Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

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KurtM
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Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#1 Post by KurtM » Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:29 pm

Greetings, all: I have been wanting a little more 'oomph' than a pair of Jansjo lamps provide for stereo microscopy, macro photography, epi-lit photomicography, etc., and now studying up on the subject of those dual goose neck illuminators that seem generally aimed at stereo microscopy, and am hereby soliciting opinions on things to look for, and what to avoid. I see some use halogen lamps, and others LED, and would like to hear pros and cons. I expect LEDs will run cooler but cost more, and that's about it. Are they as bright? Are they as reliable? Any red alerts for eBay BS to beware of?

Thanks!
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
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MichaelG.
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#2 Post by MichaelG. » Fri Jan 31, 2020 5:57 pm

Good thinking, Kurt

Here’s my take on it:
The fibre optics produce cold light anyway ... so LED has no special advantage there.
Tungsten Halide lamps have better colour-rendering than all but the very best LEDs.
Heat at the lamp-house is probably the only significant downside, and that’s mainly a problem because it [often] demands fan-cooling; which means the lamp-house becomes a vibration source. ... If you can work-around that problem then [personally] I would recommend Tungsten.

Other opinions are available, and will probably be forthcoming.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

Scarodactyl
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#3 Post by Scarodactyl » Fri Jan 31, 2020 9:56 pm

A hefty 150w halogen with goosenecks is awfully hard to beat (though sometimes the stiff gooseneck isn't as easy to finely position as I'd like, I can get it where I want it just takes a little more fiddling--I have seen a non-stiff gooseneck with a separate positioning holder suggested before but haven't tried it. I use them for everything from normal stereo use to reflected light on my Nikon 20x planapo (1mm wd).
I agree with MichaelG, no reason to go with an LED unit on this. Halogen bulbs eventually burn out but they're also super cheap to replace. The reasons to go with LED have to do with convenience/heat management per brightness, not better light quality, and the external source already delivers that.
I have liked pretty much every brand I've tried, some bought randomly at a surplus store, others on eBay. Maybe the nicest looking one I have tried is the Thorlabs OSL1 (same as the Stocker Yale AC21), with a great form factor and hefty build. But you can't go wrong with a Volpi, Dolan Jenner or similar.

Hobbyst46
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#4 Post by Hobbyst46 » Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:40 pm

Hi Kurt,
Same opinion as MichaelG and Scarodactyl. I have used Dolan Jenner and others, stiff and flexible versions. Halogen bulbs can last months. Also, collimating lenses are available and they create an even narrower beam, if so wished. The lens is just pushed onto the tip of the fiber optic or light guide.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#5 Post by Scarodactyl » Sat Feb 01, 2020 3:42 am

Hobbyst46 wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:40 pm
Hi Kurt,
Same opinion as MichaelG and Scarodactyl. I have used Dolan Jenner and others, stiff and flexible versions. Halogen bulbs can last months. Also, collimating lenses are available and they create an even narrower beam, if so wished. The lens is just pushed onto the tip of the fiber optic or light guide.
I keep meaning to get a pair of these. Do you know a good place to find one, or some good keywords to search?

Hobbyst46
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#6 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Feb 01, 2020 7:51 am

Scarodactyl wrote:
Sat Feb 01, 2020 3:42 am
Hobbyst46 wrote:
Fri Jan 31, 2020 10:40 pm
Hi Kurt,
Same opinion as MichaelG and Scarodactyl. I have used Dolan Jenner and others, stiff and flexible versions. Halogen bulbs can last months. Also, collimating lenses are available and they create an even narrower beam, if so wished. The lens is just pushed onto the tip of the fiber optic or light guide.
I keep meaning to get a pair of these. Do you know a good place to find one, or some good keywords to search?
Those I used were purchased new, and not by me. I would seek Dolan-Jenner FIBER-LITE model 180 on ebay, for example. This model has halogen lamp. I see prices <100$ for the box, not including the forked lightguide, and lenses.

MichaelG.
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#7 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Feb 01, 2020 10:36 am

This is probably the only site I know that openly lists prices and descriptions for a good range of Schott products:
https://www.astroshop.eu/microscopy/mic ... -1600-2500

Useful as a reference when considering a secondhand purchase.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

Hobbyst46
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#8 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Feb 01, 2020 1:00 pm

Another site including prices (new equipment):
https://www.tedpella.com/lights_html/light.htm

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KurtM
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#9 Post by KurtM » Sat Feb 01, 2020 4:54 pm

Thanks, all! The idea of vibration from the fan gets my attention, but since nobody mentioned it other than in passing I assume it really doesn't amount to much of a concern? Do all the 150W lamphouses have a fan, or are some passively cooled similar to 100W microscope lamphouses?

And what about those eBay ads, are they relatively safe, or as loaded with pitfalls as "working microscope" auctions? They look safe enough when they include pix of the lamp shining, and the prices are certainly much lower.

Dealing with bulbs is no problem, I agree they (usually) offer better quality light, they're less expensive, and nobody's frantically trying to wave me off -- that's what I was looking for!
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/

Scarodactyl
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#10 Post by Scarodactyl » Sun Feb 02, 2020 4:19 am

They do have a fan but it doesn't seem to be that troublesome. Mine sits on a table adjacent to my scope, and at 20:1 I get troublesome vibrations from someone walking across the house (soon to be rectified) but nothing noticeable from the fan so it probably isn't an issue.
I ha e gotten one in that flat didn't work but they're way simpler and less fragile than a microscope. The major point of failure is probably breaking fibers in the light guide which is easy to check (shine a dim light through one end and see if any fibers don't light up on the other.) Even then it would take quite a few to cause real trouble.

MichaelG.
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#11 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Feb 02, 2020 8:49 am

Scarodactyl wrote:
Sun Feb 02, 2020 4:19 am
They do have a fan but it doesn't seem to be that troublesome. Mine sits on a table adjacent to my scope, and at 20:1 I get troublesome vibrations from someone walking across the house (soon to be rectified) but nothing noticeable from the fan so it probably isn't an issue.
Agreed ... I mentioned the fan only as a potential problem, to be considered and worked-around.

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

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Roldorf
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#12 Post by Roldorf » Sun Feb 02, 2020 1:52 pm

You could try looking here the also have alternative light sources for different applications:-

https://www.krantz-online.de/de/online- ... uelle.html
Location: Northern Germany

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KurtM
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Re: Dual Gooseneck Illuminator Recommendations?

#13 Post by KurtM » Mon Feb 03, 2020 1:26 am

Scarodactyl wrote:
Sun Feb 02, 2020 4:19 am
I get troublesome vibrations from someone walking across the house (soon to be rectified)
No violence, now... :lol:

Thanks again, everybody!
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/

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