WTB Olympus BH2 DIC Set

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Antartica
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WTB Olympus BH2 DIC Set

#1 Post by Antartica » Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:31 am

hello everyone,

Looking to buy the complete set of accessories for DIC for the Olympus BH2. The components I'm interested in are:

BH2-UCD universal condenser or the BH2-NC Phase/NIC condenser
BH2-NA Nomarski Intermediate Tube with Adjustable Nomarski Analyzer Prism and Slider

I would like to buy the entire set if possible. However, if you have individual components I might be interested as well, so please let me know.

Serious inquiries only.

thanks and let's do business :)
Last edited by Antartica on Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:58 am, edited 3 times in total.

TonyT
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#2 Post by TonyT » Wed Oct 26, 2022 12:29 am

PM sent
New Brunswick
Canada

Antartica
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#3 Post by Antartica » Wed Oct 26, 2022 2:26 am

Sent you a response tony

Antartica
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#4 Post by Antartica » Fri Oct 28, 2022 7:57 pm

bump. I'm still looking...

TonyT
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#5 Post by TonyT » Sat Oct 29, 2022 7:37 pm

Hard to compete with one from China with SPlan objectives @ $4,000.00 on ebay. Some from the USA at $9,000.00!
New Brunswick
Canada

PeteM
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#6 Post by PeteM » Sat Oct 29, 2022 8:13 pm

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viktor j nilsson
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#7 Post by viktor j nilsson » Sat Oct 29, 2022 8:30 pm

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304511614658

I've had good experiences with Ni Yong . I bought an Olympus PlanApo objective from him that was in very good condition and reasonably priced, and he's bought a Lomo apo water objective from me once on eBay. He's an active hobbyist.

Edit: just checked and I've actually bought three objectives from him, all have been perfect.

Tom Jones
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#8 Post by Tom Jones » Sat Oct 29, 2022 11:15 pm

The condensers are pretty easy to find. The slider and intermediate tubes however are extremely hard to find. I just bought the first set I've seen in more than a year. And the slider needs repair!

Antartica
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#9 Post by Antartica » Sun Oct 30, 2022 7:23 am

okay, so if I'm going to spend thousands on this setup, I'd like to make the best choice. Any answers on these would be appreciated.

1) Which is the better dic condenser, the BH2-NC or the BH2-UCD? I'm going for quality and the ability to quickly and easily view in BF, DF, Phase, and DIC. The BH2-UCD brochure says its the optimum for flexibility, but I don't see how you can do BF without taking it apart? Is that right? Also, the NA is only 0.9 versus 1.4 for the BH2-NC, so image quality should be better on the BH2-NC correct?

2) Is the centering telescope CT-5 really needed? I see it mentioned in the manuals, but no one ever includes it as part of dic set of components. How critical a piece is it?

3) Which is the best set of phase objectives? There was some discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14069&p=112572#p112572 that PLL and SPlan NH were preferred over the standard PL. Any thoughts or opinions on this? Which objectives produce images that look prettier, sharper, better?

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#10 Post by Tom Jones » Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:14 pm

Better is probably a bit subjective and depends on what your ultimate goals are.

If you want to do phase, the Phase/NIC condenser has you covered, as it has phase annuli as well as the DIC prisms permanently mounted. But you need phase objectives, and these are not optimal for DIC. So, two sets of objectives are needed if you want to use both methods. I believe, but haven't checked this morning to be sure, that these prisms are for SPlans. SPlanApos work fine as well. I have one of these condensers and like it.

The UCD condenser has no phase annuli or DIC prisms installed, so you'll need to buy what you need separately. Simply leave an open position for brightfield. Phase annuli are about $100 each, and DIC prisms prices vary but are ~$300-$400+ each for SPlans or DPLanApo lenses. I have two of these condensers, one loaded with phase annuli right now, and one with SPlan prisms loaded and mounted on my BHS. I have a full set of the DPlanApo prisms, and all of the SPlan prisms save for the SPlanApo 60x oil, BH-2 UNP 60x, which I'd love to find (if anyone has one they would like to sell, please let me know!). The three condensers were so I could easily swap back and forth between systems for a comparison I've not yet done.

The UCD will also fit the BX series, and the removable prisms are the same size so they will interchange. The phase annuli will not work properly with the infinity BX phase objectives. I've tried that one. The individual BX phase annuli for the universal condenser series will fit however.

The proper centering telescope is the BH2-CT, the CT-5 is for newer scopes, but any centering telescope that is 23mm in diameter should work fine. Also, if you have or get the bh-2 magnification changer, it also has a Bertrand lens/phase telescope included that works well.

No you do not actually "need" a centering telescope. But it sure makes proper centering of the phase annuli easier. They're not that expensive.

Most of the DIC you will do will involve the lower magnification objectives with NA's of less than 0.9, so the 0.9NA lens on the UCD isn't really an issue. 100x DIC requires oil and is a pain with pond life anyway.

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#11 Post by PeteM » Sun Oct 30, 2022 5:12 pm

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viktor j nilsson
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#12 Post by viktor j nilsson » Sun Oct 30, 2022 6:12 pm

Where are you located? In the UK, a Microphot with DIC was recently listed on eBay for €1900 (no great objectives, not started in the ad, but has the DIC slider and it looks to have the condenser). And in the US, a Nikon microphot with DIC and a full set of CFN PlanApos was just listed in the Nikon microscope user group on Facebook (no price given).

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#13 Post by Antartica » Sun Oct 30, 2022 9:21 pm

@tom jones but if I want to do BF with the BH2-UCD won’t I be hindered by the NA 0.9? Why is it so much lower than even the standard 1.25 abbe condenser.

@peteM I guess I would be open to buying a BX40 if the final price would be similar. Would you mind posting a few links to the bx40 dic setups you mentioned that go for $4500-5000? I’ve looked on eBay and can’t find any, not even in recently sold

@victor I’m in Southern California

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#14 Post by PeteM » Sun Oct 30, 2022 11:37 pm

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Tom Jones
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#15 Post by Tom Jones » Mon Oct 31, 2022 4:34 am

@tom jones but if I want to do BF with the BH2-UCD won’t I be hindered by the NA 0.9? Why is it so much lower than even the standard 1.25 abbe condenser.
No. Oil.

Everything in microscopy is a tradeoff. You give a little one place to get a little somewhere else. You only need enough resolution to accomplish your goal, and see what you need to see. Perfect doesn't really exist, but you can waste a lot of time and money chasing it! :shock:

Most people aren't too enamored with the idea of oiling the bottom of the slide to the top of the condenser. It's messy. You get oil on the slide and likely the stage, and need to clean it off before you do something else. It's a pain in the butt. But that's what it takes to get NA 1.25 out of the 1.25 condenser. Air is 1.0, so you can't really beat that without oiling the condenser to the slide. The dry top lens on the BX series DIC condenser is 0.9 NA for the same reason. If you want the oil top lens, which I've heard they don't even make any more, it will get you to 1.25, but only with oil between it and the bottom of the slide. Very few were sold as most folks are not going to go to the trouble of oiling the slide to the condenser. Why you ask? It doesn't provide enough benefit to be worth the effort in most cases. :roll:

Anything greater than NA 0.9 in a condenser is only useful with objectives that have an NA greater than 0.9. Those are essentially all oil immersion, and will require oiling the bottom of the slide to the condenser to reach their potential. If you are really worried, buy an achromatic/aplanatic NA 1.40 condenser for ~$300-$400, lots of oil, and swap them out when you want to do high-res brightfield. I'd pretty much bet the cost of the system you won't bother most of the time as the NA 0.9 will easily be enough.

And it's actually going to take a lot of practice and skill to get anywhere near the best out of your microscope, not matter what the configuration. Remember all those really cool, highly detailed drawings of things from the 1800's and early 1900's? Some of the early, and frankly stunning photomicrography? All done with instruments current at the time. No DIC, no phase, just practice and skill. Lots of practice and skill.

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#16 Post by Antartica » Mon Oct 31, 2022 5:11 am

Hi Tom,

Thank you for your detailed response. What you say makes a lot of sense. Reading your posts leads me to think I want the BH2-ucd. So if you would kindly sell me one of yours, that would be awesome 😊 I think you have more than enough dic condensers

But besides that, the search for a dic/nic set continues.

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#17 Post by woyjwjl » Tue Nov 01, 2022 2:37 am

Tom Jones wrote:
Sun Oct 30, 2022 4:14 pm

No you do not actually "need" a centering telescope. But it sure makes proper centering of the phase annuli easier. They're not that expensive.

First of all, we can see your deep understanding of the OLY DIC system and your collection hobby :D
Cheers....

However, you may have forgotten this
20221101103556.jpg
20221101103556.jpg (81.29 KiB) Viewed 9307 times
Micrographers from China, thanks to the forum for providing a platform for exchange

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#18 Post by woyjwjl » Tue Nov 01, 2022 2:44 am

Antartica wrote:
Mon Oct 31, 2022 5:11 am
Hi Tom,

Thank you for your detailed response. What you say makes a lot of sense. Reading your posts leads me to think I want the BH2-ucd. So if you would kindly sell me one of yours, that would be awesome 😊 I think you have more than enough dic condensers

But besides that, the search for a dic/nic set continues.
I have experienced the same psychological process as you

You need to spread a big net on the network, put as many detailed pictures as possible, and then forget it, leaving time

As most people say, those who sell do not understand, and those who understand do not sell
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#19 Post by Tom Jones » Tue Nov 01, 2022 8:31 pm

woyjwjl,

First, I was referring to centering the phase annuli with a CT, not DIC. And you'll notice "need" is in quotes. Second, you don't need the CT to see the interference fringes either. Just pull the eyepiece and look down the tube. You can do the same thing with the phase annuli, it's just a lot harder. I use a centering telescope when using phase. I've never found it necessary using DIC on my BHS or BX50. YMMV.
Per the BX series U-UCD8 manual:
a) Rotate the prism control knob of the transmitted light DIC prism slider clockwise as far as it will go.
b) Rotate the revolving nosepiece to swing in the 10X objective, bring the specimen into approximate focus,
and remove the eyepiece. You can see the pupil of the objective if you look into the inside of the eyepiece
sleeve. (You can see the pupil more easily if you use the U-CT30 centering telescope.)
Fig. 3
c) As you rotate the polarizer rotation knob while looking at the
objective pupil, a black fringe may appear at a certain position. The polarizer should be rotated to the position where a
single fringe appears darkest

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#20 Post by woyjwjl » Wed Nov 02, 2022 2:06 am

Well, maybe you haven't turned 50 yet :roll:
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#21 Post by Tom Jones » Wed Nov 02, 2022 2:21 am

I'm about to turn 74. :shock: And I used microscopes professionally, with patient lives dependent upon the results, for over 40 years.

Now I do things like this for fun: https://www.nikonsmallworld.com/galleri ... er-feeding

And this: https://www.exploremicroscopy.com/

Your move. 8-)

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#22 Post by woyjwjl » Wed Nov 02, 2022 2:49 am

Well, you have a pair of sharp eyes, old and tough

When I saw your "feeding" for the first time a year ago, I just started to play with the microscope and was still pursuing DIC......

Now we are preparing to find the fun of 10 years ago, maybe "3D helicopter" :D
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#23 Post by Antartica » Fri Nov 04, 2022 4:26 am

Bump still looking

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#24 Post by woyjwjl » Fri Nov 04, 2022 8:14 am

Just saw that AH BH DIC KIT is sold on second-hand platforms in China (you need to install the BH2 dovetail by yourself)

The quotation is less than 1000 dollars (excluding postage). If you are interested, I can make a match for you. I don't charge any fees 8-)

Sorry, I took it back. The buyer felt that it was too troublesome :x
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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#25 Post by fero » Mon Nov 07, 2022 5:30 pm

Tom Jones wrote:
Sat Oct 29, 2022 11:15 pm
The condensers are pretty easy to find. The slider and intermediate tubes however are extremely hard to find. I just bought the first set I've seen in more than a year. And the slider needs repair!
I anm looking for a dic condenser but couldn't find any :-(

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#26 Post by Antartica » Wed Nov 09, 2022 5:39 pm

Bump still looking

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#27 Post by Antartica » Sun Nov 13, 2022 1:52 am

Another bump

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#28 Post by Antartica » Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:04 pm

Midweek bump

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#29 Post by PeteM » Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:36 pm

FWIW, the Ebay BX40 with a DIC nosepiece I PM'd you about, sold for under $1K. Someone managed a great scope at a low price - just the DIC nosepiece typically runs around $500 and the DIC nosepiece adapter another $300. With other components, currently available on Ebay etc., a complete BX40 DIC system could have been in the mid to upper $4K range.

It might also be that the complete $4K BH2 system noted above (maybe $4500 or so with tax and shipping) would be about as good as the price gets - with the issue that you'd have an extra stand to sell on your own. The systems are out there, but either a knowledgeable seller or a knowledgeable buyer is likely to offer something close to market price.

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Re: WTB Olympus BH2 DIC/NIC

#30 Post by Antartica » Thu Nov 17, 2022 10:14 am

PeteM wrote:
Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:36 pm
FWIW, the Ebay BX40 with a DIC nosepiece I PM'd you about, sold for under $1K. Someone managed a great scope at a low price - just the DIC nosepiece typically runs around $500 and the DIC nosepiece adapter another $300. With other components, currently available on Ebay etc., a complete BX40 DIC system could have been in the mid to upper $4K range.

It might also be that the complete $4K BH2 system noted above (maybe $4500 or so with tax and shipping) would be about as good as the price gets - with the issue that you'd have an extra stand to sell on your own. The systems are out there, but either a knowledgeable seller or a knowledgeable buyer is likely to offer something close to market price.
thanks pete. I did see that but I'm trying to stay with the Olympus Bh2 bhs. I really like the simplicity of it and its performance/price point. Also, I know I'm being petty, but I really don't like the stand of the BX40 :P

I'll just patiently wait until something good comes. Good things are always worth waiting for. And also, I really would like to get the Olympus Bh2-UCD nic condenser. Which I know is rare, but it has the versatility I'm after. An Olympus Bh2-NC would be good too. Well, I guess having both would be nice. :D

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