Meiji Techno MT5200H Microscope Review

[ZodiacPhoto]

I have this microscope for a couple of years. It’s made by Meiji Techno, the 3rd Japanese microscope manufacturer, that is “vertically integrated” – meaning that they make almost everything at their own factory in Japan. Meiji is better known for their stereo microscopes – favored by jewelers, engravers, and electronic industry. There is not much information about Meiji clinical microscopes, so I decided to review the one I have. It looks like Meiji is very proud of their heritage – if there is an unused space anywhere on the microscope, they print “Made in Japan” there.

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MT5200H is a current model: https://meijitechno.com/mt5200h-halogen ... icroscopes
This microscope, like most Meiji products, is built like a tank. It is rock solid and heavy, everything (except knobs) is made of metal. XY-stage has ceramic coating. Focusing mechanism gears are metal.

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This microscope is equipped with five “U Plan” objectives – Meiji calls them “Semi Apochromats”: https://meijitechno.com/products/biolog ... objectives

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Compared side-by-side to Olympus UPlan objectives, Meiji lenses show less chromatic aberration, but very slightly lower contrast.

- See Pt. 2

[ZodiacPhoto]

Meiji Abbe 1.25 condenser provides better contrast than Olympus equivalent – when you close the light source’s field diaphragm and focus the condenser, the outer gray area is noticeably darker in Meiji than in Olympus. Meiji condenser’s dovetail diameter is 45mm vs. Olympus 47mm, so I can mount and center the Meiji condenser on my Olympus microscope, but not vise versa.
CORRECTION: Meiji condenser will NOT focus on the field diaphragm in Olympus BX40 microscope! Worked great on finite 160mm Olympus scopes...

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Meiji is practically compatible with Olympus – Meiji uses tube length of 200mm vs. Olympus’ 180mm. Head dovetail diameter is the same 46mm, so you can mount an Olympus head on Meiji and vice versa without problems. Objectives are parfocal at 45mm, and, when mixed on the same microscope, require only minimal fine focus adjustment.

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Light source is a typical 6V, 30W halogen bulb. Built-in field diaphragm and focusable condenser provide simplified Kohler illumination.
I have two heads – an ergonomic tilting head, and a trinocular 30-degree head. A basic, fixed 30-degree head is also available from Meiji, as well as objectives and condenser for phase contrast.

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Overall, MT5200H is a reliable, easy-to-service “workhorse” microscope that will withstand any abuse and last forever. Let me know if you have any questions.

[Scarodactyl]

Thanks for the writeup! Looks like a really nice scope, and the compatibility details are particularly interesting.

[apochronaut]

excellent photo review. It made me think that if I was looking, I would certainly look in that direction.
I wonder if the Meiji condenser is aspheric? You can't really tell the difference between an abbe aspheric and an abbe to look at them without really carefully examining the profile of the front lens surface. Both are 2 lens and probably the default 1.25 oil in most cases. I know of one instance where the mfg. did not mark the type on an aspheric. That is only found by looking in the catalogue.
Abbe aspherics noticeably outperform an abbe.

[Phill Brown]

Is the PSU still available?

[ZodiacPhoto]

Is the PSU still available?

What do you mean by "available"?
It's a current model, so parts should be available from Meiji Techno.
They provide a Limited Lifetime warranty for their products, unfortunately, not transferable to 2nd owners: https://meijitechno.com/warranty/

[Phill Brown]

There are a lot of Nikon labophot 2 with an obsolete dead PSU. That unit looks like it could be used but I suspect from the asking price of a bulb it wouldn't be cost effective.
It's not the same PCB but the ¼ watt resistor size is recent so the components are unlikely to be obsolete.

[ZodiacPhoto]

There are a lot of Nikon labophot 2 with an obsolete dead PSU. That unit looks like it could be used but I suspect from the asking price of a bulb it wouldn't be cost effective.
It's not the same PCB but the ¼ watt resistor size is recent so the components are unlikely to be obsolete.

This is a simple switching power supply, built from generic components, using through-hole technology. When it fails, just give it to somebody who can troubleshoot and repair it.

[Phill Brown]

There are a lot of Nikon labophot 2 with an obsolete dead PSU. That unit looks like it could be used but I suspect from the asking price of a bulb it wouldn't be cost effective.
It's not the same PCB but the ¼ watt resistor size is recent so the components are unlikely to be obsolete.

This is a simple switching power supply, built from generic components, using through-hole technology. When it fails, just give it to somebody who can troubleshoot and repair it.

And when the components are obsolete and the PCB is fried from a cup of sweetened beverage it becomes beyond economic repair.
Apart from the just 10 years in R&D electronics I have a rough idea with what is worth fixing.
The just give it to someone repair bill for that genetic component PSU would render it scrap.

Keep it real, I paid around £6 each for 6v 30w square filament halogen capsule.
Phillips 5761.

[Scarodactyl]

I don't understand the complaint. It sounds like it uses totally bog standard halogens?

[Phill Brown]

I don't understand the complaint. It sounds like it uses totally bog standard halogens?

Not here to ruffle feathers for anyone who likes to buy new complete microscopes.
There were a lot of Labophot 2 bases at bargain price with just a failed PSU, often otherwise complete.
Could buy one and just get it fixed for a lot less than a new Techno apparently.

[Scarodactyl]

I think it's almost always cheaper to buy used, and especially used and broken to fix, but it isn't for everyone or every situation. If you get a labophot 2 you need to be ready to fix the fine focus gear too at least.

[ZodiacPhoto]

I just had a few minutes to try the Meiji condenser on Olympus BX40 microscope - it will NOT focus on the field diaphragm opening!
Meiji condenser worked great (better than Olympus one) on finite Olympus scopes I tried it with before.
Just something to be aware off. Sorry for the confusion!

[DrTheo]

I have a Vertical illuminator infinity corrected.

I bought 2 of those second-hand, I needed only one. The seller thought that it was of the brand: Euromex, but a search on the internet I found that is was from the Japanese brand Meiji. The vertical illuminator type MA928 and the binocular head MA815.
Halogen light 12V 100W.

Under and on top it has a dovetail connection with a diameter of 46mm. This is the same as the Olympus BX serie microscopes. The only difference is the angel of the dovetail. When you put it on a BX Olympus microscope it is 1,3mm out of the middle. You get a nice oblique illumination effect. I have a BX40 microscope myself and I adjusted the dovetale of my vertical illuminator a little to allign it perfectly. (file of 1,3mm at two spots of the dovetail, very easy). Than it wil fit on a Olympus BX microscope.
It is infinity corrected. If you will use a normal Olympus head as I do (with infinity correction build in it) you must take out the 2 top lenses from de vertical illuminator. The Meiji binocular head has no infinity correction in it.

So the dovetail of Meiji and Olympus have the same diameter but stil are a bit different. The binocular head for Meiji fits perfect on a BX40. But the other way around, the Olympus head doesn’t fit on a Meiji, it is a little bit loose. I filled the 1mm gap with some plastic and now it is sturdy.

Theo T from the Netherlands

Btw, I have the other vertical illuminator for sale

[Scarodactyl]

Euromex sells some rebranded Meiji scopes (and vice versa) so it all tracks. Thanks for the info!