MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

There are certainly good deals to be had in vintage/used microscopes. However, unless buying from a trusted source, there is also uncertainty that some find it worthwhile to pay more to avoid. I've done it both ways.

Yes, behavioral changes in response to external stimuli, Jennings observations fully vindicated, but more: "In 1906, Herbert Spencer Jennings [14, 15] described in the sessile ciliate Stentor roeseli a hierarchy of responses to repeated stimulation, which are among the most complex behaviors reporte...

Another area in which science fiction is moving toward reality. How long will it be before glass lenses are obsolete?

Are you saying they inherit acquired behavior? Of a sort, bearing in mind that here any "learning" likely involves some kind of structural change. It is probably related to the Stentor's impressive regenerative ability, which utilizes molecular mechanisms that are still not understood: "Stentor can...

There was a discussion about the Panthera, that mentioned some photos on a German site: https://www.microbehunter.com/microscopy-forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11656&p=95974&hilit=panthera#p95974 For new microscopes, Amscope is probably the most affordable. I see it has infinity systems with phase contra...

Oliver has a video on viewing bacteria:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZzRygip5XY

I fear you may be disappointed at what can be seen of the internal structure of bacteria with light microscopy.

The Swift SW380B is a finite 160mm system, so you don't want to use infinity objectives. I don't think it can be upgraded to phase contrast. It usually comes standard with 4x, 10x, 40x, and 100x-oil objectives. If that is what yours has and you want to buy more objectives, you might consider a 20x o...

Hi I have my 3D printer mounted on a concrete paving stone, isolated from the table it sits on. Concrete is cheaper than marble. With a 3D printer, the vibration is mainly internally generated unlike with a microscope (unless talking about shutter shock, which is another subject); but, to the degre...

Some of those neighborhood gangs in which they hang out are indeed busy. Makes one appreciate the quiet diatom.

I remember having microscopes as a kid in the 60s that, while relatively simple (no x-y stage or iris condenser) and no doubt in the "toy" category, still did a reasonable job with protists and other water life. Of course, my eyes worked better in those days.

Welcome! Beautiful images. The cross section of mistletoe resembles a mosaic work of art.

If you are researching vintage-era optics, don't neglect Leitz--second to none!

Have lab microscopes become that much lighter in weight since the 80s? I think the tables have always tended toward the massive, not just to bear the weight but also to dampen vibration.

I would not worry about tossing the slip covers. It takes a lot of them to equal the glass in one light bulb let alone one pickle jar, and while glass can be recycled effectively it is also probably much less harmful ecologically than most things when it goes into landfill.

I agree cotton strands are irritating, but what about Zeiss Lens Wipes? Some on this board have recommended them, and out of curiosity I ordered some. They work surprisingly well and leave no residue. Hopefully, a product with "Zeiss" on the label will not scratch lenses...

Welcome aboard! Kudos on your led conversion. I am planning to do that myself one of these days on my main microscope to get a bit more light. However, one thing to be aware of with your setup is that if you experience eye fatigue or headaches when using your led lamp at less than maximum intensity,...

Here's another commercial product intended for slowing protists: https://www.boreal.com/store/product/8871646/detaintm-ward-s-protist-slowing-agent Note that Methyl Cellulose is used in some laxatives available at a pharmacy. Then, you have Anthony's chili pepper alternative. Apparently, in low conc...

There are even more variants. Some Leitz microscopes had the fine and coarse focus coupled in a way that the coarse focus moved independent while the fine focus had a defined way after which it automatically activated the coarse focus. The SM-Lux had one single knob. Fine Focus was 3/4 of a revolut...

Cool!

Very impressive! I've never noticed that I could diminish the illumination enough to get a paramecium to stop moving. I have come across some species of paramecium that are more given to bouts of inactivity; that is, even though most in the water drop are bustling about, an individual will sudden st...

Several years ago I made some Leeuwenhoek style glass sphere microscopes. Mine had cardboard bodies. I had a lot of fun with these and still intend on making more accurate replicas in metal. . . . What glass spheres did you find best for the Leeuwenhoek microscope? Another site to check out, if you...

A few of my more hypochondriacally-inclined friends have sometimes asked me about using microscopes to identify disease-causing bacteria, and I have had to explain that the eukaryotic organisms I look at, even though also single-celled, are generally much larger with more parts, and that with bacter...

That Xenon bulb should certainly be bright enough! I see you had asked about phase condensers for the Laborlux K. You probably have several options including these: 1) I use the Leitz turret condenser 513 558 on my Laborlux 12 and S frames. I believe the Laborlux K is from the same era and very simi...

Thanks, eKretz2. Meanwhile, here is a vorticella--again, looking up through a slide. Not a great photo but interesting and it does look like DIC, given the "3d surface" features. I wish I could do something to get more color--everything seems very monotone. https://i.postimg.cc/mDGyN2NK/IMG-0109.jpg

Hey, I never thought of that, but that is where the saliva came from. Thanks!

I've never been into oil, but now feel that I should be, since by accident I acquired a Leitz 50x oil objective that seems to work well, so would be able to switch between 50x and 100x on the Laborlux.

Thanks, the before/after photos on that site are useful--I may try cheek cells... Yeah, it is tricky. With phase, at least you can tell by the bright halos that it's working. I think I probably am getting DIC but just don't have enough experience with it to be sure. Also, because I don't have the DI...

Thanks, exactly what I needed! Here are the results. I used the 20x objective for the following photos, although the camera port crops so much it's more like a 40x FOV. Note that the IMT-2 is an inverted microscope, so the view for these is up through the slide. Photos are unedited and I tried to ke...

I am just getting started with DIC. I obtained the DIC parts for my Olympus IMT-2 and am trying to set things up right and test whether DIC is working properly. I don't have the manual for the DIC kit for the IMT-2, so am winging it. Does anyone have any suggestions as to readily-available available...

Thanks, PeteM and deBult, for the tips. I still don't have the manual but did find 2 pages. But I do seem to have all the DIC parts. Until I saw the below diagram, I didn't realize that the slider prism itself had a slider with the analyzer. Because the analyzer can't be in place without the prism, ...