Hello from New Zealand

[Grahame]

Hi folks,
I've been lurking around this forum for a while now.
I finally managed to buy a passable 2nd hand microscope a couple of months ago.
The body is a Wild M20 with 6 objective turret and unknown brand Chinese objectives and eyepieces.
I use it mainly for exploring pond water from a local wetland.
Thanks for all the interesting things I've learnt up till now and no doubt will learn in the future.
Have a good one
Grahame

[Hobbyst46]

Welcome.
Here is a favorite review of the Wild M-20 by Paul James:
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... jwild.html

[Grahame]

Hi Hobbyst46,
Yes that is a good review and was one of the reasons I bought the scope even though I knew I wasn't getting the origional glass with it.

[75RR]

Hi Grahame, welcome.

The Wild M20 is one of the microscopes that have me reminding myself that I am not a collector!
Hope that in time you can find the original objectives for it.

If that proves difficult you could upgrade the ones you have for some from Leitz/Leica, Nikon, Olympus or Zeiss.
You would of course have to get the corresponding eyepieces to go with them.
That would give you both a top notch stand and top notch objectives.

Do post some photos of it in the My microscope section. I am sure everyone would like a look at it.

[Grahame]

Thanks 75RR,
Yes they are an elegant looking beast as well as having nice controls.
Getting 2nd hand parts is really hard in my part of the world.
The freight on ebay parts is prohibitave along with the exchange rate.
Eventually I hope to get a set of non origional objectives for it.
It will always be a frankenscope I suspect.

[Charles]

Welcome Grahame.

The Wild M20s are some really nice microscopes. I have a few.

Being in New Zealand, you probably have access to the Oamaru diatomite? The Oamaru diatomite have some excellent fossil diatoms and radiolaria.

[Grahame]

Thanks Charles,
That was something I had never heard about, thanks
I only came to know about diatoms several months ago via pics on this site.
Could make an interesting holiday this summer.
Have just had a look on the NZ equivalent and diatomaceous earth is available in small quantities, must ask a few questions and see where it comes from.

[Hobbyst46]

Getting 2nd hand parts is really hard in my part of the world.
The freight on ebay parts is prohibitave along with the exchange rate.

Postage costs not always depend on the geographical location. Example: Greece is a mere <2h flight from my home, New Zealand is 18? 24?h flight away, express mail prices to NZ are lower than to Greece. Just an example.

[coominya]

Welcome, look forward to reading some of your posts. I'm over the straight in Oz, aquatic life is my main interest.

[Grahame]

Hi neighbour,
Aquatic freshwater critters are the main reason I bought a decent microscope.
Interesting new world to explore.