Latest aquisition BH2 BHT with removeable objective turret

What equipment do you use? Post pictures and descriptions of your microscope(s) here!
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AntoniScott
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:54 pm

Latest aquisition BH2 BHT with removeable objective turret

#1 Post by AntoniScott » Sun Apr 04, 2021 1:11 pm

Although I definitely didn't need this microscope, I couldn't pass it up when it became available. This particular BH2 BHT model has an interchangeable rotating objective turret, I came with five objectives and I was able to acquire an adittional six objective turret !!!
Six objective turret: 4x,10x, 20x, 40x, 60x and 100x oil.
Five objective turret: 4x, 10x, 20x (long working distance), 50x oil.

I had an incident when I was replacing an objective on my previous BH2. I thought the thread was secure and almost dropped it !!!! Now I can exchange the entire objective turret in less than five seconds. It's a great feature and I don't know why there aren't more scopes like that.

Most of the parts were interchangeable with my original BH2, like the trinocular head, mechanical stage and condenser, etc. I have no need for the original BH2 so will put it on Ebay.

I've always had a fascination with microscopes that goes back to my early teens. They were instruments of extreme precision and were very expansive. Now, there are many used and excellent microscopes avaiable that are affordable.
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Scarodactyl
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Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:09 pm

Re: Latest aquisition BH2 BHT with removeable objective turret

#2 Post by Scarodactyl » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:10 pm

Interchangeable nosepieces are definitely nice, and Olympu's implementation is imo nicer than the contemporary Nikon dovetail ones.

j almeida
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:07 pm

Re: Latest aquisition BH2 BHT with removeable objective turret

#3 Post by j almeida » Sun Apr 04, 2021 5:54 pm

Excellent buy. I have one just like that as my main instrument. It is very flexible, handling both short barrel and long barrel, preferrable on different objective turrets, of course. I use mine for bright field with long barrel objectives, but also for phase contrast with LOMO short barrels. The phase contrast condenser required a simple adaptation.

AntoniScott
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:54 pm

Re: Latest aquisition BH2 BHT with removeable objective turret

#4 Post by AntoniScott » Sun Apr 04, 2021 7:30 pm

I know I'm in good company when I talk about microscopes.

I also have a Olympus CH2 that I was able to buy "never used" !!!!! It was an amazing find. It's not brand new since that model was discontinued many years ago but as an unused scope it was in mint condition. Although it has the "entry level" EA series of objectives, a side by side comparison of different image quality was impossible to detect compared to my DPlan and other Olympus objectives. Possibly my DPlan objectives were old and the glass was cloudy, or the reflective coatings deteriorated.

One thing I have noticed with my CH2 is with the overall illumination of the substage lighting. The CH2 gives a better "white light" quality. I changed bulbs making sure the wattage and color temperature, even the brand was the same so as not to prejudice my subjective determination. The CH2 gives a better overall quality. Even with my new BH2 BHT, compared to my other BH2, the CH2 still has better lighting. Could it be the condenser ? Who knows. One downside to the BH2 BHT is that I can't use a drop in "dark field" filter, which I use a lot with my CH2.
I also have a Bristoline scope which I got two years ago and in retrospect overpaid for it. But it is an excellent optical quailty scope, equal to, or better, than the Olympus. It has the "short" objectives compared to today's huge hulking things. It came with a 4x,10x 40x and 100x oil. I was able to get a short style used Bausch and Lomb 60x objectve to replace the 100x oil. Like the CH2 the overall lighting is better than the BH2, so I am thinking that the fancy adjustments that the BH2 offer don't necessarily translate into better lighting.

Another scope I own is a vintage Lafayette Radio scope, 1200x from 1959. Although not the same scope, it is the same model that I owned in 1959. It was my first microscope and was resposinble for my entire life's interest in microscopes. It has four objectives (4,10x,40x and 60x) and four eyepieces (5x, 10x, 15x and 20x). Honestly, this is an amazing little scope. I am able to clearly see the nucleii of cells. No wonder I became enthralled with mocroscopy. I have attached an image of a recently discovered photo of me back in 1959 peering through this microscope. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.

My pride and joy is a true vintage classic, a precursor to Leitz scopes, called the Seibert Wetzlar, probably late 1890's early 1900's (described in a previous post). Interestingly, the objective thread is the same as today so I was able to install them on my Olympus scope and compare image quality. It is truly shocking to see the excellent image quality from over 100 years ago compared to my modern objectives.
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