MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Metaphot, Biophot and Fluophot were Nikon's first microscopes to use (finite) CF objectives.
I have seen several different heads for those microscopes,
but the Tc seems so be their only trinocular head with Siedentopf eye tubes.
While it appears similar to types T and F, as used with e.g. Labophots and Optiphots,
the Tc head imposes an additional 30mm of tube length.
It also differs by having its extension tube (AKA chimney) for photo relay lens secured to the head casting by 3 screws:


... which are easily removed, with those chimney flange holes transferred to a 52-30mm step-down ring:


... then a 52-42mm step-up ring, M42 focusing helicoid and M42 mirrorless camera adapter
can yield parfocal direct projection:


Depending on the camera's flange to sensor distance, a different focusing helicoid may be wanted.
For example, 17-31mm helicoid works with 18mm flange distance and thin (2mm) M42 camera adapter,
but a 12-17mm or 10-15mm could work for longer flange distance and/or thicker adapter.

Do you know if this Nikon TC head would work with Eclipse (for example E200) series? I noticed that the dove-tail diameter is much larger (like 52mm) than what is needed for Labophot series. Thanks.

The Nikon E200, like all Eclipse "infinite" microscopes, needs a tube lens. This is missing in almost all of the Nikon "...phot" microscopes - a few later versions for the semiconductor industry excepted.

It might be possible to borrow one from an Eclipse head and modify a finite head to fit - but would almost surely not be worth the effort. You'd have to do surgery on both the dovetail and the internal optics.

If you have an E200, you can likely do direct projection to something like an APS-C sensor without much effort.

Thanks for the reply. Do you now if this Nikon TC head will fit to E200? TC head has a dove-tail diameter of about 51mm (I may be of tiny bit). I had success in the past mounting cameras and getting great images without the tubes (chimneys). However, I never experimented with Exclipse series.

.

A very useful note, blekenbleu … Thanks.

MichaelG.

Guercini wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2023 11:50 pm

Nikon TC head will fit to E200? TC head has a dove-tail diameter of about 51mm

According to Mike Tuell, Eclipse shares Labophot/Optiphot head dovetail diameter (49mm?)
https://lavinia.as.arizona.edu/~mtuell/ ... clipse.php

Removing the bottom lens from a (more common) Labophot/Optiphot T or UW head
seems likely to be more expedient, but my Nikon experience is limited to pre-infinity microscopes.

The finite Nikon heads (___ phot) I've had measure around 48.5 to 49mm+ at the largest dovetail diameter - even the old black stands. I'm pretty sure B's cleverly-modified Tc head is the same.

Most Eclipse heads (E600 etc.) (with the infinite tube lens) are around 51mm and won't fit the older finite scopes without modification.

The exceptions are the old Optiphot heads transitioned to infinity for semiconductor imaging mentioned earlier. These use regular eyepieces rather than the 30mm ones common to most Eclipse and have the smaller dovetails. That wont' help with the E200, but is an option for someone wanting to go the other way (convert something like an Optiphot to infinity).

The E200, along with the lesser E100, is built to a lower price point. Its objectives and heads are built to a smaller field size. I'm pretty sure it still has the larger 51mm dovetail size but may use standard eyepieces. If you're just looking for a 51mm or so dovetail to adapt for direct projection, maybe a trashed Eclipse head or an easy machining job would be a possibility?

Thanks guys! I feel well educated on this subject now.

blekenbleu wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:06 pm

According to Mike Tuell, Eclipse shares Labophot/Optiphot head dovetail diameter (49mm?)
https://lavinia.as.arizona.edu/~mtuell/ ... clipse.php

All the infinity heads have a bigger dovetail than finite ones.

PeteM wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:28 pm

The exceptions are the old Optiphot heads transitioned to infinity for semiconductor imaging mentioned earlier. These use regular eyepieces rather than the 30mm ones common to most Eclipse and have the smaller dovetails.

Even the infinity optiphot heads have the same larger dovetail as eclipse heads. You will see them mounted on finite stands but only with their dedicated epi illuminator in between, which has the smaller finite dovetail at the bottom and larger infinity dovetail up top. They made ones that take both 23mm eyepieces and 30mm eyepieces.

Thanks.

PeteM wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:28 pm

The finite Nikon heads (___ phot) I've had measure around 48.5 to 49mm+ at the largest dovetail diameter - even the old black stands. I'm pretty sure B's cleverly-modified Tc head is the same.

Actually, Tc dovetail diameter is indeed about 51mm,
but it seemingly lacks infinity space around prisms,
so more nearly optically like F head than T and presumably doomed for parfocal infinity objectives.

Likewise, thanks Mr S for Eclipse/infinity edumication.
I appreciate the freedom to relatively arbitrarily insert intermediate adapters on my AO/Reichert infinity frames,
which tempts me to consider an infinity Nikon, until prices calm that fervor.

Ditto that.

Unless Nikon infinity objectives yield truly spectacular results over and above their finite optics, I too am unlikely to fork over that kind of money.

From what I've seen informally comparing one copy of a finite 20x/0.75 fluor and my 20x/0.75 planapo infinity objective I'd say there was some real improvement, but I have a very limited suite of objectives on my e800 thanks to the pricing. The 20x fluor did seem like a nice performer and has worked great for its intended purpose.