I was especially excited about the 40x HMC LWD 0.55 Hoffman Modulation Contrast objective.
Tonight I built a DIY HMC condenser by cutting a slit in a library card and sliding it under my Apl.Achr. condenser:
Here are my first attempts.
2.5x CF PL projection eyepiece and Canon 7D.
I am comparing three objectives:
1) 40x E Plan 0.65
2) 40x CFN Plan 0.70 Ph3
3) 40x HMC LWD 0.55
First, a resolution test using Pleurosigma angulatum from Klaus Kemps' test slide:
An NA of 0.52 is theoretically necessary to resolve punctae in P. angulatum so it is not too surprising that the HMC objective falls short here.
Second, some shots of Navicula lyra when using both the the E Plan and HMC objectives with oblique illumination (half swung-in filter holder) and one shot of the same with HMC illumination:
Finally, a pretty bad example of what the HMC looks like in a real-world setting. This is a very poorly made slide in PVA glue of the gills of the fungus Flammulina velutipes. This, to me, this is exactly the situation where HMC seems to shine. In phase contrast, the view was very chaotic due to the ugly out-of-focus areas and halos. In HMC, the view was much calmer.
