Interchangeability of eyepieces/ lenses on stereo microscopes/ optical quality

[marek]

hello,
this is my first topic on this forum, and I want to say thank you for possibility of posting topics on this forum.

I´m thinking about purchasing Olympus SMZ 6045 because it meets my requirements in zoom range and price- for exaple this offer on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144345339371?h ... Sw-mJf5US2

I want also 30x eyepieces and 2x aux barlow lens to reach total 300x magnification. Olympus parts are usually not for offer, I found mostly Nikon parts.
for example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/334003125011?h ... Sw0GxgoPiy
https://www.ebay.com/itm/174745496329?_ ... dbiuYOv4bC


Will it work with Olympus SMZ properly? I know that all big brands should have interchangeable accesories, but I´m not totally sure. Also I want squeeze the best
from my microscope, I could also buy universal chineese acessories, but as I said, I want to max. optic quality ...Or please correct me If I´m wrong, but I think the original
eyepieces makes difference, especially in high magnifications.

My main goal with SMZ is observing knive edges, like you can see here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_T2jz ... C5%A0andor


thank you!

[BramHuntingNematodes]

I wouldn't count on it even the Bausch and Lomb sz series had different lenses that would not work on each other with the 7 and the others.

[dtsh]

I have no experience with the SMZ, but 300x is probably a bit much to expect from a stereo microscope. An EPI compound might be more acceptable for such.

[Scarodactyl]

Broadly speaking I have found nikon and olympus stereo eyepieces to be pretty compatible, and many of the generic Chineae ones are fine as well. The real Nikon ones are made in China after all, often in the same factories in all likelihood. I agree that 30x eyepieces are unlikely to give a very pleasing image.

[PeteM]

The link is for an Olympus SZ (SMZ might be a higher end Nikon?). I have a similar Olympus and like it. However, beyond about 100x you're going to be getting "empty magnification." As others have said, I wouldn't go for 30x eyepieces, especially in combination with a 2x auxiliary lens.

Perhaps all the useful information you might need about edge quality for a knife maker can probably be seen around 80x-120x. One reason for this is that the depth of field becomes so shallow at higher magnifications. It's also worth noting that many of the photos supposedly taken at high magnifications are done with USB cameras. This is what often one poster in another thread called "marketing magnification."

If you really need an actual 300-400x, one of the reflected light microscopes formerly used for wafer inspection would be better and likely less expensive. Many come with polarization and darkfield, which could be helpful.

Olympus' own 10x/23fn eyepieces are very good. The Chinese equivalents also work pretty well in this microscope.

[marek]

hello guys, thank you for feedback.
So you say, 30x eyepieces and 2x lens would be too much for stereo microscope. You are probably right, but I want to try it at least.
This high magnification I want to use only for final inspection of the knife edge, I will buy 10x eyepieces as well. I want to reach same image as this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOAM5HV ... C5%A0andor
he is using motic SMZ 168 with reduction for nikon D7000 camera. Do you know how he achieved 300x magnification? motic SMZ 168 has 0,75-5x zoom range

And another question, Is it worth to buy original olympus, nikon eyepieces, lenses which secondhad cost 100-150€ when chineese cost 1/5 of price? You already wrote
that chineese are good, but would I see the difference? would you buy original ones?

[Scarodactyl]

"300x" could mean a lot of things. He is likely including the crop factor of the camera, but it is hard to say. Field of view (how wide what you can actually see is) is a better way tk measure it since it gets rid of those variables.

[apochronaut]

I have looked at knife edges through a stereo at over 100X now at various times and the images I see in that you tube video seem to be sub 100X . At 300X using epi a number of years ago, crystal structure and ductile fracturing are evident and it is not possible to get much depth of field. Striations due to sharpening grit are enormous.
It is hard to tell exactly and technically the monitor size and viewing distance is a factor but making the images to equal a 20mm f.o.v. , doesn't show me 300X mag. on a knife edge.