MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Hi
Required
An entry level stereo-scope microscope suitable for electronic work
Name brand: B&L, Nikon, Olympus etc (no Chinese stuff)
Mount for a boom
Good condition - cosmetic, optical and mechanical
Shipping to Portland

Not Required
Boom or platform ( I would make my own)
polarizing light path/source
photo/video camera port
light source( I can make my own LED ring )

I would consider buying 2 or 3 scopes because I could reduce per/unit shipping cost.

Dazz
New Zealand

What are your requirements with regards to:

• magnification range?
• zoom vs. stepped magnification?
• CMO vs Greenough?

I ask because I use two CMO microscopes, one zoom and one stepped, that I know were originally used for electronics work over 5–31X magnification and at 12.8, 32 and 80X, respectively.

I just put this one up on eBay starting at 99 cents. It may be more of a pain to find a Meiji boomstand holder (84ish mm rather than standard 76mm) and you'd also want to get a 0.5x objective for it for electronics work, but it is a nice basic scope from a great brand and it may end very cheap, I just need to clear it out.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/164794491660

jfiresto wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 03, 2021 11:12 am

What are your requirements with regards to:

• magnification range?
• zoom vs. stepped magnification?
• CMO vs Greenough?

I ask because I use two CMO microscopes, one zoom and one stepped, that I know were originally used for electronics work over 5–31X magnification and at 12.8, 32 and 80X, respectively.

Hi
My current Watson is stepped. The main problem with the Watson is the narrow field if view. I don't need an advanced, full featured instrument. Just an entry level in good condition.

I only use one step 1.25 x 5 magnification with only one objective lens fitted to maximise working height. So a total magnification starting at about 7x would be OK.
Stepped is OK but Zoom would be desirable.

A Greenough would be OK for my application but I would prefer CMO if it gives a brighter image.



Dazz

I think I bought a B&l stereoscope from you without a base a little while back. Great scope and a terrific bargain.

At 7x I might look at some cheap loupes as well.

Scarodactyl wrote: ↑

Sat Apr 03, 2021 5:37 pm

I just put this one up on eBay starting at 99 cents. It may be more of a pain to find a Meiji boomstand holder (84ish mm rather than standard 76mm) and you'd also want to get a 0.5x objective for it for electronics work, but it is a nice basic scope from a great brand and it may end very cheap, I just need to clear it out.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/164794491660

dazz wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 04, 2021 1:24 am

A Greenough would be OK for my application but I would prefer CMO if it gives a brighter image.

A CMO microscope very well should: its objective has much more area.

If you can find a Leica/Wild binocular head, like this one and some adjustable eyepieces, for example, from China, I have the other, lower half, that I am not using from a three-step (6.4, 16, 40X) Wild M3 built around 1980. It had been used to inspect fiber optic transceivers and was last checked and cleaned in 2014, IIRC. You will likely want to add an 0.5X auxiliary objective to halve these magnifications. This model is particularly bright at 16X as then there is just air between the objective and the binocular head projection lenses.

jfiresto wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:30 am

If you can find a Leica/Wild binocular head, like this one and some adjustable eyepieces, for example, from China, I have the other, lower half, that I am not using from a three-step (6.4, 16, 40X) Wild M3 ...

Hi
I really need to buy a single instrument from a single source. The cost of shipping would otherwise be too high.

dazz wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:12 am

jfiresto wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 04, 2021 11:30 am

If you can find a Leica/Wild binocular head, like this one and some adjustable eyepieces, for example, from China, I have the other, lower half, that I am not using from a three-step (6.4, 16, 40X) Wild M3 ...

Hi
I really need to buy a single instrument from a single source. The cost of shipping would otherwise be too high.

It would cost just under 20 euros to send the lower half to you as a small parcel, with tracking + 50 euros insurance. There may still be some other unadvertised possibilities but I would probably have to hunt for them as they are less profitable for the Deutsche Post / DHL.

dazz wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:12 am

Hi
I really need to buy a single instrument from a single source. The cost of shipping would otherwise be too high.

jfiresto wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 6:21 am

It would cost just under 20 euros to send the lower half to you as a small parcel, with tracking + 50 euros insurance. There may still be some other unadvertised possibilities but I would probably have to hunt for them as they are less profitable for the Deutsche Post / DHL.

Hi
That shipping cost is very reasonable and a lot less that I usually see quoted on e-bay but I'd have to find a suitable head first and that won't be as easy as it should be.
Dazz

dazz wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:27 am

That shipping cost is very reasonable and a lot less that I usually see quoted on e-bay but I'd have to find a suitable head first and that won't be as easy as it should be.

I offer it up as another possibility as there are decades worth of parts you can interchange among the Wild/Leica M-series stereo microscopes. But there are many good microscope from that era. I think the most important thing is to find one that is in good condition and suites your purposes, and grab it.