Newest Zeiss Standard DIC Aquisition

[Charles]

Was proweling ebay as usual and found this Zeiss Standard 18 (the 18s have removable/changeable objective turrets). From the auction pictures and description, I couldn't tell if the condenser was DIC but noticing the two DIC objective sliders, figured the condenser must be too. At first I didn't know what the long black thing was attached just below the trinocular head and objective turrent and thought it might be some type of Epi lighting. It didn't have any objectives but with DIC, Trinoc head, Circular rotating stage and elevated base with 12V 60W lighting, the price is what matters, so took a gamble. I was able to lower the BIN price by about 1/3 his initial asking price.

Received it yesterday and this is what I found. Not a speck of rust on anything so all the frozen/difficult to move areas were from solidified grease:
-Trinoc head with Zeiss WF 10x18 eyepieces and 5X photo lens in the camera port The photo tube is extendable which is nice.
-The thing I thought was an Epi attachment is actually a image projection tube which projects the image down onto the table or wall with each ring focusing the image.
-Just above the turret there is a knob which slides in or out an analyzer.
-Five objective smooth rotating turret with two DIC sliders, a Plan 16X and Plan 40X, with a little bit of delamination on the edges which shouldn't affect the image. The other three holes have objective extenders with negative lenses to keep all objectives parfocal with the two with the DIC sliders.
-The circular rotating stage was frozen in the Y axis and hard to move in the X axis and it would not rotate. But soaked it in WD40 and then cleaned everything up and it works smoothly like it should.
-The condenser is a Zeiss DIC condenser with DIC prisms in positions I and II with the third position empty (this how they commonly come). There is also two phase annuli, PH2 and PH3 and then the BF position. The condenser was frozen and would not rotate although all the iris positions opened and closed nicely. So I had to open it up and clean up all the solid/sticky grease and everything moves and rotates smoothly as it should. The prisms and phase annuli are in excellent shape.
-The condenser holder held two swing out filter holders with one which held an auxilary lens for low power, and the second one held the polarizer. I had to remove and clean the condenser adjustment knobs because they were hard to move.
-The Coarse/Fine focus functions properly...thank goodness I didn't have to mess with them.
-The base has the metal field diaphraghm and mirror and also worked as they should.
-The 12V 60W lamp house has its bulb and when I hooked it up to a transformer, it also worked.

I cleaned and lubed up everything and this is what I have:

Zeiss Standard 18 with DIC

Zeiss Standard 18.jpg (58.69 KiB) Viewed 8405 times

Zeiss Standard 18 with DIC

Zeiss Standard 18 Left.jpg (60.01 KiB) Viewed 8405 times

Zeiss Standard 18 with DIC

Zeiss Standard 18 Front.jpg (54.76 KiB) Viewed 8405 times

I'll just need to add the objectives and tweek the DIC and everything should be good!

Next, I have another Wild M20 coming!

[zzffnn]

Congrats on the great find, Charles!

I am not familiar with DIC rigs. So you can add any 16x and 40x objectives (strain-free being better) and they will work in DIC? What happens if I add a 20x bright field objective to the 16x slider, a little change in magnification is not a deal breaker for me.

If it is not too much trouble, would you please show some photos of the DIC equipments, especially the condenser with DIC prism? I can kind of see the objective sliders and imagine the filter holder with polarizer. It would greatly help member to identify those in the future. Thank you very much!

[Charles]

Hi zzffnn,

There is a prism slide for a particular objective but other objectives could work. This series had prism slides for Plan 6.3X, Plan 16X, Plan 40X, PlanAPO 63X and Plan 100X. Also in this set the DIC condenser only has two DIC prisms, I for 6.3-16X and II for 40X-100X.

An older DIC set has DIC condensers with a number of DIC prisms from 3-4 with a single beam insert which has a combination analyzer/DIC in the insert. With the single beam insert there is no need for individual prisms slides for each objective. The 3 DIC prism variety also have two phase annuli and one open for BF. The 4 DIC prism variety has the two phase annuli but no open spot for BF, so one of the DIC prisms (usually III) for use with BF. Each prism position as well as the BF, also has an iris to control contrast.

Below are the two different Zeiss DIC system. The one on the left is the older variety with the single arrow on the condenser top and the single beam insert. The insert with II is used on Universals and Photomicroscopes since they have a different optical path. The Insert with III on it is used on the smaller Standard scopes.

Zeiss DIC sets.jpg (59.16 KiB) Viewed 8392 times

This is an objective turret with individual DIC prism holders and objectives:

Zeiss DIC Objective Turret.jpg (50.96 KiB) Viewed 8392 times

[75RR]

Beautiful microscope. Don't know how you do it. They never come out on my searches!

[Charles]

Thank you Glen. The DIC stands I get are not usually identified as DIC since most are sold by sellers with little knowledge of what they are selling, they're just looking for a profit and I'm looking for a bargin.

[einman]

Very nice. That is how I obtained my AO 20 series with DIC. The seller had no idea what it was.

[Charles]

I'm still looking for a complete AO DIC system...

[gekko]

Charles, congratulations! Certainly a thing of beauty.

[zzffnn]

Thank you very much, Charles. What search keyword did you use on eBay? I searched "Zeiss microscope" and went through some 18 pages out of the >100 pages. Did not see anything interesting. Or you just worked hard and went through all pages ?

eiman, I only read about AO20 DIC, but have never seen one on sale. Those may not be commonly seen as Zeiss DIC?

[Charles]

I do a search all new items under the model name and then select Newly listed or Ending soonest.

You can search Zeiss DIC and Zeiss Inko to be more specific.

[zzffnn]

Thank you Charles. I am guessing if a seller knows to use "Zeiss DIC" as keyword, he would have raised the price accordingly. A more general keyword may need more work but provides better bargain.

[Charles]

That is correct. And if the seller knows it is a DIC system and advertises it as such, the bidding and price would increase also. So what I look for is the pictures and I can tell what is on that particular scope and if it is worth the BIN price or haggle with the seller on a price good for both of us.

[Charles]

Yes

[einman]

AO DIC systems are quite rare. Mine was complete. In speaking with Doug Bolden of Bolden instruments a 4th generation Microscope Repair/service shop he stated he and his father had only seen one example before.

It is the only complete system I have ever seen on E-bay.

[Charles]

I've seen parts for the AO DIC but never a complete system. I do have the EpiStar with DIC. Mine has both transmitted and epi functions but the DIC is only for Epi.

EpiStar with DIC

AO_Epistar_with_DIC.jpg (71.67 KiB) Viewed 8330 times

[einman]

DIC Epi systems are quite common. I often wonder why. I assume it is because the electronics industry used EPI-DIC much more than did the Biological research community use transmitted DIC.