MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Looks to me like the Ebay auction if for the turret type ("Zernicke") Nikon phase condensers, not yours. In any case, the price is way too high. If you're handy, you might try to make a somewhat flexy wide hole stopper to fit into the bottom of your condenser and try cutting out various black vinyl ...

The Nikon phase condenser you show will work for darkfield up to 40x (400x total power with a 10x eyepiece) without oiling the condenser. As Hobbyist notes, it won't work at 100x, but it's OK with a 40x plan achro. I happen to have a couple Labophots, one with that same phase condenser, and a variet...

T . . . Right now, I'm leaning towards the Nikon Optiphot or Alphaphot, Reichart 120, Leitz Laborlux, A-O 150, Olympus CH2 or CHT and Leica DME. I've decided not to invest quite $800 at this time, and hope to add later if all goes well. . . I'd drop the A-O 150 from your list. It's a fine beginner'...

It's a fine microscope. Enjoy it.

If you search for Differential Contrast Microscopy (and Nomarski) you'll find explanations. It's pretty much top of the food chain for optical microscopy. And, yes, it gives a false 3D effect that can make images "pop." Be aware that for transmitted DIC you need prisms (and polarizers) in BOTH the c...

The Nikon Labophot is a good microscope; near great if you equip it with their best "CF" (Chrome Free) Plan Achro or Fluor objectives. Finding or making the missing trinocular spacer tube -- or even just buying a better Nikon trinocular head that allows viewing and photos at the same time -- shouldn...

. . . However they are not cheap from what im seeing. If you have a target price, I and others can probably suggest some models to look for. Given that terrific Canon 5D camera you'll use with it, you might think of the microscope as a reasonably priced if slightly exotic "lens" to peer into the mi...

If you have a friend with a lathe, should be very easy to machine a replacement tube (out of thick aluminum tubing or just round stock) if you can't find one for your Labophot. Decide first, if you want to go directly to your camera or use a photo objective. If you have Nikon's "CF" (chrome free) pl...

You might also look for an inverted microscope, ideally phase contrast, for your chosen subject.

These can be ideal for pond critters, typically have longer working distance lenses, and might prove more convenient to use. Every once in a while a very good one goes cheap.

You'll get the most scope for you money by buying used. $800 can buy a very usable new Chinese scope (AccuScope, AmScope, Motic, etc.) but it will lose half its value once you place the order and won't be either as expandable or mechanically as good as a top lab instrument (US, Japanese,German) from...

Very clever, Gary!

Did you match the marker ring size to an existing phase annulus, or make up a phase ring as well?

. . . I think this is what John B. used.... I also bought one .... Works well... https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-G4-DC-12V-5050-SMD-2-3-4-6W-LED-Car-Boat-Light-Pure-Warm-White-Bulb-Lamp-/152947014048?var=&hash=item239c5a39a0 BillT[/quote] Bill, are you able to get Kohler (and a sharp image of the field...

Your approach - once you have a proper power supply and heat sink looks good. Hard to tell from the photo if your LED is a multi-die unit? Ideally you'd want something (the light emitting diode part) about the size of the original filament -- and something like 2-3 watts (actual) should be plenty of...

I believe it ("lumin") means the glass is suitable for fluorescence microscopy.

The statement still seems rather vague . . ., It was vague, sorry (the statement about corrected for field, followed by flatness). I was thinking of field coverage and then plan flatness within that field. I own a couple Nikon CF fluor lenses (160mm tube) which are excellent to my eye. How would an...

Does anyone have experience with the older Nikon (S era) short barrel apo objectives? They seem to come up fairly frequently at comparatively low prices. Is this a reflection of shortcomings in correction, field, flatness, contrast, or ?? compared to more modern apo objectives?

. . . The PhV is I think a type of phase contrast objective. . . The Zeiss Jena Phv objectives, at least the set I have, are phase contrast with an unusual arrangement of two phase rings in the objective and two in the matching annulus. The idea is that you have a choice of contrast options; by eit...

I believe the GF refers to a relatively wide field and the Phv to a phase contrast type; likely with two phase rings. The examples I have have 25mm threads, a 55mm parfocal length on the 100x, good resolution, and not as good contrast as more modern lenses. No idea what the -C means, unless it refer...

Just to add, with respect to Nikon microscopes of that era. It has a pretty unique phase condenser adjustment which works very well. You can also sometimes find Apo lenses quite affordably. In addition, the Nikons with the light positioned at the back of the stand are easy to convert to LED. If buyi...

Found these 2 on eBay. The Nikon is more doable than the Olympus pricewise. Are either of these good choices? Nikon https://tinyurl.com/y8vlw2h4 Olympus https://tinyurl.com/ydamubch The Nikon is missing the mechanical stage and the phase condenser -- maybe the phase lenses. It is of the short barre...

Unitron was a US-based importer/distributor of microscopes (and those fine telescopes), started after WWII. I believe the early scopes were made mostly in Japan -- pretty decent quality for the time but typically short barrel optics with so-so coatings. Maybe equivalent to early Olympus and Nikon. I...

Another thing to check with an old scope is if the illumination is adequate for phase and darkfield. Lots of these microscopes had only about 10 watt tungsten bulbs. Adequate for viewing but not ideal if you want to take photos. Sometimes LED conversions that preserve Kohler illumination (assuming i...

For car transport, I've had good luck with these cases: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TJ2KEEW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 As checked luggage, the Pelican is one of a half dozen brands that are decent. The trick is carefully trimming the foam to fit. With a used case, be sure th...

If a few hundred is $400 or so -- with a bit of patience you can probably find an American Optical Series 10 with phase contrast on Ebay. Even more patience and you might find a newer Reichert (AO, Leica, Cambridge) MicroStar IV with phase contrast for that price or a bit more. $500 or so might get ...

If anyone finds an online source for these, would appreciate knowing. All I could find were 3 LED (not "Bulls-Eye") G25 units with 120 lumens. Kohler illumination wants a single LED die, around the size of the filament it replaces. Maybe the 330 lumen one was discontinued?? Overheated on high? A typ...

Kohler illumination can be maintained with a LED flashight, by putting the LED die at the same position as the old bulb filament. I've adapted about a dozen LED flashlights, with just a bit of lathe work. First, to turn off the end and expose the LED die (sometimes a bit more complicated, depending ...

It looks like just the central portion of the pinion gear is stripped? If so it might be possible to pull the gear off it's shaft and cut/move the bad part to the side and a move the largest good part to the center?? Otherwise you may have to have a new one purchased or made to order. As for the stu...

As you probably observed in disassembly, the iris leaves go in one at a time with one pin down and the other hoping to align with slots or holes in a part above (and now likely apart, since you got the leaves out). So you start assembly one leaf at a time -- one over another -- resting the leaves to...

Going back to page one of the thread, it looks like you took the pictures with a Seiwa finite microscope and an American Optical infinity head. This combination might get you good images at lower power, but it's unlikely to be parfocal as you switch lenses and likely to have aberrations at higher po...

Kind of like comparing apples and oranges. 10x difference in power and incompatible optical systems (Nikon infinity vs. finite 160mm tube length). You'll want to stay within a "system" to get good pictures. For the older 170mm and the somewhat newer 160mm finite systems you generally want matched ob...