Page 1 of 2

Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 4:27 pm
by 75RR
My first ever stereoscope - had never even used one before so many thanks to Charles for all the virtual hand holding and his patience.
Not even passed a cloth over it yet, sorry too excited - does need a lens clean though.
Anyone have the users or the service manual in pdf?

Added the F 40x objective for scale.
.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:02 pm
by Charles
Glen,

Wild made some excellent stereo scopes. Looks like you have a beauty there.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:25 pm
by rnabholz
Congratulations on the new scope.

Although I have no first hand experience, I know their reputation for quality optics is very good.

I can say one thing though, they absolutely win the award for the coolest case!

Enjoy your new rig!

Rod

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:19 pm
by Johann
Nice - let us know how it performs - never used a stereo scope myself either.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:37 pm
by 75RR
Many thanks everyone.
Totally new learning experience. Glad I went for it.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:33 pm
by chipper
Very nice binoc! This one is also on my whishlist.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:41 pm
by 75RR
Thank you chipper, which stereo microscope do you have?

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2016 11:13 pm
by KurtM
I've lost count of how many stereo scopes I have now, the latest is a Leica S4E with 2X accessory lens. Can't live without 'em! :)

I agree with Rod - excellent rep, and hands-down the coolest case ever!

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:09 am
by zzffnn
Congrats, 75RR!

I am guessing it is a CMO design with perspective distortion corrected?

I viewed through a lower end Wild before, probably a M1a or M3, and saw perspective (central dome) distortion that is NOT corrected? I was NOT impressed by its image quality, given its reputation, and thought a Bausch & Lomb Setreoozoom 4 (Greenough) nearby did not perform much worse. Or maybe that particular one has optical (alignment) issues? It was sold as university surplus here:
https://www.slapsale.com/4-misc-microscopes-95924#

Does anyone here know, from which model upward (or from which model downward), did Wild start correcting perspective distortion?

Also I know some Wild stereos have pretty good NA for stereos, does that apply to most Wild stereos (except for ....?)?

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 1:17 am
by 75RR
Thanks KurtM and zzffnn
I've lost count of how many stereo scopes I have now, the latest is a Leica S4E with 2X accessory lens. Can't live without 'em!
Looked up the Leica S4E, nice! I admit this was a bit of an impulse buy for me, I have a weak spot for classics at bargain prices. What do you actually do with yours?
I am guessing it is a CMO design with perspective distortion corrected?
I had to look up CMO, apparently it stands for (Common Main Objective) something else I learned today.
According to the brochure it has a 5 lens main objective virtually free of distortion and chromatic aberration.
If you look at the image the objective in this case is the Plan 1x, it is not in there, it is the whole thing - I removed it , it is extremely heavy for its size.

Image

This is the whole range in 1978:
Image

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:04 am
by KurtM
75RR wrote:What do you actually do with yours?
I look at all sorts of stuff through it, whatever happens to come up that needs closer scrutiny. Today it was fiberglass cloth. I'm repairing a canoe, and didn't like the way the 'glass was responding to the epoxy resin, so brought a sample to the lab for a closer look. Turns out it's really dirty, filthy dirty, and I had no idea just looking at it. I had it stored a while, and I thought it was protected well enough in a cardboard box. Now I know I need a better sealing container, evidently fine airborne dust gets in and really messes it up otherwise.

The most routine use is removing splinters from hands and fingers, especially fine wood or fiberglass splinters that are difficult to see. I habitually head straight for the lab, grab a forceps, get the lamp articulated, and have the splinter out in seconds.

Pond water samples always go under the stereo scope as the first step.

I examine so many things under the stereo scope so often I can't even think of where to start...

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:10 am
by 75RR
Thanks for the info KurtM, sounds like just having one creates a need for it. :)

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:41 am
by zzffnn
75RR,

I use my stereos to pick up selected protist for a super clean and thin live mount, with aid of a 10 microliter research pipette. Stereos, due to having low NA than compounds, have great working distance and great depth, which helps with picking.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:45 am
by 75RR
I use my stereos to pick up selected protist for a super clean and thin live mount, with aid of a 10 microliter research pipette.
That sounds like a good idea! Bet it takes a bit of practice. Will look into it.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:05 am
by KurtM
I think one of the things I love most about a stereo scope is that it gives you a real perspective of the size of the things you look at through the compound microscope. Copepods and Cladocera are a revelation - you discover you can see 'em pretty easy with the naked eye. Same thing with diatoms and desmids. These tiny specimens become more real, somehow, more an actual part of the world around you that you can actually see.

It's liable to open up a whole new world to you, as it certainly does for me. Dang, I feel like I'm waxing poetic all of a sudden... :P

EDIT: This is getting fun to think about. If you want to learn to sharpen blades really well, use the stereo scope to monitor your results. For examining things like bugs or minerals or what have you, it's easy to hold specimen on a needle, or with forceps, or even just hand hold it, and be able to turn it over and over. Because there's no need to fiddle with slide and coverslips and whatever else, there's little hesitation in tossing so many things under the stereo for a quick peek; some of my observing sessions last all of five seconds to satisfy myself on some minute point. Transfer grains of pollen from flower to slide. When making diatom strew slides, I examine each diatom-laden coverslip before committing to mountant for large pieces of debris that may be easily removed with a needle. I could go on...

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:42 pm
by Crater Eddie
Nice acquisition! Congrats!
CE

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:23 pm
by billbillt
KurtM wrote:
75RR wrote:What do you actually do with yours?
I look at all sorts of stuff through it, whatever happens to come up that needs closer scrutiny. Today it was fiberglass cloth. I'm repairing a canoe, and didn't like the way the 'glass was responding to the epoxy resin, so brought a sample to the lab for a closer look. Turns out it's really dirty, filthy dirty, and I had no idea just looking at it. I had it stored a while, and I thought it was protected well enough in a cardboard box. Now I know I need a better sealing container, evidently fine airborne dust gets in and really messes it up otherwise.

The most routine use is removing splinters from hands and fingers, especially fine wood or fiberglass splinters that are difficult to see. I habitually head straight for the lab, grab a forceps, get the lamp articulated, and have the splinter out in seconds.

Pond water samples always go under the stereo scope as the first step.

I examine so many things under the stereo scope so often I can't even think of where to start...
Hi Kurt,
How did you clean the glass?.. Just wash it with clean water?.. Would it be possible to wear some kind of gloves to keep the splinters out of your hands?..

The Best,
BillT

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:02 pm
by KurtM
Bill: Discarded it. And, no. If you wish more specifics that are OT here, please PM me.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:00 pm
by billbillt
75RR wrote:My first ever stereoscope - had never even used one before so many thanks to Charles for all the virtual hand holding and his patience.
Not even passed a cloth over it yet, sorry too excited - does need a lens clean though.
Anyone have the users or the service manual in pdf?

Added the F 40x objective for scale.
Hi 75,

I have used the Wild brand stereoscopes in years past and found them a real pleasure to use.. Congratulations on your purchase!..

Billt

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:27 pm
by 75RR
Many thanks Crater Eddie and billbillt - I feel very fortunate to have these two beautiful microscopes.

Thanks for all the additional uses KurtM
If you want to learn to sharpen blades really well, use the stereo scope to monitor your results.
I am actually quite good at blunting knives (might even go as far as saying I am skilled) so will definitely give that a try. ;)

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:00 pm
by Rylander
Congratulations on your new "baby". As bryolog can not do without a stereo microscope right now, I use a Zeiss IV (0.8 - 4X) zoom, but I hope one day to get a Wild M5, the ancestor for your M8. I used it when I was at university, lovely instrument.

Rylander

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:33 am
by 75RR
Many thanks Rylander,
have heard nice things of the Wild M5. Have also heard there is a M5APO That sounds pretty amazing.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:41 am
by gekko
Congratulations on owning a truly superb instrument. I used one at work some years ago, and it is just fantastic.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:28 pm
by einman
The Wild M8 is perhaps the best of the Wild Stereoscopes just beneath the Wild M10 but a better cost to performance ratio. It is a beautiful scope. I have been watching E-bay for a nice example reasonably priced for a while now.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:32 pm
by 75RR
Many thanks gekko and einman
I have been watching E-bay for a nice example reasonably priced for a while now.
There are some very unreasonably priced ones on ebay at the moment.
Got mine locally, at a reasonable price :)

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:53 pm
by zzffnn
Sorry, I posted in a wrong thread.

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:07 am
by jfiresto
My apologies for bumping an old thread. It appears that zzffn did not get his questions answered, and that I need to post a bit before I can send a PM. I hope no one minds.
zzffnn wrote:... I viewed through a lower end Wild before, probably a M1a or M3, and saw perspective (central dome) distortion that is NOT corrected? I was NOT impressed by its image quality.... Or maybe that particular one has optical (alignment) issues?... Does anyone here know, from which model ... Wild start[ed] correcting perspective distortion?
The original M3 has the dome distortion you may have seen. I find it mild enough to overlook and consider it a charming quirk. It was, after all, a "routine microscope", the polite term for lower end. ;) The M3 uses the same objective as the original Wild M5 and many (most?) of the later M5As. They may show it too: I know little about the M5.
Also I know some Wild stereos have pretty good NA for stereos, does that apply to most Wild stereos....
Generally, yes, they all had NA's around 0.07 at maximum magnification (with 1X objective). The M10, along with the M3x and M5A models that were ordered with apochromatic objectives, probably do somewhat better. The "S" versions that let you center the objective in the left optical path, when set that way, do noticeably better and avoid the strong lateral chromatic aberration inherent in CMO stereo microscopes. I have an M7S that reaches around 0.1 toward the center of view [No, it only reaches 0.07: see this thread.]. Here is an image I took of an EPROM at 1.5X (specimen to sensor), lit by an LED ring light:
am27c2048_full_1.5x.jpg
am27c2048_full_1.5x.jpg (195.1 KiB) Viewed 15531 times
Here is a full size crop of the column of the 96 lp/mm rectangles along the left edge of the chip:
am27c2048_crop_1.5x.jpg
am27c2048_crop_1.5x.jpg (27.26 KiB) Viewed 15531 times
The 12 megapixel, E-PL1 camera that took the image has less resolution than the microscope, at least toward the center of view.

I hope the OP has been enjoying his M8!

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:07 pm
by MichaelG.
jfiresto wrote:My apologies for bumping an old thread. It appears that zzffn did not get his questions answered, and that I need to post a bit before I can send a PM. I hope no one minds
No objection from me !!
A very interesting post ... Thanks

MichaelG

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:51 pm
by zzffnn
Thank you very much, jfiresto. Your comments are helpful to me. And welcome to the forum!

Re: Wild M8

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:36 pm
by jfiresto
You're welcome (x2) and thank you.