A couple more Diatoms from that sample jar

[75RR]

Plan 40x/0.65, 25µm alga width, DIC, 9, 4 and 15 image stacks with Photoshop

[Crater Eddie]

Gorgeous! Is that a strand of xylem in the last photo?
CE

[Timemaster1212]

Ha excellent photos, my diatoms are not as nice looking as those!

[Hobbyst46]

Very very beautiful.
Is the second one DIC as well?

[75RR]

Many thanks Crater Eddie

Is that a strand of xylem in the last photo?

Not sure, all I found was this strand.

Many thanks Hobbyst46

Is the second one DIC as well?

Yes, I usually set the Bias to Positive or Negative but in this case I had it in the middle which gives a stronger effect.

Thanks Timemaster1212

[75RR]

A couple more. These I took a few days ago - thought I would post them. Think one is a colonial peritrich and the other is a Vorticella

Plan 40x/0.65, alga is 25µm wide, DIC, 8 and 18 image stacks in Photoshop

[mrsonchus]

My goodness - this DIC business is, in the right hands, a remarkable tool! Fabulous images! More!

Really like these, well done old chap, they're beautifully detailed.

John B.

[75RR]

Many thanks mrsonchus, always the gentleman :)

[Jonnyvine]

Amazing images

[IanW]

Amazing 75RR. You have almost convinced me to take out a bank loan and invest in DIC parts!

Just to repeat all that has been said above - astoundingly beautiful photographs - the clarity through DIC enhancement is breath-taking. Any information about the equipment and set up you are using would be gratefully accepted.

[75RR]

Thanks Jonnyvine and IanW

Any information about the equipment and set up you are using would be gratefully accepted.

I am using the fourth of the 4 Zeiss DIC systems Zeiss came up with for the 160 tube microscopes. (see link):
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1543

I was fortunate to get it at a most reasonable price. I do not however have all the parts, nor is what I have entirely free from delamination :(
I have only the sliders for the Planapo 63x/1.4 and Plan 40x/0.65 objectives. See last page on the 4th DIC system for all the sliders that are available.

enricosavazzi is selling his system over on the photomacrography forum, you may want to send him a message.
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=36670

Last but not least I will take advantage of your question to post a photo of my microscope ;) and one of the DIC parts of the 4th system.†
†Note: This photo was kindly sent to me by Charles when all I had was the condenser and I was wondering what else I needed. Thanks again Charles!

[KurtM]

Absolutely beautiful images, and exceedingly inspiring seeing as how I am fortunate enough to own a similar WL/DIC system.

[zzffnn]

A couple more. These I took a few days ago - thought I would post them. Think one is a colonial peritrich and the other is a Vorticella

Plan 40x/0.65, alga is 25µm wide, DIC, 8 and 18 image stacks in Photoshop

Very nice, thanks 75RR for sharing!

Did you use flash to stack those images or anesthetize those peritrichs with chemicals? I am surprised they did not contract in response to 8-18 flash firings.

Your camera does not have silent electronic shutter, but you isolated it using tripod or a stable stand, correct? I could be totally wrong, though I thought even EFCS would produce enough vibration to either make peritrichs contract, or ruin a stack in live mount.

[75RR]

Thanks KurtM. I had your 'Dark' diatom photos in mind when I decided to play with the slider setting. (second image)

Thanks zzffnn. No flash - though it is something that would be fun to have one day.
Yes, I do use a tripod to isolate the camera, as it kicks like a mule when I activate the shutter. (This is hearsay as I have never actually been kicked by a mule)
As it is completely isolated you could argue that it produces less vibration than the very best 'microscope' cameras.

Update. Took my own advice and contacted enrico; there is now a slightly delaminated but very reasonably priced 16x slider on its way :) :) :)

[KurtM]

...there is now a slightly delaminated but very reasonably priced 16x slider on its way

[IanW]

Thanks 75RR for taking the time to elaborate and show your system and the available options open to Zeiss system. I have a phase 1.4 condenser for my Zeiss WL - can that be adapted to take DIC prisms? Also I have an optovar but it doesn't have the polariser inside like the one you display in your photograph - is that a problem?

[75RR]

Hi IanW,
I am only familiar with the 4th 160 tube DIC system. So I can only speak about that one.
I do not think it is possible to adapt a condenser to DIC as the DIC prisms (both I and II) require a port that not only is designed to hold them but also includes an iris diaphragm.
Have a talk to enrico, I believe he still has some parts left. https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=36670
If you can get the condenser then you have a important component, as both the DIC prisms and the sliders do come up fairly regularly on ebay and other sources.
Note: delaminated ones are cheaper and work well enough to get you started. Upgrade when you can.

To get the 4th system up and running you need:
1) an analyzer (it does not have to be part of an optovar) it is just more convenient that way. You can place one in the head of the microscope in an emergency.
2) a slider holder (to place the sliders in) Ideally you want 5 (unless you have a 4 place nosepiece) as even though you do not have the other sliders, having slider holders on each objective allows you to maintain parfocality. There are also spacers available that match the slider holder height which give you parfocality.
3) a slider for each objective you plan to use. If you are going to start with one start with the 40x, it is the most useful.
4) DIC condenser with Prisms I and II (actually, (I) only works with the 6.3x Plan and the 16x Plan slider, while (II) works with all the others, so you don't technically need both.
Note: DIC condensers come with Phase ports Ph2 and Ph3 plus of course brightfield.
5) a polarizer (no need for a fancy one, mine just sits on the field iris housing)

[charlie g]

Fabulous images 75RR...I love the textures and sheer dimensionality of these images. I pine for a DIC setup in next few years. Charlie guevara

[75RR]

Many thanks charlie g

I pine for a DIC setup in next few years.

Let us hope the river gods are feeling helpful :)

[IanW]

Thanks again 75RR for the information so clearly provided. I think DIC will have to be a longer term aim (and expensive ) and in the meantime there is plenty to keep me experimenting with. Keep up the good work!

[KurtM]

Yep, a lot more people would have DIC if not for the darn expense of it. In the meantime, DIC effect has been approached amazingly closely by careful oblique illumination techniques, including the GUF, or Gradient Universal Filter. I am unable to provide a link to threads on this forum due to limited computer time at present, but perhaps someone else might.

75RR is and has been a valuable resource on this forum - hats off to him. Charles too. Thank you, gentlemen!

[hkv]

Wonderful images!

[75RR]

You are welcome IanW

Many thanks KurtM and hkv

[piilani2000]

What are these diatoms beautiful!! And the microscope too.

[75RR]

Thanks piilani2000, Diatoms are quite amazing. Not only are they beautiful but many go walkabout, which is pretty good for an alga.
Here are a couple of links I hope you will find of interest.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=719

https://westerndiatoms.colorado.edu/

http://planktonchronicles.org/en/episod ... ss-houses/

And the microscope too.

Thanks, I am very pleased with it. :)

[piilani2000]

Thanks 75RR! The links are really interesting.

[vasselle]

Bonjour
Très belles images.
Et merci pour ces informations
Cordialement seb