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AO beam splitter/vertical illuminator

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:44 am
by mnmyco
I was thinking of bidding on this eBay item number 153667503727. It is an AO 1111-3 beam splitter/vertical illuminator. However, it looks like it might have a damaged lens in one of the photos and I don’t know the light you would use for the vertical illumination. Any ideas guys.

Thanks

Re: AO beam splitter/vertical illuminator

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 6:23 am
by PeteM
I believe that's part of a teaching head, including a pointer. Not really intended as an vertical illuminator.

A.O. did make a series of industrial heads with a proper provision for vertical illumination.

Re: AO beam splitter/vertical illuminator

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:26 am
by mnmyco
I thought it looked odd compared to their other vertical units, but all the ones I have seen actual photos of and not just drawing were fluorescence lighting systems.

Thanks

Re: AO beam splitter/vertical illuminator

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 9:12 am
by MicroBob
For vertical illumination it is necessary to differentiate between components for bright field, dark field, pol and fluorescence.
You need the right mix of components and a strong lamp. And the components have to be right for the application.

Bob

Re: AO beam splitter/vertical illuminator

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 7:24 pm
by PeteM
This will give you a rough idea of what the A.O. "industrial" 3000 series epi microscopes looked like. Pay no attention to the x-y stuff below or the monocular head (the body takes any Series 10/20 head). What you can see is how the illumination works, with a side lamp and various plain or epi AO objectives. Instead of the original tungsten bulb, I've fitted LED lamps to mine.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/America-Optica ... 4271440831

I have a couple of these units, and while they're kind of cool, there are likely better if pricier choices such as an Olympus BHM with NeoSplan objectives or one of the Nikon wafer inspection scopes for incident viewing.

Re: AO beam splitter/vertical illuminator

Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:21 pm
by mnmyco
Well, I know that there are biological series 10 with epi lighting setups that look like the one in the link you sent. Not the whole thing, just the light itself. If there is such an add-on to a series 20 or 10 I hope to some day get it.

Off topic, perhaps, but does anyone recognize the extra piece underneath the head on this series 20.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/American-Opti ... xy14VRN7C~

Thanks