Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
Message
Author
thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#1 Post by thomas.schwarz » Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:03 pm

Hello friends,

Soon I will have my first Olympus Microscope: BH-2 BHS. I am not immediately interested in Phase Contrast, but I would like to set up DIC (NIC) as resources allow. Straight off the bat, it seems there are two approaches to the NIC Condenser. UDC as shown here:
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... f15438dbfc

Or the standard(?) NIC condenser BH2-NC as described here:
http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olymp ... ctions.pdf

I am a microbehunter. So as you comrades know, its all about chasing the microbe, and changing the lighting and magnification and position etc... despite the best wishes of the microbe to hide its greater existence/plans to take over the world.... So question here, assuming that one wants to change in and out of DIC quickly (as well as darkfield, etc...) which is the better condenser and why?

The next question is about objectives. Looking at the document above from Alan Wood, it would seem that standard Olympus S Plan objectives (10, 20, 40, 60 oil, 100) are what the doctor ordered (leaving aside Phase Contrast). Is that correct? Am I a fool for leaving aside phase contrast?

Hobbyst46
Posts: 4277
Joined: Mon Aug 21, 2017 9:02 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#2 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:34 pm

thomas.schwarz wrote:
Mon Dec 30, 2019 7:03 pm
Hello friends,

Soon I will have my first Olympus Microscope: BH-2 BHS. I am not immediately interested in Phase Contrast, but I would like to set up DIC (NIC) as resources allow. Straight off the bat, it seems there are two approaches to the NIC Condenser. UDC as shown here:
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... f15438dbfc

Or the standard(?) NIC condenser BH2-NC as described here:
http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olymp ... ctions.pdf

I am a microbehunter. So as you comrades know, its all about chasing the microbe, and changing the lighting and magnification and position etc... despite the best wishes of the microbe to hide its greater existence/plans to take over the world.... So question here, assuming that one wants to change in and out of DIC quickly (as well as darkfield, etc...) which is the better condenser and why?

The next question is about objectives. Looking at the document above from Alan Wood, it would seem that standard Olympus S Plan objectives (10, 20, 40, 60 oil, 100) are what the doctor ordered (leaving aside Phase Contrast). Is that correct? Am I a fool for leaving aside phase contrast?
First, congratulations on a BH-2 microscope - a great microscope. SPlans are wonderful. I own a 10X0.30 SPLan that I rarely use because its corrections do not comply with Zeiss eyepieces, but it is very rewarding in use.
Some protozoans are clearly visible with brightfield. Phase contrast often provides great images. Different from and perhaps inferior to DIC (aesthetically speaking) but worthwhile to have, at least as long as there is no DIC.

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#3 Post by thomas.schwarz » Mon Dec 30, 2019 10:32 pm

Thanks friend. So the thing that is killing me.... ...about flexibility, it would be awesome if I could be using my plain vanilla S Plan objectives. say 20x, brightfield, and just slide the analyser, twist the condenser and bam, DIC, decide I need a darkfield, and only two moves, slide DIC the analyser out, schift the condenser, and bam I am back to basic dark field. Two questions, am I right that no special objective is needed? And do I understand correctly that the UCD could be used for fast switch between DIC, brightfield _and_ darkfield?

UCD (but I would have just three DIC prisms and one darkfield stop)
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... f15438dbfc

Required Objectives for NIC/DIC:
http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olymp ... ctions.pdf

My objectives (coming on Jan 20th):
https://www.ebay.com/itm/312591491134

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#4 Post by thomas.schwarz » Mon Dec 30, 2019 11:53 pm

OK so I think it is clear that the S Plan objectives are the intended ones, although Charles Krebs consistently prefers the S Plan Apo objectives (http://www.krebsmicro.com/microsetup2/ see notes at end)

Also unless anyone disagrees, it does appear the the BH2-UCD condenser does add flexibility over the standard BH2-NC condenser (e.g. match my objectives 10x, 40x, 100x, omit phase contrast, etc...)

Next, real newbie question, I see this required part in the BH2 DIC manuel: Filter 43IF550-W45. It costs about 100 Eur used. Where does it go? In the analyser (BH2-NA)?

deBult
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 3:20 pm
Location: Continental Europe

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#5 Post by deBult » Tue Dec 31, 2019 5:08 am

Filter goes ON the lamp exit point.

Best

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#6 Post by thomas.schwarz » Tue Dec 31, 2019 7:58 am

Wierd. Does it need to come out for brightfield? Amd why isnt that in the bh2 nic intruction manuell above? Or is it?

PeteM
Posts: 2983
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:22 am
Location: N. California

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#7 Post by PeteM » Tue Dec 31, 2019 7:19 pm

The green filter isn't needed for DIC. It just turns a full spectrum light source to a more monochromatic green. This, in turn, gives a slightly sharper (but not colored) image by eliminating chromatic aberration.

Both the DIC systems in your first post work the same way. The first one looks to be an earlier version where the condenser could be fitted to either an older BH with a collar attachment at the top or a BH2 with a dovetail attachment at the bottom. At least, that's my take.

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#8 Post by thomas.schwarz » Tue Dec 31, 2019 8:42 pm

Thanks Pete. So, I have not worked at all with color filters (or maybe just a bit). Assuming a standard BH-2 BHS with a BH2-UCD Condenser:
* would I need to buy something to hold this filter?
* if no, would there be something already there to hold it between the light source and the bottom of the BH2-UCD?

This one https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/ ... o/1980_01/ seems to have a set of filter holders right on top of the light source. Or without that, do you just lay the filter right on the light source? Funny, it was no where that I could find in the nic instructions. Do you find it there? http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olymp ... ctions.pdf

...or is that what they are refering to on page 10, #1 "Choose a most suitable contrast color in a range fr om 0 order (black) to second order
(blue) (or 0 to 700nm) by rotating the prism adjust ment screw."

PeteM
Posts: 2983
Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:22 am
Location: N. California

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#9 Post by PeteM » Tue Dec 31, 2019 9:09 pm

As DeBult said, above, the filter could be inserted in the slot between the BHS lamp and the stand. It could also be fitted between the field lens and the condenser as shown in one of the links. And, as previously noted, you don't really need it for DIC.

Once your BHS arrives, you might spend some time with brightfield, maybe polarization and darkfield, and gain some experience before making the investment in either phase contrast or DIC? That will leave you better prepared to decide how to spend the rest of your scope budget on contrast enhancing methods.

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#10 Post by thomas.schwarz » Wed Jan 01, 2020 1:58 pm

Yes, there is some playing around to do.... ...phase contrast is not in the cards, but I definitely will get the dark field stop for the BH2 UCD, and lots of bright field.

Here is where I am stuck currently on the analyser purchase (part BH2-NA). There seems to be a very similar part for Phase Contrast. So two questions:
1) is the NIC Analyser part (BH2-NA) the same for DIC and for Phase Contrast? Yes and no? I add that because clearly the part BH2-NA support phase contrast as well as DIC
2) if no, how can you tell if an analyzer is BH2-NA or other (e.g. BH2-KPA)
KPA
https://www.hitechinstruments.com/Produ ... be-bh2-kpa
BH2-NA
https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... f15438dbfc

Thanks!

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#11 Post by thomas.schwarz » Wed Jan 01, 2020 7:04 pm

e.g. here is one that I am considering, ah just found out he wants to keep it...
https://www.dealcorner.com/Olympus-Acce ... terSet.jpg

But is it a BH2-NA? The slider has a part number, H31103 T.Y, any way to look that up?

Tom Jones
Posts: 336
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:47 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#12 Post by Tom Jones » Thu Jan 02, 2020 6:00 am

Tom,

The Dealcorner intermediate tube is the BH2-NA. It's also too expensive, so he should get to keep it. :o

This is why I think it's too expensive: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-NIC-Ph ... SwPCZbpTl3 This is cheaper, and you get a free DIC/Phase condenser with it! The DIC prisms are fixed in place in this condenser, but since the two phase annuli are centerable, they are probably also removable although I haven't tried it. You can see that in the attached photo of mine. If you can remove them, you can probably stick in a dark field stop and center it, if you can find one. They're pretty rare for the BH2 series.

You can easily tell the difference between the DIC slider and the pol analyzer by the prism slider adjustment knob sticking out of the end of the slider itself. That is what is used to translate one part of the Nomarski prism relative to the other to introduce bias. The KPA pol intermediate tube slider doesn't have it. The knob you can see with the KPA is the attachment screw sticking out of the intermediate tube, not the slider. The intermediate tubes themselves are different, too.

There is no intermediate tube for phase contrast. The complementary annuli are in both the condenser and the objectives, no intermediate tube is involved. :D

The green IF550 filter is only used for phase, not DIC, and it goes in the filter holder that is the front part of your BHS lamp house. It will also fit on the light port directly under the condenser, so it is usable as well with phase on BHT/BHTU scopes that do not have the 100 watt lamp. :?

Tom
Attachments
BH-2 DIC Condenser-1.jpg
BH-2 DIC Condenser-1.jpg (125.77 KiB) Viewed 14511 times

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#13 Post by thomas.schwarz » Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:41 pm

Wow... grasshopper is learning. Thank you!!!

Found the dealcorner price for BH2-NA: $1500....

I will try to tone down the buy sell topic for this subject (optics), but in any case the price point is pertinent.

I bought the eBay nic set, thanks again Tom. ...shipping to mom in Chicago then to me in Austria....

So... I am going to try it all and follow up. The market is liquid, so I will try both UCD (with dark field and no phase) and dedicated nic/phase (no darkfield) and sell one of the condensers.

And amazing that you found that Tom. My ebay was filtering it out due to no shipping.

rs6000
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2018 4:14 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#14 Post by rs6000 » Fri Jan 03, 2020 2:06 am

WOW some of the old olympus 1980s BH DIC parts are VERY PRICY$$$
and I thought 450 was a lot for my Zeiss inko

at this cost you could buy a very good and fully complete DIC/phase setup in Zeiss flavor :shock:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-IMT-2- ... 0010.m2109

Tom Jones
Posts: 336
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:47 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#15 Post by Tom Jones » Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:08 am

Tom,

A word to the wise... eat Ramen for a while :? , sell your kids :shock: , just don't sell the DCD, or the DIC set for that matter. Dedicated dark field condensers are better than simple stops, and you're going to like dark field. It's worth learning to swap condensers quickly and efficiently to use both on the same stand.

I love DIC and have it for my BHS (both DIC condensers), inverted IMT-2, BX-50's (regular, high contrast and high resolution sets), and reflected dark field and DIC for my BX-60. I have both wet and dry dedicated darkfield condensers for my BHTU's (that I use for outreach), BHS, and BX-50's, and dark field bases for my SZH and SZH10 stereos. Plankton net collections of pond life are wonderful for outreach using dark field stereo. I've even custom made several dark field condensers for other stereos before I got the SZHs with dark field bases. :o I love dark field too!

This was shot with a Panasonic GH4, in 4K, using my BHS and the same DIC set you just bought: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleri ... er-feeding

A longer version is here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqZns4wo0AQ&t=

Here's a stereo dark field video, also shot in 4K through an SZH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMNHuab9hKE&t=

Watch everything in as high a resolution as you can as it was all uploaded in 4K. It makes a difference.

And yes, I get a little carried away sometimes. It's a sickness... :roll:

Tom

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#16 Post by thomas.schwarz » Fri Jan 03, 2020 3:48 pm

Amazing Videos Tom!!!!! unreal...

I have some video, still not processed, of something like a microbe cuttlefish/octopus. Interesting to know if it was this Rotifer Stephanocerus. Truly amazing view into the jungle in the jar..... Congratulation on your honorable mention.

I think that these creatures are in my family tree, so special thanks from my family for the documentation ))).

About the DCD versus Darkfield stop in UCD, thanks for the tipp! Will compare when I get a DCD to experiment with.... ....one of the great goals of life, other than having a warm heart, is seeing the interdependence of things. And your "sickness" is surely a "window" into the same. Particularly considering that over 90% of the history of life on earth included only microscopic organisms (probably)....

Great other tips as well on Video speed, other microscope technologies, etc.... Thanks!!! I am also interested in outreach.... ...so a thread on that later in another topic....

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#17 Post by thomas.schwarz » Fri Jan 03, 2020 11:05 pm

Interesting.... ...that DIC set on ebay was for a BH microscope, not a BH2. Interested to hear your opinion on this. Will they fit? Boss, at dealcorner.com, seems to think that the intermediate tube will fit/work but the condenser will not because it does not have the dovetail fitting. Thoughts?

I am not worried about it either way, because my plan was to use the UCD, and from ebay just use the Intermediate Tube Analyser. Do you know if that prism changed between BH and BH2? They look identical to me:

BH (part AH-NA)
http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olymp ... e-1977.pdf

BH-2 (part BH2-NA)
http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olymp ... ctions.pdf

Tom Jones
Posts: 336
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:47 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#18 Post by Tom Jones » Sat Jan 04, 2020 4:23 am

Damn. I'm sorry. I didn't look at the last picture apparently, as it was mostly a response to the intermediate tube price. I paid about $850 for my intermediate tube.

I've never seen that type condenser before. Apparently I got lucky when I bought mine! Since that one doesn't have a dovetail on the bottom, it must be an earlier version before the dovetail mount was adopted. Unfortunately, Olympus didn't put part numbers on the older pieces, and obviously used the same names on newer parts, so it can get confusing. The BX parts have part number/names on them.

My condenser is currently mounted, by the dovetail, on my BHS. Mine will also mount on the BH as well, using the sleeve condenser mount around the condenser lens assembly per the BH2-NIC instructions you have from Alan Wood, hence the confusion.

Here's a link from a couple of years ago wondering why the dovetail is on the BH condenser: https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... e38803385b

I'm pretty sure the heads, and therefore the intermediate tubes will interchange, but I don't have a BH frame to check to be sure. I know I've used BH "style" (step tapered) heads on BH-2 frames before. But at this point, I'm not sure I'd trust me. :oops:

You *might* be able to have a dovetail machined and adapt it to this condenser. Given that mine is for both the BH and BH-2 I suspect the prisms, and probably the annuli are the same for both the BH and the BH-2, but I can't guarantee it. I know BX annuli are not the same as BH-2 annuli.

A Google search found another apparently earlier BH only version without the dovetail (picture #5): https://picclick.com/Olympus-BH2-NC-NIC ... 43514.html

Remind me not to link to things like that in the future...

Tom

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#19 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:20 am

No problem Tom! I really appreciate the help!

....like a lot of things in life (not all) it appears to be a less-than-ideal situation, but it is not. My plan is to use the BH imtermediate tube analyser with my UDC which will have new prisms. Honestly, i habe neber seen a phase contrast image that i liked (more than its brightfield analog). As for the darfield options, thd UDC with darkfield may also prove to be as good as the dedicated DCD condenser.

So... then actually, if i sell the BH condenser for 1000 dollars, which is my plan, then i only paid 400 for the imtermediate tube analyser ))). No issues there.

Of course the real issue is to grow with the BH-2, making videos... ....i am actually interested in creatimg an inventory and presentstion (web site) of sll the living micro creatures in a local body of water called "Lendkanal" here in Klagenfurt.... so if i can make a video like your Stefanoceros, i will be like a room without a roof.

Can you say some more about how you made that video in terms of optics, camera, magnification? How did you get such a deep field in focus (e.g. layering videos?)

Tom Jones
Posts: 336
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:47 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#20 Post by Tom Jones » Sat Jan 04, 2020 2:24 pm

Hi Tom,

The Stephanoceros video was just normal DIC, no tricks of any kind. I was actually just checking a fresh plankton net collection before I went to a Science Night demo at a local high school when I found it. All the setup and shooting was done in about 30 minutes as I had to leave for the demo. A drop of specimen on a regular slide with a standard cover slip. The depth of focus is normal. If you look closely you'll see it's really pretty shallow. The Damselfly video has a deeper depth, but that was shot on a stereo where the depth of field is a lot higher, but the NA and magnification are lower. And even that isn't real deep.

I used the BHS and SPlans for the Stephanoceros shoot. Those are very nice objectives by the way. If you look again at the YouTube version, you'll see the magnifications and objectives identified at the lower right corner with the scale bar. Nikon Small World rules forbid music or labels of any kind.

I shot it with a Panasonic GH4 in 4K UHD. I used an NFK 3.3x projection lens and a U-PMTVC 0.3x C-mount adapter to give essentially direct projection, magnification-wise, onto the sensor. (3.3x X 0.3x = ~1x). That provided the maximum area I could get - maximum image on sensor with minimum crop factor. The U-PMTVC is a BX series replacement for the BH2-MTV-3 C-mount adapter. The magnification is the same and they interchange nicely. The U-PMTVC is adjustable to parfocalize the camera while the MTV-3 is not. Note the MTV-3 does not have the "BH2" label even though it is part of the name.

Using a C-mount adapter on the GH4 is a little tricky as some of them don't fit as well as they should, so the top of the fairly flat U-PMTVC will run into the the adapter before it screws in completely making parfocality difficult.

Tom

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#21 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 7:34 pm

ah had not seen that red text.... and this only about stephanoceros/long version/youtube.... ...so three questions from a newbie/never did dic, microbehunter....
1) why does it look like a super fancy, super optics, color, semi-dark field setting from the beginning? Is this some kind of color DIC with darkfield?
2) why does it then change to the monochromatic typical DIC look? What changes in the optics?
3) on the 40x in a lower organelle, monochromatic, are those little spinning things spiral bacteria inside the Stephanoceros?

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#22 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:54 pm

FYI, great tip on a BH-2 BHS using an AH-NA (Intermediate Analyser Tube from a BH microscope) from Alan Wood. I applied to join that FB group....
*************************
You might find someone who knows the answer in the Olympus Microscope Users Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1786578998227645/
It might be worth buying the AH-NA and trying it. If it does not work you could probably sell it for as much as you paid for it.

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#23 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 11:04 pm

Also for this thread, here is a great analysis (thanks Boss from dealcorner.com) of the differences between the
BH2-NA (for BH2 microscope)
download/file.php?mode=view&id=16403

versus the AH-NA (BH Microscope)
download/file.php?mode=view&id=16402
Attachments
BH2-NA_cmaller.jpg
BH2-NA_cmaller.jpg (66.07 KiB) Viewed 14346 times
AH-NA_smaller.png
AH-NA_smaller.png (393.63 KiB) Viewed 14346 times

Tom Jones
Posts: 336
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:47 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#24 Post by Tom Jones » Sun Jan 05, 2020 3:35 am

Tom,

Just when you think you have things figured out. :o

Thanks for adding the last photos. I hadn't seen the differences in the intermediate tube either. Mine is the BH2 version. Pretty subtle differences. I hope the prisms are the same.

Sometimes it's handy to go through a dealer! Pricey, but you usually get the right parts. I've even bought a couple of BX U-UCD8 DIC condensers and HC prisms directly from Olympus because they were too rare, or not available anywhere else and I got tired of waiting for them to come up on eBay. New gets really pricey.

As for the Stephanoceros DIC... DIC is not monochrome, but it is polarized, and therein comes the fun. The background dark grey is due to the slider being adjusted (by that translation knob I mentioned before) for maximum extinction. You can actually adjust the background color, by translating the slider prism, through a range of interference colors to get the "optical staining" people sometimes mention. I could have made the background bright blue, gold or even magenta by adjusting the translation position of the prisms. So it's actually straight DIC. If you go back and look closely, you'll see there's always color present, in the algae strand, or the Hematococcus spinning around, or the food debris in the rotifer itself. But when zoomed in on the arms, that part of the rotifer is colorless, so you don't see color. It's not monochrome anywhere, it's just the organism is actually colorless in places so it looks grey scale when the background is grey. If I had the background set to a bright blue, the rotifer would look blue. I happen to prefer the "dark field" look.

There are a lot of spiral-shaped bacteria on the surface of, or in, the gelatinous tube the rotifer calls home. I'm not really sure which. Maybe both.

At different magnifications, I'm using different objective DIC prisms, that have necessarily different optical characteristics, primarily shear value, for the mag and NA differences between the objectives. The objective type makes a difference, too. If I was using a 40x DPlanApo, that gets a different objective prism from a 40x SPlan. So each separate magnification is using a slightly different optical train, giving slightly different results. The background tends to be a bit variable across the field, too.

The physics of DIC and polarization microscopy (of which DIC is a specific technique) are pretty complicated, and I've spent a lot of time over the last couple of years trying to understand exactly what's happening and how to get the most out of it. I still don't feel particularly well-informed. It doesn't help that the manufacturers all use slightly different methods, and no one really will tell you how they develop their systems, whether things interchange optically beyond the specific way they are marketed, or even what shear values they use in individual prisms. And it's not something that is easily measured, either.

I would suggest, as a little light reading, and in no particular order, the following:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Different ... microscopy

https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/tec ... intro.html

https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/tec ... chome.html

https://www.microscopyu.com/techniques/dic

https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/ ... lstaining/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUa1GTc69y4

https://www.olympus-lifescience.com/en/ ... /dicintro/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph3AdDUG9vI

https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/techniq ... e-contrast

I could list a lot more as this is a very deep and widely branching rabbit hole. But it's a fascinating one!

Tom

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#25 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sun Jan 05, 2020 6:43 pm

Amazing Tom thank you!!!!

Another great surprise, totally not expected, all my favorite microbe videos/photos are DIC!!! What tender color....

...Amazing thank you for the dic and greater dig photo/ olympus microscope intro Tom Jones!!!!

mintakax
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:06 am
Location: Boulder CO, USA

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#26 Post by mintakax » Sat Jan 11, 2020 12:54 am

Tom Jones wrote:
Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:08 am
Tom,
..
;

This was shot with a Panasonic GH4, in 4K, using my BHS and the same DIC set you just bought: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleri ... er-feeding
;
;

Tom
Hot Damn Tom. That Nikon small world video is amazing !!

mintakax
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:06 am
Location: Boulder CO, USA

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#27 Post by mintakax » Sat Jan 11, 2020 12:58 am

I hope you enjoy your DIC BHS/Bh2 ! I've just sold mine, but not because I didn't love it. If you want to see what "average" videos look like through this scope, check out any of my vids on the pictures and videos section (pre 12/15/19).

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#28 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:28 pm

Mintakax, amazing videos! This one looks a lot like a Nikon Small World Winner: https://vimeo.com/369062481

...it is no single celled anything, it is a dinosaur that survived the K-T extinction!!!!

...one question, if it was for the money, clear. But if it was about technology, optics, could you please share why you sold your BH-2 BHS with DIC? Did you have the standard condenser or the Universal Condenser? If Universal, what prisms/Anuli/Filters did you have installed? Then did you buy a Diaphot TMD? Does it have DIC? Any details are appropo because they should shed light on the pluses and minuses of BH2-BHS with DIC....

PS
Mastigamoeba is unreal.... had no idea that such a bazaar creature inhabits this planet...

Funny, this is an amazing video that I saw some time ago and got me interested in contrast techniques!!!!! Thanks!!!!!! Unreal video.... https://vimeo.com/365689695
Last edited by thomas.schwarz on Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

thomas.schwarz
Posts: 121
Joined: Tue Aug 27, 2019 5:04 pm

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#29 Post by thomas.schwarz » Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:42 pm

Ah it was a second place from 2016
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZquzlvEEZq8 So did you/will you get a new microscope?

mintakax
Posts: 270
Joined: Mon Jul 29, 2019 12:06 am
Location: Boulder CO, USA

Re: Different ways to set up DIC (NIC) on BH-2 Microscopes

#30 Post by mintakax » Mon Jan 13, 2020 4:58 am

thomas.schwarz wrote:
Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:28 pm
Mintakax, amazing videos! This one looks a lot like a Nikon Small World Winner: https://vimeo.com/369062481

...it is no single celled anything, it is a dinosaur that survived the K-T extinction!!!!

...one question, if it was for the money, clear. But if it was about technology, optics, could you please share why you sold your BH-2 BHS with DIC? Did you have the standard condenser or the Universal Condenser? If Universal, what prisms/Anuli/Filters did you have installed? Then did you buy a Diaphot TMD? Does it have DIC? Any details are appropo because they should shed light on the pluses and minuses of BH2-BHS with DIC....

PS
Mastigamoeba is unreal.... had no idea that such a bazaar creature inhabits this planet...

Funny, this is an amazing video that I saw some time ago and got me interested in contrast techniques!!!!! Thanks!!!!!! Unreal video.... https://vimeo.com/365689695
Much thanks Thomas-- I loved the BHS/BH2 , but I wanted an inverted so I did not need to use slide covers , that's the only reason. The condenser was the same one that is described in the Alan Wood write up, with 3 glued in DIC prisms and adjustable phase annuli. My TMD does have DIC, but it does not look as clear as the Oly DIC did. Lacrymaria still occasionally pop up in samples from my pond aquarium, but its been some weeks since I've seen a Mastigamoeba and honestly I've never seen one as cool as that one in the video.

Post Reply