

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 2:20 am
by Scarodactyl
The one in the picture is an old classic. There are some variants with different mag changers but the same head. I have never seen one labeled as a dv4 before though. Usually they seem to have a part number for the mag changer as on this one https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3432451421 (aside from the SV6/SV8/SV11). Hopefully someone who actually knows Zeiss stereos will have a better answer.
These I see going up between 400-1000 or more depending on features. Zeiss stereos from this era can sometimes have delamination issues, so look out for that and be sure retirns are easy on any stereo you buy. If you get a good one though it should be a superb instrument.

As a mostly unrelated note the blue, recent DV4 is branded Zeiss but per scuttlebutt made for by Motic. I have never used one but it has a reputation for being overpriced. Motic isn't bad but I would guess the older zeiss would handily outperform it despite the lower price tag.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 10:26 am
by Glycolyse
Thanks alot Scarodactyl, I am currently dealing with the seller for photos. I could deal the price of the stereomicroscope for around 250e.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 11:59 am
by Glycolyse
Here is a photo looking through the ocular:

Image

I don't know if it's good enough to judge anything..

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 12:19 pm
by MichaelG.
I don't understand the Zeiss model designations, but this appears to be from the same 'family'
https://spectraservices.com/product/SP-ZEISS-SR.html

MichaelG.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 12:47 pm
by photomicro
This is from a brochure from 1982, entitled; 'Zeiss Stereomicroscopes D, DR, DRC and DV4'

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 1:02 pm
by Glycolyse
Thanks Michael and Photomicro, that's definitely going to help !

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 1:19 pm
by Glycolyse
So, by looking at the specs, it seems it's a fixed interpupillary distance without a way to change it, right ?

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 1:28 pm
by Hobbyst46
Glycolyse wrote:So, by looking at the specs, it seems it's a fixed interpupillary distance without a way to change it, right ?
I would not jump into such conclusion. Too bad to be true. The brochure of a modern new Zeiss STEMI DV4 does not specifiy the interpupillary distance either. I believe it can be adjusted.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 2:05 pm
by MichaelG.
I still don't understand the model designations, but ... This gets us a little closer:
https://www.mikroskop-online.de/Mikrosk ... hanger.pdf

* See the note at the end of page 2

MichaelG.

Edit: See here
https://www.mikroskop-online.de/Mikrosk ... gh-Typ.pdf
and here
https://www.mikroskop-online.de/Mikrosk ... %20DV4.pdf

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 2:22 pm
by Glycolyse
These are great documents, thanks Michael ! I got an answer about the interpupillary distance - It's not fixed, good to hear.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 6:06 pm
by Scarodactyl
There is one major downside here. Notice there is no thumbscrew to remove the binocular head from the zoom body, and they mention it is permanently attached in the document there. That means you can't add a beamsplitter for photography unlike other models in this series. 250e is quite nice for a zeiss though.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 8:31 pm
by MicroBob
Hi Enzo,
just today I brought a microscope of this series home from our group meeting to service it. The interpuillary distance is set by changeing the angle between the tubes - I haven't seen this system before.

The eyepieces are in terribly delaminated condition and I have heard of similar problems before from models of this series. This is a point you should check before buying. There might be more wrong in the inside - I didn't get a usable image at all.

Bob

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 10:02 pm
by Glycolyse
Thanks for pointing that out Scarodactyl, even though I could upgrade to a nicer scope in the long run.

MicroBob, this is a good thing to bring personal experience here.

In the end, I find this stereoscope a bit weird, and might wait for another occasion, even tough good offers are rare on the market. Scarodactyl's Olympus VMT are great, but due to import taxes, it makes it impossible to compete with others.
Thanks everyone for your time and expertise ;)

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 9:49 am
by Glycolyse
Hi everyone,

I found a Leica Zoom 2000 at 180$ (for now):

Image

Interesting specs: trinocular and zoom

I also found the manual: http://www.microscopen-specialist.nl/in ... -zoom-2000

What do you think of it ?

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 9:54 am
by 75RR
Looks like the student proof version

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 10:14 am
by Hobbyst46
Looks like a nice find. I would verify that the focusing and zoom are smooth, and that the eyepieces are the 10X; The brochure mentions also an option of 15X eyepieces, but in my experience a X7-X30 magnification range is better and the FOV with 10X eyepieces is much more convenient in use.

I wonder about "trinocular" spec ? did not see this option in the manual. The bump on top of the head is the zoom control knob IMO. Yet I would not see it as deal breaker. A binocular stereoscope is OK IMO.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 12:56 pm
by MichaelG.
Hobbyst46 wrote:I wonder about "trinocular" spec ? did not see this option in the manual. The bump on top of the head is the zoom control knob IMO.
I'm sure that you are correct
The system diagram on the final page is potentially misleading ... but the photo on page_3 clearly illustrates the cameras attached to the eyepieces.

MichaelG.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 2:33 pm
by Glycolyse
Thanks for the clarification, my bad guys. That is a bit tricky I must say !

I also found this bad boy, a Nikon SMZ 645 for 300$ (I could negociate if you find it higher than what it should):

Image

Image

Manual: http://magersci.com/brochures/nikon/SMZ645-660.pdf

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 7:40 pm
by Scarodactyl
The zoom 2000 is a Leica rebrand of an old.b&l student scope, a simplified version of their stereozoom series. I haven't tried one but have heard they are not great. Better to get one of the stereozoom series proper (esp a stereozoom 7).
The nikon 645 has a solid reputation. It is a routine scope, not their top research line, but should be a good performer. Price seems about fair per what I have seen on eBay, on the lower end.

Re: Seeking informations

Posted: Sun May 26, 2019 10:06 pm
by Glycolyse
Thanks for your knowledge Scarodactyl !