Fixed TL and Infinity Inter-company Compatibly

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mnmyco
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:03 pm

Fixed TL and Infinity Inter-company Compatibly

#1 Post by mnmyco » Fri Oct 18, 2019 4:45 am

I have a small suggestion, which I have not seen a thread or website cover (please post link if I am wrong). I think it would be handy to have a list of microscope models with a list of objectives and/or other microscope accessories that are from a different manufacturer than the microscope body but work. Specifically, things we have used and know for sure that they work. So nothing theoretical, eg, for the older Leitz 170 TL scopes, 160 TL objectives should work. If you have tested 160 TL objectives on a Leitz 160, than you would post the microscope maker/model, the objective information, and comments on results and how you made it work.

Obviously, I am really referring to things that are not commonly known. My above Leitz was just an example. I thought if we all pool our knowledge and experience we could build up a good and handy list.

Just a suggestion, and if it has been done already please alert us know.

MNMyco

apochronaut
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: Fixed TL and Infinity Inter-company Compatibly

#2 Post by apochronaut » Fri Oct 18, 2019 11:46 am

One of the failings of this forum is that there are no stickies. Unfortunately, such a list would eventually sift down into the mud and only those who knew of it's existence would know how to find it.

It's a good idea and should have been done long ago . I would participate . Probably just routinely bumping it might suffice to keep it available to newcomers.

PeteM
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Location: N. California

Re: Fixed TL and Infinity Inter-company Compatibly

#3 Post by PeteM » Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:55 pm

One of the difficulties is that such a list would be subjective, unless some standard optical tests were included. One person might not be bothered, for example, by a mismatch of color correcting eyepieces and another would find it horrific.

I've had good luck completely changing finite systems over, by using proper eyepieces and making sure they pick up the image at the proper depth into the tube. The P.S. Neeley "Xmission" website, while mostly devoted to American Optical, has a chart of eyepieces.

With infinity systems, there are at least three common tube lens dimensions (recollection is 160mm for Zess, 180mm for Olympus and many generics, 200mm for A.O,, Reichert, Leica, and Nikon). Then there are issues of where corrections are handled. It's often possible to acceptable get swaps infinite to infinite (e.g. a generic for an Olympus), perhaps with some magnification change.

mnmyco
Posts: 144
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:03 pm

Re: Fixed TL and Infinity Inter-company Compatibly

#4 Post by mnmyco » Fri Oct 18, 2019 4:51 pm

You have a point, but I do not see that as a reason to not generate such a list. I was thinking of things beyond just fixed vs infinite TL. A good example is the use of 70x LOMO WI lenses without the water immersion. Or knowing if I could screw a Zeus condenser into a AO condenser and still have phase contrast work. Things like that as well as the TL example.

MNMyco

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