NO LONGER WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

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mrsonchus
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NO LONGER WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#1 Post by mrsonchus » Sun Sep 22, 2019 8:46 am

September 22, 2019

Hi all, I'm on the hunt for an intermediate-fitting for my BX40, known as a 'U--OPA' I believe.....
It sits between the head and the frame of an Olympus BX series microscope (maybe others ...).
This intermediate fitting has a slot that holds an analyser for polarisation, if you have the slider as well, even better!
Here are a few images of one.
olympus U-OPA polariser.JPG
olympus U-OPA polariser.JPG (59.64 KiB) Viewed 10992 times
A187-Olympus-U-OPA-Polarizing-Intermediate-Piece-for-BX-series-microscope_m.jpg
A187-Olympus-U-OPA-Polarizing-Intermediate-Piece-for-BX-series-microscope_m.jpg (79.9 KiB) Viewed 10988 times
A187-Olympus-U-OPA-Polarizing-Intermediate-Piece-for-BX-series-microscope_1.jpg
A187-Olympus-U-OPA-Polarizing-Intermediate-Piece-for-BX-series-microscope_1.jpg (99.75 KiB) Viewed 10988 times
If you have one of these to sell, or know of one, please contact me, thanks.
Last edited by mrsonchus on Thu Oct 17, 2019 10:49 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#2 Post by 75RR » Sun Sep 22, 2019 9:23 am

The price would have to be right of course but I don't suppose this one (see link below) can be adapted?

It does mean going from 160 finite to infinity , but that might be achieved by simply removing a Telan lens or two.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympus-BH-2 ... SwFDhdbuQ9
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#3 Post by mrsonchus » Sun Sep 22, 2019 12:32 pm

Yes, I too wondered if the BH finite version, with lens removed, may be OK. After-all the thickness of the unit is less than the maximum optimal for the BX's infinte ystem I think (I think but am not sure that I read somewhere that it must be less than 53mm for intermediate/intermediate-combinations)?

Anyone know the answer to that question? That is, is the BH version with lens removed OK to use with a BX system?

Thanks 75'.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#4 Post by Tom Jones » Sun Sep 22, 2019 4:00 pm

The BH-2 simple pol adapter won't fit the BX. The dovetail is too small. It will actually go on, but isn't centered. The bigger problem is that the BX head dovetail is too big to fit the BH-2 adapter. I just checked. You would need to use a BH-2 head with it, and figure out how to center it...

You have a few choices.

1) A U-KPA BX simple pol adapter, just like the BH-2 adapter. But no optics as the infinity system doesn't need any. Pretty rare on eBay, and not too cheap when you find them. But they do take the regular BX slider, and are usually used with the DICTS DIC system as it requires a separate analyzer from the DIC slider.

2) The U-OPA you mentioned. That's a nice adapter, if equally rare and a bit pricey, but it requires the pricey U-AN360P rotating analyzer, not the standard one. I like the AN360P as I like having a rotating analyzer.

3) Go to your local machine shop and have one made. The only interesting parts are the dovetails. If you start with a U-EPA height adjuster, and modify that, you don't need to make the dovetails. And they're pretty cheap. That has the benefit of allowing you to customize it to fit any analyzer you have, Olympus, Zeiss, Nikon, Lomo or whatever. You can even build in a slot for a DIN wave plate as those are just another slot. Locking screws are optional. Since you can stack intermediate optics with the infinity system, the thickness isn't really relevant until it gets really big, so you could add a plug in the middle to give you more room.

4) find a U-READB BX-40 interchangeable nose piece adapter. Naturally it too, is pretty rare, but not too expensive if you can find one. Then just add an interchangeable turret with an analyzer slot off a BX-50/51 and you're good to go.

5) Swap out your BX-40 frame and lamp house, for a BX-50 with a 100 watt lamp house and nose piece with a slider slot. The optics, stage etc. interchange with the -40. Then you get all you need to add the slider, and you have 100 watts of light to boot. 100 watts is nice when you play with polarization, high power dark field and other light-sucking techniques. If you price out the BX-50 frames, you'll find that isn't as expensive as it sounds.

6) The cheapest and easiest is to just drop in a small (29-30 mm) analyzer into the recess in the top of the frame under the head. Make sure it's aligned the way you want it, and ignore it after that. For the vast majority of observations, a single polarizing element won't make any difference, beyond a small reduction in brightness. If it's too much, just remove the head, remove the analyzer, and replace the head. That's probably 90 seconds worth of work. And 90 seconds to put it back in.

If you really want the U-OPA and slider, let me know. I have a spare left over from a BX-50 pol scope build I aborted when I found a BX-60 that already had all the bits I needed.

Tom

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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#5 Post by mrsonchus » Sun Sep 22, 2019 6:59 pm

Hi Tom and many thanks for what to me seems a pretty definitive answer. You just have saved me the costly and incorrect purchase of a BH-type!
I'm interested in your U-OPA & slider, I'll pm-you my friend.

I considered the new frame option but simply haven't seen one for sale, otherwise the ability to add the slide-in/echangeable nosepiece/s would definitely be my preferred option.
I didn't even know an adapter for the BX40 was available!

I know little about polarised viewing beyond the use of a simple non-rotating analyser with a rotatable polarising filter over the field light source. The use of polarisation is really very useful for Botany, not just for crystalline inclusions, raphides and lignification, but with the identification of different cell-wall types which are to varying degrees birefringent according to their microfibril orientation, which is a useful taxonomic feature.

I also read only today about the 'gout kit' - which I wouldn't actually want, but from the info learned that different types of birefringence, manifested as colour differences, are useful as an identification character for material types showing birefringence or the 'polarisation effect' for want of an informed term..... The rotatable analyser sounds very interesting also.

Soooo, my basic need is for simple non-rotating polarisation capability, but I'd certainly love to be able to enhance this capability as mentioned above......

I don't suppose anyone out there knows of a BX50 frame for sale? I'd very much like to keep the BX40's excellent stage as the X,Y controls have variable clutches on them which I find very useful indeed - the only stage I've ever seen with this capability.

See my pm Tom, and thanks again.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#6 Post by microb » Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:25 pm

If you have BH parts and want to hook them to BX, you could do what I did here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7327

If you scroll down you can see the CNC part that is work-in-progress right now. But the 3D print can work for a while.

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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#7 Post by mrsonchus » Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:40 pm

microb wrote:
Sun Sep 22, 2019 10:25 pm
If you have BH parts and want to hook them to BX, you could do what I did here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7327

If you scroll down you can see the CNC part that is work-in-progress right now. But the 3D print can work for a while.
Hmmm, I haven't the ability to make a part I'm afraid. I'd rather buy a correct part and not go through the process of creating one, just not my area.
I like your industry old chap, but engineering's not for me!

Thanks for the idea though Bob.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#8 Post by PeteM » Mon Sep 23, 2019 5:18 am

John, If you go the route of having one made (from Tom's complete list of options, above), it's pretty easy for a machinist to start with a BH2 intermediate piece. So if you find one of those cheap, you might want to grab it.

For others, it's also possible to turn a BH2 into the equivalent of a BX model by replacing the finite objectives with infinite UIS ones and the finite head with an infinite one. The intermediate adapter can easily be machined to mate to something like a BHS and then to a proper BX head. As you noted, the compensating lens in the BH2 adapter needs to come out.

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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#9 Post by 75RR » Mon Sep 23, 2019 5:50 pm

Stand swap?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympus-BX60 ... SwY8ZdiOpi

On second thoughts you are probably better placing an analyzer in the head for now at least. Good deals take time.
Last edited by 75RR on Mon Sep 23, 2019 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#10 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 23, 2019 5:57 pm

Hi 75' - that's a fellow I know, I wonder....

Would I be able to complete the stand (well, nearly, lighting to add of course..... with the parts from my BX40?

If I can fit the Head, condenser, stage to this one from my BX40 then I'll seriously consider it!

What do you think?

Thanks for the tip, John B.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#11 Post by 75RR » Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:01 pm

It does say:

"Excellent condition except that the power board is faulty – The microscope , however, can be operated normally if you simply use external power supplies - e.g. TH4-200 power supply for the lamp houses."


Hopefully PeteM and Tom Jones will chip in.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#12 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:07 pm

I didn't see the problem with the power board! I know the fellow selling it, I'll se what he has to say also. Thanks 75' - I'll let you know if I decide to go with it....
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#13 Post by microb » Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:00 pm

Besides the default BX40, what hardware do you have right now for a polarizer and objective turret?

I've been working on a BH to BX adapter with a filter slot. I have a BX40 stand I can dig up. If you want I can modify a model I have and do a 3D print like the attached picture but with the BX40 turret attached by screws. Or I could also do a nose piece adapter, but you would then need a BX51/61 turret and a linear polarizer slide to go into it. Ideally, I want to machine the adapter in a couple months.
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bxbhturretadapter1_resized.jpg (65.28 KiB) Viewed 10858 times
Last edited by microb on Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:30 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#14 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:15 pm

Hi!

Ideally I wonder if you'd like to sell your BX41 frame - I can add the parts (nosepiece excepted of course - I'd have to buy one with a slider slot) from my BX40 to complete it?

Just a thought.

Thanks for the ideas!

Regards, John B.
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#15 Post by microb » Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:21 pm

Sorry. Fixed the typo. I meant a BX40, which has the screw on turret not the slider. So I can test a prototype on it.

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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#16 Post by 75RR » Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:24 pm

Found a manual for the BX60

http://wiki.misti.mtu.edu/images/9/98/IM_BX60_1.pdf

The BX60 like the BX40 and the BX50, date from 1993:

https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/ ... o/1993_02/
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Re: WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#17 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 23, 2019 7:41 pm

Great link 75' thanks.
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Re: FOUND FOUND NO LONGER WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#18 Post by mrsonchus » Wed Sep 25, 2019 12:21 am

Hi all and thanks for all your help.

I think I found an adapter U-READB and it's on it's way I hope.....

Update - purchase fell-through, so still looking....
Last edited by mrsonchus on Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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STILL WANTED olympus frame BX50 or BX60 series

#19 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:27 pm

Bad news.

The fellow that sold me the nosepiece with adapter has cancelled and refunded the order because he 'thought he had it but couldn't find it'!

Soooo, I'm back to square one.

Now I'm on the lookout for (ideally a stripped frame of) an Olympus BX 50 or 60 series if anyone has one.....
Thanks.
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Re: FOUND FOUND NO LONGER WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#20 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 3:55 pm

Hello mrsonchus,
just asking - could any of these things be of interest ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microscope-Pol ... SwK4hdj2Kk
I am not related to this seller, of course!

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Re: FOUND FOUND NO LONGER WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#21 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 30, 2019 4:07 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 3:55 pm
Hello mrsonchus,
just asking - could any of these things be of interest ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Microscope-Pol ... SwK4hdj2Kk
I am not related to this seller, of course!
Hi Hobby' - thanks for looking for me. Yes, the simple set would do if I had either the intermediate piece (with slider-slot for analyser) to go between the head and frame, or the adapter that I had bought then hadn't, that allowed the BX40 to take the slotted heads that fit the higher models, again enabling the use of the simple pol slider you linked to.

The lower polariser is no problem, as placing one above the light-port is fine, but the other position for the analser, in nosepiece above objective, or above nosepiece between frame and head, is my problem.
I'm now looking for a higher model BX frame as a last resort - all of which take the slider-enabled nosepieces.

I could I suppose fit a U-KMAS between the head and fram and use a pol slider in that for transmitted pol, this may be my easiest (only?) choice.

Still, I won't rush, I'll just keep looking!
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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#22 Post by 75RR » Mon Sep 30, 2019 5:33 pm

.
I suppose the cheapest and simplest way to obtain Pol would be to place a polarized filter (analyzer) under the head - this can be left in as it does not affect the illumination.

When you wish to use Pol then all you need to do is place a polarized filter on the field diaphragm housing and rotate it until you achieve extinction.

This would be a good way to find out how useful Pol would be to you and how much it would be worth spending to have a more elegant pol setup
.
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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#23 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 30, 2019 6:32 pm

Hi 75'!
Yes, leaving it (the analyser) in the optics is I know a quick option, but with the Olympus I'm reluctant to do this. I would like to use ultimately a system of Olympus parts, that also includes the facility to be able to rotate the analyser and also combine with a retardation-plate in order to increase the specificity of the pol and of course to preserve the stunning quality of the Olympus' brightfield light-path.

I was at least, aiming to fit one of the (6 or even 7 objective) slider-slot heads into the BX40 (with the adapter 'U-READB') that are used with the higher-numbered BX models. Now that the purchase has fallen through of the adapter I've started to seriously consider moving up to a frame-swap where no nosepiece-adapter will be needed. I just need to find an affordable frame and swap-out the parts from the BX40....

I've been so impressed by the BX40 that I'm ready to pursue these additional capabilities.

Keep an eye out for me 75'! :D :D
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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#24 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:00 pm

mrsonchus wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 6:32 pm
...the higher-numbered BX models.
Since you seek a "higher-numbered BX model" - does the BX41 count in ? since its nosepiece is exchangeable ? is BX41 an option ?

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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#25 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:12 pm

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:00 pm
Hello John B.
Am I correct in assuming that among the "higher-numbered BX models" that you seek is the BX41 ? since its nosepiece is exchangeable ? so BX41 is an option ?
Hi Hobby, yes old chap the BX41 would very likely be suitable. The question with the BX41 would perhaps be the illumination; at 30W it's of course the same as the BX40. I've already fitted a RetroDiode 10W LED conversion to my BX40 which works perfectly, plenty of light for brightfield and just about enough for phase before cranking-up the ISO of my camera for images.
That said I will be investing in the more powerful 20W version for extra power as and when the need arises - a future problem with a solution waiting it may be said?

The one question that I will need an answer to is, maybe a bit stupid....
Is it O.K. to simply 'pump more light' through a BX40/1? - the electronics (i.e. PSU) of the 'scope isn't in use, power being supplied externally to the LED conversion. The temperature of the conversion in use is astoundingly cool - it barely feels tepid when touching the passive heat-sink. Presumably the more powerful version will perform similarly well....
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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#26 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:23 pm

Will send a PM.

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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#27 Post by MicroBob » Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:48 pm

mrsonchus wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:12 pm
Is it O.K. to simply 'pump more light' through a BX40/1? - the electronics (i.e. PSU) of the 'scope isn't in use, power being supplied externally to the LED conversion. The temperature of the conversion in use is astoundingly cool - it barely feels tepid when touching the passive heat-sink. Presumably the more powerful version will perform similarly well....
Hi John,
since the LED emits only light in the visible range it actually affects the microscope less than a bulb light. Usually the limitation is the proper heat transport away from the small LED if there is a weak spot in the heat transmission chain this will limit the life of the LED.

Bob

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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#28 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:55 pm

Thanks Bob, that's exactly what I need to know.
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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#29 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:03 pm

mrsonchus wrote:
Mon Sep 30, 2019 7:12 pm
Hi Hobby, yes old chap the BX41 would very likely be suitable. The question with the BX41 would perhaps be the illumination; at 30W it's of course the same as the BX40. I've already fitted a RetroDiode 10W LED conversion to my BX40 which works perfectly, plenty of light for brightfield and just about enough for phase before cranking-up the ISO of my camera for images.
That said I will be investing in the more powerful 20W version for extra power as and when the need arises - a future problem with a solution waiting it may be said?
Funny. My small Zeiss GFL uses a retroDiode 10W LED as well. The LED is inside the base, exactly where the original tungsten bulb was located, to ascertain Kohler. Plenty of light, including for phase contrast, and high NA darkfield, and the microscope base never warms up. The heat sink of the LED circle is outside the scope, and is very hot to the touch when at full 10W power - I should have measured the temperature, must be well over 60C.
How a small 10W LED suffices for the large BX stand is beyond me.

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Re: STILL WANTED STILL WANTED Olympus intermediate polariser

#30 Post by 75RR » Mon Sep 30, 2019 8:25 pm

retroDiode do not provide any details on their Led Illuminators that I can see apart from saying that it is 800 lumen, 5500 k and lasts for 50 000 hours.

The brand and model number to be able to download the spec sheet from the manufacturer would be nice. Did that info come with the kit?


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