Help on Leitz lens...can you help me with the shopping list ?

[Marco68]

Hi All,

I was offered a Leitz Laborlux S or alternativelly SM-Lux (a bit cheaper)

and i can choose between all these objective whatever i want :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dBV89w ... p=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dLygOe ... p=drivesdk

Which objective would you choose ?

Thanks !!

Marco

[mrsonchus]

Personally I'd choose the 25x in either set - a very handy magnification that I always include on my 'scopes (or a near-by 20x...).
The SM-Lux is a lovely 'scope in use in my experience.

[Marco68]

Thanks.
However some.of them are for 170 tube lenght, some.of them are marked NPL, some EF, some.of them with no mark at all
I am confused

[mrsonchus]

Hi, the 170 TL NPL and PL are for the SM-Lux, The EF are, as far as I'm aware, for the 160TL 'scopes.

[wporter]

The EFs are the lowest grade of objective, I believe achromats. You might want to purchase only the NPL (near-plan?) or the better PL (wider zone of planarity than NPL).

[PeteM]

I would go with the newer Leitz Laborlux S. It should be an off-white colored stand. While both scopes are very good mechanically, the newer focus blocks have a longer travel fine focus than the old classic gray Leitz Dialux era (SM-Lux). The extra range is useful for focus stacking. It will also have a brighter 20 watt halogen lamp - useful if you ever want to try darkfield, phase contrast, or simple polarization.

I'd also go with the newer EF objectives meant for the Laborlux S.

The EF's are good up to about 20mm field and pretty decent. Perhaps similar to Olympus D Plan or Nikon E Plan. They'll likely have more modern coatings than the older 170mm tube lenses and about the same field size as the older NPL 170mm tube objectives. You're also getting a fifth objective in the bargain - a handy 4x finder.

There IS some interchangeability between 160mm and 170mm tube objectives if you use the right eyepieces, but I'd be inclined to keep to one series if you think you might ever sell or swap this microscope for another. Less confusing for the next buyer: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... on%201.pdf

NPLs were the normal plan objectives in the Leitz 170mm tube line. Surprisingly good for the time. The "PL" objectives had an even wider field of view when used with a super wide Leitz head. That head, however, is hard to find and the eyepieces aren't particularly comfortable for eyeglass users.

Should there be a significant difference in price, the Leica SM-Lux is still a well built microscope, the NPL objectives should give good images, and the lamp will be bright enough for any normal brightfield viewing.

[einman]

I have owned them all and eventually sold them and focused on the Diaplan and Dialux. Look through my postings. I would go with the 160 TL objectives and the Laborlux s which is a fine scope.

If you need a manual PM me. I can send you a copy.

[Marco68]

Thanks guy for the very detailed answers ! Now it is my turn to decide if to go for the above Leitz or for the Zeiss Axiostar alternative. Same price....Tough decision !

[Sabatini]

Thank you very much for the documents related to the Heine .