Search found 168 matches

by Harold
Tue Feb 22, 2022 2:41 am
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Space Tourism
Replies: 4
Views: 2065

Re: Space Tourism

I think you'll find the same could be said, although for very different reason, of the cosmos.
by Harold
Fri Jan 28, 2022 12:42 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Ambling Amoeba
Replies: 2
Views: 1113

Ambling Amoeba

My usual dipping sites have been a total bust for a couple weeks now. Most likely because it's been unseasonably cold up here for quite a while. So out of pure boredom, I ordered a small sample of Amoeba proteus from a relatively nearby biological supply company. I thoroughly enjoy the species becau...
by Harold
Fri Jan 21, 2022 4:18 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Yet another pair 'o mecium
Replies: 8
Views: 2102

Re: Yet another pair 'o mecium

Glad you enjoyed it.
by Harold
Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:00 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Yet another pair 'o mecium
Replies: 8
Views: 2102

Re: Yet another pair 'o mecium

To tell the whole truth, I just put a drop for my current culture on a slide and added a cover slip. That's it as far as prep. These two just happened to demonstrate a willingness to stay within the field of view for awhile. Good little protists :D Glad you enjoyed the video.
by Harold
Thu Jan 20, 2022 4:21 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Yet another pair 'o mecium
Replies: 8
Views: 2102

Re: Yet another pair 'o mecium

Gerald,

I'm using this one; https://www.ilabcam.com

It is pricey, but it's still a lot cheaper than a DSLR capable of similar resolution.

And thank you, all of you for the kind words. Very encouraging.
by Harold
Wed Jan 19, 2022 11:15 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Yet another pair 'o mecium
Replies: 8
Views: 2102

Yet another pair 'o mecium

Two Paramecium; BH2/40x Splan/iPhone 12

https://youtu.be/z1pHjeci740
by Harold
Sat Jan 15, 2022 9:12 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Not quite dark field
Replies: 1
Views: 837

Not quite dark field

I was experimenting today with my Ebay dark field adapter and patch set. In the process, I discovered that at 400x one of the smaller patches produced an interesting "gray field" effect. Here's an example;

https://i.imgur.com/7UFOkaI.jpg
by Harold
Wed Jan 12, 2022 11:50 pm
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Filter for phase contrast
Replies: 1
Views: 1231

Filter for phase contrast

I've finally got my dedicated BH2 phase contrast rig up and running. The instructions for the Olympus rotary phase contrast condenser recommend using their IF550 filter. I tried that and did not like the sickly green/yellow background it creates. Doesn't seem to do anything much for image clarity an...
by Harold
Thu Jan 06, 2022 5:15 pm
Forum: Identification help
Topic: New to me creature
Replies: 4
Views: 1710

Re: New to me creature

Thanks Javier, I suspected the inclusions inside the animal were diatoms of some sort. The question is how they got inside the ciliate. I suppose the most likely answer is it ingested them, but the diatoms look like quite a "mouthful" for such a small critter. The other thing that puzzles me is if t...
by Harold
Thu Jan 06, 2022 4:59 am
Forum: Identification help
Topic: New to me creature
Replies: 4
Views: 1710

Re: New to me creature

On the same slide, I found these. They look very much like the inclusions my mystery animal displayed. This is at 400x

On the same slide.

https://i.imgur.com/3D7VBrP.jpg
by Harold
Wed Jan 05, 2022 11:15 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Unkown protist from the backyard puddle
Replies: 0
Views: 741

Unkown protist from the backyard puddle

This interesting beastie turned up in a sample from our rainy time pool. Can someone identify it?

https://imgur.com/XjCUHlG
by Harold
Wed Jan 05, 2022 10:57 pm
Forum: Identification help
Topic: New to me creature
Replies: 4
Views: 1710

New to me creature

A couple days ago, I pulled a small sample, including some dirt and dead leaved, from the puddle in our back yard that we call "The Slough" It only fills when we have rain, and we've had plenty of that over the past week. This morning, I noticed something resembling filamentous algae growing on one ...
by Harold
Tue Dec 28, 2021 4:07 pm
Forum: Introduce yourself
Topic: Hello from Oregon, land of many tiny things to see
Replies: 4
Views: 1631

Re: Hello from Oregon, land of many tiny things to see

Another Oregonian here from Josephine County. Coincidentally, also a BH2 user.

Harold
by Harold
Mon Dec 27, 2021 12:23 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Full frame at last
Replies: 1
Views: 863

Full frame at last

I bought an OM-L photo adapter "replacement" that directly accepts my Canon EOS 5D mkII. I had been using a U-PMTVC and a C-mount to Canon F, and although it was serviceable enough. But the obligatory "key hole" format that came with that arrangement wasted a good bit of the full-frame sensor in the...
by Harold
Sat Dec 25, 2021 4:58 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: I'm trying to troubleshoot this issue.
Replies: 12
Views: 3942

Re: I'm trying to troubleshoot this issue.

Do these spots appear regardless of the objective in use? If so,could those spots be caused by something on your condenser? If the condenser is removable, try loosening it and see if "wiggling" it a bit causes the spots to move.
by Harold
Thu Dec 23, 2021 2:02 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bursaria at 200x under phase contrast
Replies: 4
Views: 1433

Re: Bursaria at 200x under phase contrast

Greg,

Thanks! I've just started to fool with phase contrast, and this was one of my earlier efforts.
by Harold
Thu Dec 23, 2021 12:01 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bursaria at 200x under phase contrast
Replies: 4
Views: 1433

Re: Bursaria at 200x under phase contrast

Thanks! Large enough to consume full grown blepharisma based on a couple I've seen with very pink food vacuoles.
by Harold
Wed Dec 22, 2021 8:43 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Bursaria at 200x under phase contrast
Replies: 4
Views: 1433

Bursaria at 200x under phase contrast

These guys are really too big for this amount of magnification, but so far the 20x PL objective is the only one I've purchased so far. If Santa is listening, I'd love to get the Splan 10x PL :)

https://youtu.be/HlnIVxF3MkE
by Harold
Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:22 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Collimation of Oly BH2 microscope
Replies: 7
Views: 2752

Re: Collimation of Oly BH2 microscope

Again, many thanks. Now if I can just find a right side fine focus knob with the AA7826 on it. I suspect the only way to do that is also buying whatever comes "attached".
by Harold
Fri Dec 10, 2021 12:49 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: CH/BH2 Compatibility
Replies: 7
Views: 2427

Re: CH/BH2 Compatibility

Many, but not all, of the low-level focus parts are interchangeable between the BH2 and CH. The AA7826 gear in the fine focus knob is, whereas the other gears are not, if I recall correctly. The pinion assembly is similar, but different parts (the knob-to-knob distance is different). Carl Thanks so...
by Harold
Fri Dec 10, 2021 12:43 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Collimation of Oly BH2 microscope
Replies: 7
Views: 2752

Re: Collimation of Oly BH2 microscope

If you use a modified light inlet barrel as the target, it fits VERY accurately, with no discernable play. It is almost an interference fit. Having said that, you'll never notice the effects if it's out of collimation. But technically, it does matter, if only just a little bit. I've had many people...
by Harold
Thu Dec 09, 2021 7:48 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: CH/BH2 Compatibility
Replies: 7
Views: 2427

Re: CH/BH2 Compatibility

lorez2 wrote:
Thu Dec 09, 2021 7:00 pm
I went to the shop and looked at a CH and a BH2 and am changing my original response from "I don't think so", to "no. they are not compatible.

lorez
May I ask why you say that? Did you take any measurements? Just curious.
by Harold
Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:51 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: CH/BH2 Compatibility
Replies: 7
Views: 2427

Re: CH/BH2 Compatibility

I don't think so. They are different models and different generations. lorez Different generations or not, The exploded views available on Alan Wood's site of the CH Series and the BH2 microscopes clearly show that both microscopes used the exact same mechanism right down to the focus preset lock. ...
by Harold
Wed Dec 08, 2021 8:07 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: CH/BH2 Compatibility
Replies: 7
Views: 2427

CH/BH2 Compatibility

Can anyone tell me if the focusing assembly (coaxial knobs, gears, etc) for a CH microscope can be used in a BH2?

Thanks
by Harold
Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:40 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Chaos
Replies: 2
Views: 1051

Re: Chaos

At 200x, it more than fills the frame :)
by Harold
Tue Dec 07, 2021 8:55 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Chaos
Replies: 2
Views: 1051

Chaos

A recent acquisition from Carolina Supply. Fascinating to watch.

https://youtu.be/D2AXRNauBgo
by Harold
Sat Dec 04, 2021 8:12 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: First attempts with Phase Contrast--Bursaria
Replies: 2
Views: 1042

Re: First attempts with Phase Contrast--Bursaria

BTW, an interference filter is not a must for phase contrast. Simple absorption green filters have been popular and function OK. Thanks for the complement. One thing I've noticed in my early efforts with phase contrast is that I get the best images if I can coax my subjects out into more or less "c...
by Harold
Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:22 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Collimation of Oly BH2 microscope
Replies: 7
Views: 2752

Re: Collimation of Oly BH2 microscope

Thanks josmann and Debult. Sounds like my suspicion that the influence of off axis light was more or less minimized by the design. If I manage to acquire the bits and piece needed for Carl's alignment procedure, I'll probably give it a try just to satisfy my curiosity. Meantime, I'll continue to enj...
by Harold
Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:11 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: First attempts with Phase Contrast--Bursaria
Replies: 2
Views: 1042

First attempts with Phase Contrast--Bursaria

I'm still just getting started with Phase Contrast. Got a Phase objective 20x, the Olympus phase contrast condenser (which was in dire need of an overhaul), but not the IF550 filter supposed needed. With the pc telescope eyepiece, getting the annuli lined up was easy. I just got a sample of Bursaria...
by Harold
Thu Dec 02, 2021 6:40 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Support for older microscopes
Replies: 5
Views: 1737

Support for older microscopes

I have found the third party documentation for the Olympus BH2 very, very helpful. Priceless, actually. Between the offerings by Alan Wood and Carl Hunsinger, I've successfully overhauled my existing scope, made it a viable platform for photo-microscopy, and resurrected a number of accessories purch...