Search found 4277 matches

by Hobbyst46
Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:49 pm
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: High NA darkfield comparison
Replies: 16
Views: 8177

Re: High NA darkfield comparison

It is possible that Zeiss coined the term Ultracondenser because in the early years of DF , the technique was referred to as " Ultramicroscopy" because using DF particles or inclusions could be detected that were below the theoretical limit using BF. I think so too, since when I first read about ul...
by Hobbyst46
Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:00 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: High NA darkfield comparison
Replies: 16
Views: 8177

Re: High NA darkfield comparison

Hello all, Here is another small test of the Ultracondenser (cardiodid dark field oil condenser), pushing towards the high NA limit. I do not have any objectives of NA>1 with iris or funnel stops. Intriguing post.... I'm not familiar with the "Ultracondenser"; is that a Zeiss product and what's its...
by Hobbyst46
Sun Jun 04, 2023 8:11 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Ideas for objective turret digital feedback?
Replies: 10
Views: 1924

Re: Ideas for objective turret digital feedback?

I think that on the BX, one manually registers an objective into the software. The software recognizes the objective that sits at the optical train, and the ordinal number of the turret position. One installs the objective and tells the software which one it is, in the operating software of the moto...
by Hobbyst46
Thu Jun 01, 2023 7:45 am
Forum: Morphology and Behavior
Topic: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!
Replies: 19
Views: 6051

Re: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!

Granite itself, when eroded and disintegrated by the elements, forms beautiful and rich sand, where the three main components - quartz, feldspar and mica - are separated. Fun looking with and without polarized light.
by Hobbyst46
Wed May 31, 2023 7:06 pm
Forum: Morphology and Behavior
Topic: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!
Replies: 19
Views: 6051

Re: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!

...2. No fluorescence dyes were used and I do not know what that red stuff is though I've seen it elsewhere in the internets. Interestingly, I can see these rotifers in my water sample and they have a rust-red color. When I take it out of the fridge, there's a rust colored sludge at the bottom that...
by Hobbyst46
Mon May 29, 2023 8:19 am
Forum: Morphology and Behavior
Topic: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!
Replies: 19
Views: 6051

Re: Life in a High Desert Rock Pool? Surprise!!

A beautiful presentation ! of the scenery and sample. Questions: 1. Details of microscope, camera etc ? 2. The inside of most or all of the rotifers includes a bright red corpuscle. Was it fluorescence (combined with DF) ? the leaky crushed rotifer was devoid of that red stain. 3. Were the green cir...
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 28, 2023 10:09 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: 4500K or 6000K LED?
Replies: 6
Views: 1807

Re: 4500K or 6000K LED?

If I remember correctly an 82c filter knocks out the blue. That way you get both. Usually possible to get a camera filter to drop over the field lens. When using filters, will there not be any loss of spectrum? The blue peak in the spectrum of 6000-6500K LEDs is especially strong. The 82C or altern...
by Hobbyst46
Sat May 27, 2023 6:26 pm
Forum: Pictures and Videos
Topic: radiolaria reversed
Replies: 12
Views: 1407

Re: radiolaria reversed

Great images !
by Hobbyst46
Fri May 26, 2023 8:22 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Let’s talk about Delamination
Replies: 30
Views: 54609

Re: Let’s talk about Delamination

I have read a number of theories as to why it occurs. Wrong type of cements, improper storage conditions, vibration/shock, the phase of the moon…in other words many guesses and no real documented evidence. Any thoughts on this? What is wrong in the "theories" ? the behavior of glass and cements und...
by Hobbyst46
Fri May 26, 2023 8:00 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Let’s talk about Delamination
Replies: 30
Views: 54609

Re: Let’s talk about Delamination

A question…is delamination worse for the viewing experience when it occurs in the eyepieces or the objectives? How about in the condenser or intermediate lens? Many condensers consist of single lenses (not doublets formed by cementing) so no delamination is expected. In principle, all glass doublet...
by Hobbyst46
Fri May 26, 2023 7:48 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Buying decision: Amscope T670Q, Nikon Eclipse Si, Motic BA310E
Replies: 16
Views: 2602

Re: Buying decision: Amscope T670Q, Nikon Eclipse Si, Motic BA310E

Of course in the used market the buyer is at the mercy of the reseller. At Ebay the bad actor sellers required the company’s intervention since buyers quit buying after being burned. IMHO, the situation is not that bad, no need for such pessimism. I found that eBay's buyer protection is efficient a...
by Hobbyst46
Fri May 26, 2023 12:32 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Fast repair of retraction in old Zeiss spring-loaded 40X objective
Replies: 1
Views: 516

Re: Easy repair of a stuck old Zeiss spring-loaded 40X objective.

So I followed the reasoning and advices posted by Apochronaut about a year ago, and removed the shroud. I wrapped the barrel and shroud, each with a strip of 5mm thick leather (taken from an old belt), gripped each with a curved (or semi-curved) 10" vise-grip (one from Franklin, Japan, the other som...
by Hobbyst46
Thu May 25, 2023 9:08 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Fast repair of retraction in old Zeiss spring-loaded 40X objective
Replies: 1
Views: 516

Fast repair of retraction in old Zeiss spring-loaded 40X objective

So the spring mechanism of retraction of the 40X Zeiss Neofluar starts to fail. The barrel retracts under pressure, but stays up and must be pulled to return to normal position. In the Olympus SB objectives, the end cap serves as retainer for the spring. When the end cap is removed the spring pops o...
by Hobbyst46
Thu May 25, 2023 8:12 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Olympus LB versus SB objectives
Replies: 16
Views: 6532

Re: Olympus LB versus SB objectives

When a company introduces a new product line, there is always questions from the user community concerning compatibility with existing equipment…the users want full compatibility to leverage current investments while the company wants partial to nil so to introduce new tech and sell products..and t...
by Hobbyst46
Thu May 25, 2023 8:20 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Olympus LB versus SB objectives
Replies: 16
Views: 6532

Re: Olympus LB versus SB objectives

Just for fun, I fitted my short barrel Olympus objectives (achromat, planapo) on the Zeiss stage. With Olympus WF10X eyepieces. Raised the slide on a small metal riser, to compensate for the 45mm vs 37mm parfocality distance. The condenser cannot reach the slide in such arrangement, so it was raised...
by Hobbyst46
Thu May 25, 2023 7:02 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Buying decision: Amscope T670Q, Nikon Eclipse Si, Motic BA310E
Replies: 16
Views: 2602

Re: Buying decision: Amscope T670Q, Nikon Eclipse Si, Motic BA310E

About " I know that the general advice is to buy something cheap first, then upgrade later " I would try to buy a good quality trinocular microscope, whether simple or sophisticated. Microscopes are precision instruments, it is part of the fun. Low quality scopes only drive one away from the hobby. ...
by Hobbyst46
Tue May 23, 2023 10:05 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Differences/Similarities of the Olympus BH/CH scopes
Replies: 3
Views: 618

Re: Differences/Similarities of the Olympus BH/CH scopes

I invite a conversation discussing the differences/similarities of the Olympus BH/CH scopes. In particular I would like learn more about how compatible CH/BH versus CH2/BH2 accessories are..in particular in the phase arena…which would include the various phase condensers and short/long objectives. ...
by Hobbyst46
Tue May 23, 2023 9:55 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Which AO scope is easiest to convert to LED lighting?
Replies: 42
Views: 3958

Re: Which AO scope is easiest to convert to LED lighting?

@PeteM : Very nicely explained. Just two small comments - UV extends up to 390nm; wavelengths above that are visible: violet (around 400nm) to blue (around 450nm). - I once read that the ideal daylight for microscopy, that they used 100 years ago or so, was reflected sunlight (from clouds) rather th...
by Hobbyst46
Mon May 22, 2023 8:49 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Subjects and method for dry mount, no cover slip?
Replies: 8
Views: 1551

Re: Subjects and method for dry mount, no cover slip?

Thanks, the "seed parachute" idea seems quite interesting. I'll scan the area around my home for possibilities. There are very few mosquitos where I live, thankfully, but I'll look around my residence for a dead spider or something like that. My "slide" is actually a 10mm optical window of borosili...
by Hobbyst46
Mon May 22, 2023 8:42 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Which AO scope is easiest to convert to LED lighting?
Replies: 42
Views: 3958

Re: Which AO scope is easiest to convert to LED lighting?

I doubt that the blue-violet coloration is related to the condenser or presence/absence of the frosted plate. Possibly a less than ideal camera alignment. Was the camera parfocal with the viewing eyepieces ? Taking back my thought about the camera alignment. The blue image can be easily brought to ...
by Hobbyst46
Mon May 22, 2023 8:29 pm
Forum: Beginner's corner
Topic: Subjects and method for dry mount, no cover slip?
Replies: 8
Views: 1551

Re: Subjects and method for dry mount, no cover slip?

Certain plant or insect parts could serve as semi-permanent specimens. They will be good for at least a few years. For example, mosquito wings. Or the pappus ("parachute") of the seeds of certain plants, those that are carried and spread by winds, where they drift gently in the air. Both can be moun...
by Hobbyst46
Mon May 22, 2023 8:20 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Which AO scope is easiest to convert to LED lighting?
Replies: 42
Views: 3958

Re: Which AO scope is easiest to convert to LED lighting?

I doubt that the blue-violet coloration is related to the condenser or presence/absence of the frosted plate.
Possibly a less than ideal camera alignment. Was the camera parfocal with the viewing eyepieces ?
by Hobbyst46
Mon May 22, 2023 9:43 am
Forum: Illumination Techniques
Topic: Is Dark Field Possible at 100x with Immersion Oil?
Replies: 25
Views: 14707

Re: Is Dark Field Possible at 100x with Immersion Oil?

This post from the past http://www.microbehunter.com/microscopy-forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=8054&p=70759&hilit=ULTRACONDENSER#p70759 Demonstrates that by pure chance, a 100X1.25 objective can yield an (imperfect) dark field. A dedicated 1.2-1.4 NA immersion DF condenser was used. Of the three 100X i...
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 21, 2023 6:09 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Reichert Polyvar
Replies: 120
Views: 1816382

Re: Reichert Polyvar

In case the black markers do not remedy, 3M markets pitch-black adhesive sheets that are totally impervious to light.
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 21, 2023 1:33 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: measuring RI
Replies: 3
Views: 708

Re: measuring RI

If it is a pure liquid, just seek Google. I apologize if that was obvious. No offence taken! :D I'd like to measure a few gels of roughly known composition but in unknown proportions. A procedure for measuring the RI by means of a microscope has been published by Prof G. Rosenfeldt of Hamurg, Germa...
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 21, 2023 1:18 pm
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Reichert Polyvar
Replies: 120
Views: 1816382

Re: Reichert Polyvar

A first surface mirror is any mirror whose front surface is the reflector. Unlike a common bathroom or dressing room glass mirror, whose back surface is coated such that there is a glass or acrylic layer between the reflector and the observer (or sensor). For example, a mirror made by coating sheet ...
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 21, 2023 10:59 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Reichert Polyvar
Replies: 120
Views: 1816382

Re: Reichert Polyvar

Phill Brown wrote:
Sun May 21, 2023 10:54 am
Never rub or wipe a first surface mirror.
If it won't rinse off leave it.
+1
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 21, 2023 10:47 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Reichert Polyvar
Replies: 120
Views: 1816382

Re: Reichert Polyvar

AFAIK for any model of microscope. Distilled water is very often the best cleaner. If the dirt can be removed with water, or slightly soapy water, no solvent should be applied. In general, the purpose of an organic solvent is to remove old and dried oil and grease. As such it is liable to dissolve g...
by Hobbyst46
Sun May 21, 2023 8:27 am
Forum: Microscopes and optics
Topic: Reichert Polyvar
Replies: 120
Views: 1816382

Re: Reichert Polyvar

Well done and nicely presented!