Search found 2982 matches

by PeteM
Sun Feb 11, 2024 1:37 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Fisher Scientific Micromaster Microscopes
Replies: 9
Views: 840

Re: Fisher Scientific Micromaster Microscopes

I thought the Japanese-made scopes were a little bit better. Not sure when manufacturing switched to China - probably over a decade ago? It could also be that some later versions added a field aperture.
by PeteM
Sun Feb 11, 2024 1:35 am
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Micronauts…could someone discuss this?
Replies: 3
Views: 511

Re: Micronauts…could someone discuss this?

Not much to discuss. It's a local kids' science program I founded a few years ago.
by PeteM
Sat Feb 10, 2024 9:36 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Fisher Scientific Micromaster Microscopes
Replies: 9
Views: 840

Re: Fisher Scientific Micromaster Microscopes

I've fixed up a handful of them for "Micronauts" -- mostly the earlier Japanese-made models rather than the later Chinese ones. Decent scopes, somewhat like an Olympus BH2 in size and aspirations, but falling short in a few ways. The mechanical design is fiddly, with things like stages and condenser...
by PeteM
Sat Feb 10, 2024 4:38 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: My problem with DIC PZO
Replies: 14
Views: 1371

Re: My problem with DIC PZO

Ideally, you end up with the upper prisms at the back focal plane of whatever objectives you find. In addition to Stephen's point about objective compatibility, you may want to be mindful that your adaptation of the PZO upper DIC prisms ends up at the same height above the objective as on a PZO syst...
by PeteM
Fri Feb 09, 2024 9:58 pm
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Does Anybody Recognize this Inverted 'Scope?
Replies: 33
Views: 3427

Re: Does Anybody Recognize this Inverted 'Scope?

Is there a chart that lists various manufacture’s ring sizes? If so please list the link to it. Thanks Not that I'm aware of. There's an eBay seller making laser-cut rings out of Delrin to fit various phase setups. He lists the dimensions of his sets. In my limited experience, they are often right ...
by PeteM
Fri Feb 09, 2024 3:23 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: Does Anybody Recognize this Inverted 'Scope?
Replies: 33
Views: 3427

Re: Does Anybody Recognize this Inverted 'Scope?

Gerry, It looks pretty straightforward and of decent construction. I'm not sure a Chinglish manual will add much to your understanding. The exception to that would be if the objectives are phase contrast and the condenser annulli are missing -- and you hope to find something that matches. If so, you...
by PeteM
Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:03 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Nature's Poor Quality Control Standard
Replies: 3
Views: 317

Re: Nature's Poor Quality Control Standard

Sloppy workmanship? Perhaps yes and no, Don. One can look at US partisanship and poor decision-making to decide that we humans may not pass even One Sigma quality standards, much less the Six Sigma manufacturing often strives for. However, as a matter of structural design, nature has evolved clever ...
by PeteM
Tue Feb 06, 2024 9:52 pm
Forum: For forum members who want to buy and sell equipment
Topic: WTB: Olympus BH2-AN Analyser for DIC
Replies: 21
Views: 1778

Re: WTB: Olympus BH2-AN Analyser for DIC

A few added points: 1) As noted above, the "long barrel" version of the Olympus Vanox upper prism will work on BH2. If you have the upper prism slider but not the intermediate piece it slides into, I believe a polarizing intermediate can work. 2) If you have the long barrel Vanox version of the DIC ...
by PeteM
Tue Feb 06, 2024 2:30 am
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: Crystallization in polarized light
Replies: 5
Views: 422

Re: Crystallization in polarized light

Beautifully done (including some of your other videos as well) - and nicely paired with music.
by PeteM
Mon Feb 05, 2024 2:08 am
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: Olympus BH2 Magnification Changer
Replies: 4
Views: 647

Re: Olympus BH2 Magnification Changer

There's a sort of carousel inside, typically with achromat doublet lenses for the magnification and often a Bertrand lens. Not sure Olympus made one with something below a 1x magnification. These made great sense in an era where film cameras ruled, and where users want to get the best possible image...
by PeteM
Sat Feb 03, 2024 3:58 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Has anyone ever used LWD condenser?
Replies: 8
Views: 944

Re: Has anyone ever used LWD condenser?

. . . About phase contrast, I have a question: given the light only goes through a small hold in the phase contrast ring, does it mean the actual phase contrast objective N.A. is lower? My phase contrast objective is 40x/0.75, I see Olympus ph objective is also 40/0.75. With LWD condenser NA 0.65, ...
by PeteM
Fri Feb 02, 2024 7:59 pm
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Has anyone ever used LWD condenser?
Replies: 8
Views: 944

Re: Has anyone ever used LWD condenser?

As you and Phill suggest, on an inverted microscope you'd want more working distance between the top (bottom side when inverted) of the condenser and the stage - in order to fit Petri dishes and the like. For your Motic version -- lower numerical aperture condensers on an upright microscope often fi...
by PeteM
Fri Feb 02, 2024 4:02 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Measuring collimation error on Olympus CH2
Replies: 2
Views: 323

Re: Measuring collimation error on Olympus CH2

For practical purposes, binocular collimation of heads is in the eyes of the beholder. If you can view specimens for long periods of time without eyestrain, I'd say you're OK. Close is often good enough, though some individuals seem more sensitive than others. As far as methods, there are fancy opti...
by PeteM
Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:14 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Olympus CK2 binocular schematic needed
Replies: 6
Views: 459

Re: Olympus CK2 binocular schematic needed

Have you tried opening up the interpupillary adjustment all the way - to reveal screws from the back side securing the covers? That, along with removing some other small screws from the front and the middle cover, works for some Olympus heads. The sliders are typically secured by gibs with screws ac...
by PeteM
Fri Feb 02, 2024 1:00 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Olympus CK2 binocular schematic needed
Replies: 6
Views: 459

Re: Olympus CK2 binocular schematic needed

Assuming there isn't a detached prism inside and the collimation errors are minor, you can often adjust the eyetubes to get the same view in both eyes. The general procedure, which I think (if memory serves) applies to the CH, BH, and CK2 heads, is to remove the black plastic cosmetic covers to reve...
by PeteM
Thu Feb 01, 2024 10:14 pm
Forum: For forum members who want to buy and sell equipment
Topic: WTB: Olympus BH2-AN Analyser for DIC
Replies: 21
Views: 1778

Re: WTB: Olympus BH2-AN Analyser for DIC

Andrei, I believe the BH2-AN is just for the analyzer (a polarizing filter in a slider) and that the BH2-NA is the part you want. In any case, be sure the slider has both a Nomarski prism and an analyzer. If you can find a clone from a Chinese source, that may be your best option. DeBult - we're bot...
by PeteM
Thu Feb 01, 2024 4:55 am
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Importing Items From Europe to US
Replies: 12
Views: 1107

Re: Importing Items From Europe to US

I can't speak for all countries, but my experience with small microscope accessories bought on eBay and shipped from Australia, Japan, China, the UK, Germany etc. typically just required paying my prevailing sales tax rate. I've never been asked for a Social Security number. I also wouldn't buy from...
by PeteM
Thu Feb 01, 2024 12:11 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Nikon Plan Apo 20x
Replies: 2
Views: 399

Re: Nikon Plan Apo 20x

Yours should have a spring action. It can be stuck from being dropped and the shell slightly deformed, corrosion, immersion oil dried, or attempts to lube it followed by oxidized oil. I believe there are past posts on how to unstick it. The good news, for now, is that yours appears to be stuck in th...
by PeteM
Tue Jan 30, 2024 1:56 am
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: What is "fine focus range"
Replies: 4
Views: 470

Re: What is "fine focus range"

FWIW, you could think of focusing range from the parfocal tip of the objective down, as well, since the stage is most commonly the part that moves up and down in today's compound scopes. Many scopes have an adjustable stage stop to avoid crashing a slide into the objective when it's being raised - a...
by PeteM
Mon Jan 29, 2024 10:54 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: What is "fine focus range"
Replies: 4
Views: 470

Re: What is "fine focus range"

I'm not sure I'd trust today's low-end makers to use the term "fine focus range" in the way it was once understood. Those ranges (25mm or 30mm) sound like coarse focusing ranges. It may also be the fine focusing range, depending on the mechanism. That is, how much room there is from focusing from th...
by PeteM
Mon Jan 29, 2024 5:34 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Which 40x and 4x objectives for Nikon Labophot?
Replies: 16
Views: 1194

Re: Which 40x and 4x objectives for Nikon Labophot?

My guesstimate is that the three likeliest problems are: 1) Inability to get both good Kohler illumination and a wide enough image circle. One would expect color fringing at the very edges of the illuminated field, but with that mostly outside the field of view with a proper illumination system, the...
by PeteM
Mon Jan 29, 2024 2:29 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Which 40x and 4x objectives for Nikon Labophot?
Replies: 16
Views: 1194

Re: Which 40x and 4x objectives for Nikon Labophot?

Was it a DIY or commercial LED retrofit? I've had good luck with Saul's units and also the RetroDiode.
by PeteM
Sun Jan 28, 2024 4:31 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Which 40x and 4x objectives for Nikon Labophot?
Replies: 16
Views: 1194

Re: Which 40x and 4x objectives for Nikon Labophot?

Two of your problems may have more to do with your condenser than the objectives. 1) The 4x objectives, and particularly the 4x CFN .13 n.a. should easily fill a 20mm FN IF you have a suitable condenser - such as the Nikon flip top unit, with the top down. You can also try dropping your condenser if...
by PeteM
Sat Jan 27, 2024 5:52 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Yet another Japanese microscope company.
Replies: 4
Views: 440

Re: Yet another Japanese microscope company.

Their distributor's websites in Thailand and Vietnam:

https://www.shodensha.co.th/en/
https://www.shodensha.com.vn/en/company/

I'd be curious to know if Shodensa makes its own line of Japanese stereo microscopes or if the OEM business is mostly vision systems?
by PeteM
Fri Jan 26, 2024 2:34 am
Forum: My microscope
Topic: как устроен механический тубус ortholux2 как можно перевести на бесконечную оптику,
Replies: 5
Views: 896

Re: как устроен механический тубус ortholux2 как можно перевести на бесконечную оптику,

It's possible, but as suggested above, probably not worth the additional cost and effort. What you would need to do is purchase a set of infinity objectives, purchase a compatible infinity head and eyepieces, and then make a dovetail adapter so the new infinity head and its tube less fit your existi...
by PeteM
Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:19 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil
Replies: 121
Views: 8311

Re: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil

Stjepo, FWIW, the white dot in your photo, if repeated three times around the barrel, is likely the elastomer mentioned earlier. Digging that out may help free the entire front lens assembly. At this point, rescuing this objective is a testament to your patience and ingenuity. Don Quixote would be i...
by PeteM
Tue Jan 23, 2024 3:37 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil
Replies: 121
Views: 8311

Re: NIKON PlanApo 100X/140 oil that is a PlanApo 60X/140 oil

I am your man . . . Hope you let us know if it manages to improve things. Civilization is made with courageous pioneers like you :-) - both what works and what doesn't. Two thoughts, probably both of which you know. First, make sure the objective barrel is suspended in the cleaner, rather than rest...
by PeteM
Tue Jan 23, 2024 2:55 am
Forum: Microscopy accessories
Topic: American Optical reflected DIC info?
Replies: 6
Views: 772

Re: American Optical reflected DIC info?

Stephen, were all or most of his images taken with the AO setup? If so, glad to see them put to such amazing use.
by PeteM
Tue Jan 23, 2024 2:49 am
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: How do you clean the surface of objective
Replies: 8
Views: 1008

Re: How do you clean the surface of objective

If you happen to have access to a lathe, another option is to mount the objective in an RMS extension, hold that extension in a collet (or chuck if you're super careful and have a long RMS extension), and then use very fine (600 grit or so) silicon carbide paper. It's easily controllable, quick, and...
by PeteM
Mon Jan 22, 2024 11:37 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: DIC for birefringent objects
Replies: 9
Views: 829

Re: DIC for birefringent objects

Hi Tim, You'd probably be disappointed with the resolution of HMC at 100x -- and in any case, those objectives seem to be rare on the used market. It's typically used on inverted scopes, up to 40x objectives. The company did make some at 100x, though. It sounds like you're on to something with getti...