My microscopes

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AntoniScott
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:54 pm

My microscopes

#1 Post by AntoniScott » Sun Apr 12, 2020 12:09 am

I have three microscopes that I use most of the time. One is a Bristoline (a later model with a frame that looks like the same frame style as my Olympus CH2 and BH2 of 20 to 30 years ago but it has the short objectives of earlier time (circa the 1960's). I also have a CH2 with four objectives and a BH2 with five objecctives. I was actually looking to replace both the Bristoline and the CH2 with the BH2 but the BH2 has something not quite right with the lighting so the CH2 sometimes (not always) yields better images. The BH2 does not have the ability for me to use a dark field filter (i.e. a filter slot under the Abbe Condenser). I'm sure I can find an Abbe condenser assembly that will allow me to insert the dark field filter but I can use the dark field capabilty with the CH2 and the Bristoline, so I kept all three. Actually, the Bristoline has excellent optics, as good as the Olympus.
I also have an AccuScope dissecting Stereo scope that I use for my slide making with 10x,20x and 40x. The 40x is not too good but I rarely use it.
I also have a vintage microscope from Lafayette Radio and Electronics circa 1960. This was the same model scope that I bought 60 years ago as a young teenager which got me started in a lifetime interest (obsession) in microscopy. It has four objectives (4x,10x,40x and 60x) and four eyepieces (5x,10x,15x and 20xP) and ranged from 20x to 1200x. As a teenager I was very easily impressed, I thought 1200x was fantastic since most scopes were only 900X. It was a very inexpensive microscope at the time but expensive for me ($44). What impressed me the most was that for such a cheap microscope, the image quality was very good. I coud easily see the nucleii of small cells. It own this scope because it reminds me what got me started in a lifetime obsession with microscopes and all things biological. It is always fun to pullit out and play with it.
My latest aquisition is a vintage antique scope by Seibert of Wetzlar. I'm not sure of the date of manufacture , I think it is between 1890 and 1910. Two of the objectives have Leitz inscribed on them, one being an oil immersion. This scope was probably a fully working scope before it was delivered to me. Regrettably is was packaged so poorly that when it was received the horseshoe base was broken into pieces (it looks like cast iron), the course focus handle was bent completely over and the Abbe condenser rack and pinion was badly bent. It is so sad to think that a few days before I received it, it was probably a 100% functional scope which would be amazing for a 130 year old microscope and because of poor packaging this work of art was ruined I replaced the base and had to have it remachined to fit. The base is not original but close. The coarse focus is very stiff so I don't want to force it or it might break. The Abbe condenser does not rack up and down at all. The scope was ruined. Even the objectives were not even individually wrapped but allowed to bounce around and into each other inside the package. It is a miracle the glass was not damaged. The objectives have the standard RMS thread so fit on my Olympus. I was so impressed with the image quality of a 130 year old objective that I am in awe of the lens grinder's talent. Stunning image quality and color. I am expecting a good camera soon so will take some pictures and post them.
I made a Youtube video for anyone that might be interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5lBKSF4Xr8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_EbDPwxSRQ
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75RR
Posts: 8207
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:34 am
Location: Estepona, Spain

Re: My microscopes

#2 Post by 75RR » Sun Apr 12, 2020 3:42 pm

You have quite a collection of compound microscopes.

That's a CH, CH2 and BH2 if I recall correctly.

Know what you mean about the nosepiece. My first microscope had 3, my second 4 and now I am up to 5.

May I suggest that you play with the Interactive Tutorial I mentioned before:

http://zeiss-campus.magnet.fsu.edu/tuto ... flash.html

and then practice with the BH2

These are some of the results one can get with Oblique lighting, in this case the Gradient Universal Filter

https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=15142

https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... sal+filter
Zeiss Standard WL (somewhat fashion challenged) & Wild M8
Olympus E-P2 (Micro Four Thirds Camera)

Element 56
Posts: 330
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2016 3:48 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Re: My microscopes

#3 Post by Element 56 » Fri Jun 26, 2020 6:05 pm

Hi Antoni,

Sorry to hear about your microscope breaking in shipping. I think most who buy older microscopes online have experienced something like this. I know I have more than once.

When you say there's something not right with the lighting on the BH2 what do you mean exactly? I just started working on one for the first time this week and I had to remove the base and disassemble and clean both the power switch and intensity control slider (potentiometer) to get the light to work right. Apparently the slider is a real week spot for this instrument. There are some fragile brass fingers inside that ride against the resister material to vary the light intensity. If one or more are broken or not making contact for some reason I would think it could affect the quality of your light.

An updated version,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intensity-cont ... 4325628490

Kirby

deBult
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 3:20 pm
Location: Continental Europe

Re: My microscopes

#4 Post by deBult » Fri Jun 26, 2020 6:53 pm

Antoni,

Member Saul in this forum sells reasonably priced “printed” condenser insert for your BH2 Abbe condenser including dark field stops and an oblique slider.

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KD Arvidsson
Posts: 368
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:47 pm
Location: Sweden

Re: My microscopes

#5 Post by KD Arvidsson » Fri Jun 26, 2020 9:24 pm

I can really recommend that filter adapter. I got mine today for my Labophot 2 and it is absolutely amazing. Now I'm just waiting for my camera I ordered so I can start filming again ... //KD
Microscope Nikon Labophot 2
Panasonic GH4 and HY-2307 Camera+Euromex adapter.
Westcoast of Sweden.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjsgbq ... dyl2x0Atpw

AntoniScott
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:54 pm

Images through 130 year old Seibert Wetzlar microscope

#6 Post by AntoniScott » Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:47 pm

I had been meaning to post some pictures I took through my 130 year old Seibert Wetzlar microscope. The microscope has three objectives, low medium and oil immersion. Interestingly the low power objective suffers from some image degradationm as does the oil immersion. The middle power objective seems to have retained its optical quality.
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charlie g
Posts: 1831
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 7:54 pm

Re: My microscopes

#7 Post by charlie g » Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:29 pm

Hi antoni, and thank you for this taste of your microscope collection. What sort of slides do you fabricate? Did you use that expensive microscope camera for the posted images? What camera? again, thanks for this microscopy., charlie g

AntoniScott
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:54 pm

Re: My microscopes

#8 Post by AntoniScott » Thu Feb 24, 2022 11:52 am

To Charlie G:
The type of slides that I make are mostly of insects, insect whole-mount or parts. Rather that explain, I thought it more productive to show the links to four ten minute videos I produced and posted some time ago on some other part of this site.

As far as the camera I used to post images. It depends. I have a 8 MP microscope camera with a built in ability to insert a memory card. I bought it from China and it uses a Sony sensor and sometimes takes the best images. Sometimes I'm plagued with image quaility issues and don't know the reason for this. Very frustrating. Other times I use a LabCam adapter to which I attach my Iphone. The Iphone camera has 16MP but that doesn't always translate into better images. I don't know the reason for that either. I did have an adapter that allowed my 24 mp Nikon D5500 DSLR to take images but they were poorer than the above two. Again, I don't know the reason, and it seems no one else does either.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA1CDb9XjhE&t=10s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUC2NiT8uUs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5gMCtMM3S0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGRuI0kQb-U

apochronaut
Posts: 6270
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: My microscopes

#9 Post by apochronaut » Thu Feb 24, 2022 2:22 pm

Might be of interest to you. The model Robert Koch used.

https://www.microscope-antiques.com/seibert.html

Dubious
Posts: 426
Joined: Sun May 09, 2021 7:55 pm

Re: My microscopes

#10 Post by Dubious » Thu Feb 24, 2022 8:05 pm

Nice images--good to see a microscope that much older than any of us still performing!

Per the comments in the other thread, the reason your Nikon D5500 does not work well may be vibration--shutter shock, etc. Aside from settings (particularly EFCS, if your camera has that), you might try mounting it separately, i.e. not physically connected to the microscope, to see if that helps.

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