Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

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Sure Squintsalot
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Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#1 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Wed May 18, 2022 6:28 pm

I recently picked up this scope with the intention of making some modifications, but I can't seem to find any information regarding this stage. I assume it's a wafer inspection stage, making this an Optiphot 66?....
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The stage has this phone cord attached that goes to the back of the support. I assume it's probably a grounding circuit, but, for the life of me, I don't really know and can't find any information:
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I'd like to put a rotating stage in it's place, but I'll have to remove the entire substage assembly. Not a big deal, but can it be done? Can I put other (basic) Optiphot components on this inspection chassis?
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Is the distance from the stage dovetail to the optical axis the same across the Optiphot line? Again, I've looked everywhere for dimensional drawings of these things but could find nothing...
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Any insights would be most appreciated!

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blekenbleu
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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#2 Post by blekenbleu » Wed May 18, 2022 9:33 pm

Congrats on the acquisition;
I had considered getting it to add diascopic illumination to my 66.
I supposed that coiled cable was for motorized xy control of the stage;
as I recall, there is a multi-pin socket on the rear, which would be for its (missing) controller.
Note the (polarizing) analyzer A slider beneath the head, in the illuminator.
Nikon offered a corresponding rotating polarizing slider for the illuminator,
to rotate polarized illumination, rather than the stage.

I suppose that you want to adapt this for petrology?

If you caliper dimensions from a pol optiphot profile image, e.g. ebay item 224602259002,
I think you will find that the base illumination plate dimensions match up.
Whether/how well a pol substage dovetail bolts in place of a 66 substage dovetail is IMO less obvious...
Last edited by blekenbleu on Wed May 18, 2022 9:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

Sure Squintsalot
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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#3 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Wed May 18, 2022 9:45 pm

blekenbleu wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 9:33 pm
Note the (polarizing) analyzer A slider beneath the head, in the illuminator.
Nikon offered a corresponding rotating polarizing slider for the illuminator,
to rotate polarized illumination, rather than the stage.

I suppose that you want to adapt this for petrology?
That is certainly an option. I'd like to deform para dichlorobenzene under crossed pols. Having a rotatable stage makes highlighting structure easier and if I could somehow kluge one to my Optiphot 66, that'd be pretty cool. Otherwise, a rotatable polarizer might be the way to go.

Petrographic equipment is damn expensive.

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#4 Post by blekenbleu » Wed May 18, 2022 9:56 pm

Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 9:45 pm
deform para dichlorobenzene
I have no idea what that means
but want to be upwind when chlorine and benzine get mixed.
Having never seen Nikon BD pol objectives listed,
I suppose generic BDs may be good enough...?

Finding an Optiphot circular stage for less than that 66 cost would be amazing...
... oops no, there is item 203948892539 from Netherlands!
Missing the male dovetail, but that might be generic to biological Optiphots.
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#5 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Wed May 18, 2022 10:12 pm

blekenbleu wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 9:56 pm
Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 9:45 pm
deform
I have no idea what that means
but want to be upwind when chlorine and benzine get mixed.
Having never seen Nikon BD pol objectives listed,
I suppose generic BDs may be good enough...?

Finding an Optiphot circular stage for less than that 66 cost would be amazing.
Para dichlorobenzene is just mothballs. When melted, dripped, and cooled between two slides, it becomes a pretty good analog for structurally deformed crystals, when you slowly rotate the two slides.

Not sure I've ever seen an Optiphot circular stage, but maybe I can adapt a Diaphot or Labophot stage (or something else), as long as it fits and it's respectably made, available, and sensibly priced.

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#6 Post by blekenbleu » Wed May 18, 2022 10:42 pm

Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 10:12 pm
Not sure I've ever seen an Optiphot circular stage
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=203948892539
Image
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#7 Post by blekenbleu » Wed May 18, 2022 10:52 pm

Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 10:12 pm
cooled between two slides
Maybe M plan objectives are not ideal for this;
you might be better off with that pol stage
and a cheap generic diascopic Optiphot
https://www.ebay.com/itm/354058640867
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334442618039
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#8 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Wed May 18, 2022 11:04 pm

Yup....

...but will it fit?

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#9 Post by Scarodactyl » Thu May 19, 2022 1:02 am

blekenbleu wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 9:56 pm
Having never seen Nikon BD pol objectives listed,
I suppose generic BDs may be good enough...?
BD objectives are designed for use with episcopic illumination where polarization is assumed, so they have to be strain free by default.
Above 10x they won't be great for transmitted light but it would be easy to adapt appropriate objectives on.

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#10 Post by blekenbleu » Thu May 19, 2022 9:03 pm

Scarodactyl wrote:
Thu May 19, 2022 1:02 am
BD objectives are designed for use with episcopic illumination where polarization is assumed,
so they have to be strain free by default.
Having assumed that, glad to have it confirmed..
Is that also true for Nikon's M plan objectives (which these are, on closer inspection)?
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#11 Post by blekenbleu » Thu May 19, 2022 9:13 pm

Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Wed May 18, 2022 11:04 pm
but will it fit?
As nearly as I can caliper images, spacing from substage dovetail looks the same for 66 and regular diascopic Optiphots, including the pol.
If I were serious about pol, that Netherland pol stage and a generic diascopic Optiphot would seem low risk;
hard to imagine that Nikon would change dovetails between those,
but would not be surprised if 66 dovetail differs; I know the focus gears differ,
given heavier expected loads on metallurgical and wafer stages.
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#12 Post by Sure Squintsalot » Thu May 19, 2022 9:50 pm

Well, I just stripped it down to the studs and the stage holder is actually bolted to the racking mechanism, which is not the standard dovetail.

But that's OK. I think I may have found different, easier, and more flexible solution that doesn't involve the total loss of that gigantor stage, which I actually like.

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Re: Nikon Optiphot 66 Questions: Part 1

#13 Post by blekenbleu » Sat May 21, 2022 1:51 pm

Sure Squintsalot wrote:
Thu May 19, 2022 9:50 pm
different, easier, and more flexible solution
Looking forward to it.. (part 2?)
Metaphot, Optiphot 1, 66; AO 10, 120, EPIStar, Cycloptic

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