Hello from Madrid

[Essaouira]

Dear microbehunters,

I am a fellow microscope enthusiast, a environment scientist and professor. I enjoy looking at everything I can found, but I have a special fondness towards water creatures. I like to go trekking around Madrid, where I live, collecting samples and analizing them just to know the quality of the environment.

I have a number of microscopes, all vintage and black (I love them):

- Zeiss Jena Nf: my main scope, with BF, DF, PHV phase constrast and the PACO, a Rheinberg and polar device developed by a fellow spanish microscopist. Trinocular Lomo head with Optovar and phase telescope.

- Leitz Laborlux II: with T-base and mirror. Only BF but excellent and very portable.

- Unknown chinese (or japanese) scope: a Zeiss L-Stand clone, very compact and smooth. I bought this stand in the Rastro flea market for next to nothing, and equipped it with the Olympus aplanatic/achromatic condenser and zeiss objectives. I use it for demostrations. If anyone knows the maker, please let me know.

- PZO MSt 130 stereo: Very good build and optic quality.

I attach some photos.

Best regards and greetings for the fine work,
Javier

[apatientspider]

Welcome, Javier!

You have some very beautiful equipment.

Jim

[75RR]

Welcome Nice to see those wonderful old microscopes being used.

[zzffnn]

Welcome to the forum, professor Javier!

You have some beautiful scopes!

The Chinese scope says "Made in China" and "Jiangnan". "Jiangnan" is the east part of China, including Shanghai city, Nanjing city and a few others. It does not say specific maker, though I heard that area of China had been making Zeiss clones.

You said the Chinese scope is smooth. I assume the fine/coarse focus and mechanical stage run very well? Is its condenser ring mount 37mm in diameter?

I have a LOMO Biolam and consider its focus mechanism just OK, next to Nikon model G and Labophot 2.

Do you have a Leiz Heine condenser or Reichert Polyphos?

How much did you pay for the LOMO trinocular head with Optovar, if you do not mind? I heard it is rare.

Please post PACO photos when you have a chance. I have seen those, which can give VERY dramatic colors sometimes.

Best,
Fan

[Essaouira]

Hello Fan,

Thanks for the chinese info!. This microscope is a copy of the Lomo MBR-3, which is copy of the Zeiss Jena L-stand but somewhat smaller. It can take 36mm condensers, so I had to work a little on it to insert the Olympus aplanat/achromat. Surprinsingly it's very smooth on the XY table and fine focus, and a little harder on the coarse, similar to the MBR-3 (I have one of this in my beach residence). I think it's on the same league as Lomo mechanically (maybe not optically). Obviously there are smoother models, like the Jena Nf and the Leitz, but this are high-end. Also I had a modern Biolam (the boxier one with the fine focus disc on the base) which was less smooth than this chinese.

The trinocular head is the Lomo MFN-11. I bought sereral years ago for about 200 €. It has a wheel with 1.1x, 1.6x, 2.5x and Bertrand lens. Is a delight to use but nowadays seems scarce.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOMO-Trinocular ... 1606763178

The condenser I have on the Leitz Laborlux is the original one: a 1.4 achromat with swing-in lens. I wish I had a Heine or Polyphos....

The PACO is one of the best things I have, it's super-fun and it can be used as polar with no problem.

Best,
Javier

[Essaouira]

Hi Fan,

Based on your comments on the chinese, I have found the maker: Nanjing Jiangnan Novel Optics Co., Ltd

http://www.jnoec.com/en/about.asp

Best,
Javier

[zzffnn]

Thank you, Javier.

That manufacturer has the same Chinese logo that says "Jiannan". I can tell you that people in Nanjing city are generally highly educated, though living cost is not very high in that city. That is a good thing for a microscope manufacturer.

So you had to machine down the Olympus condenser 1mm, from 37mm to 36mm?

I have the LOMO Biolam portable model with base fine focus disc and agree that it is not the smoothest. The main reason why I like LOMO is that they offer features, like high NA water immersion objectives, at reasonable price. Optovar is another useful feature.

I remember MFN-11 now - Micascape had an article on it. Does it offer simultaneous view to eyes and camera (eyes and camera see the image at the same time)? MFN-11 is the only binocular model with Otovar, correct? It looks like MFN-10 and 12 are monocular + photo tube.

[Essaouira]

Hi Fan,

I machined down the condenser holder, as I think the Olympus condenser is very nice, untouchable. I agree with you that the Lomo systems are good quality and affordable, but I think the older black scopes are better than the boxier ones, although harder to find they are quite cheap. Another brand that takes the Lomo accesories is PZO but the conderser holder is 39mm. Meopta scopes take 37mm condersers, like Lomo and they are fantastic.

The MFN-11 provides simultaneous views with the photo port but it can darken the visual image, so it's better to have a very good light system. I think that the new name for the MFN-11 is HT-30:

http://www.lomoplc.com/trinocularhead.htm

Best and thanks,
Javier

[Crater Eddie]

The MFN-11 and HT-30 are similar, but not quite the same, I have one of each. The main differences are in the mounting ports for the photo tube, making the photo tubes not interchangeable.

CE

[zzffnn]

Thank you, Javier and CE.

I may have to hunt down one of those LOMO Optovar trino in the future.

Javier,

When you said "Another brand that takes the Lomo accesories is PZO", what accessories did you mean, other than condensers, filters and illuminators?

You did NOT mean heads, correct? I found that different manufacturers tend to use different nosepiece/head mount length/thinkess, so even though head mount diameter may be the same, optically they may NOT be interchangeable at high NA. Otherwise, optical tube length would be changed a few millimeters, since optical length of the heads are different.

[rnabholz]

Welcome aboard!

You have some very beautiful classic scopes there. Please join in and share whatever activities you are pursuing.

Rod

[Essaouira]

Regarding the PZO and Meopta scopes (the older black enamel ones), they are compatible with short Lomo objectives as well as longer, more modern, ones. I don't know if the heads are fully compatible. The tube length of the PZO is 160mm and the Meopta is 170mm.

I have the Meopta Anoptral phase contrast system (170mm TL) working on the Jena Nf (170mm TL) with no issues.

Best,
Javier

[zzffnn]

Yes, mechanical adaptation is not difficult, while optical adaptation can be the opposite.

For my shot LOMO objectives, I raised my Nikon Labophot's stage and condenser base 12 mm, with washers/screws, Lego's, and glue. LOMO, Rathenow and B&L condensers have been adapted for my Nikon too. I hope to obtain a Leitz Heine or Reichert Polyphos and adapt it the same way too.

[Essaouira]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome!

[MicroInspector]

Beauitful vintage microscopes

[Chilihead]

Welcome Javier

I lived in Madrid in 1982. Fell in love with the place and people.

Great place here. I've already learned so much in the short time I've been a member.

Bob

[gekko]

Welcome, Javier! Thank you for your very interesting introduction and for showing us your beautiful instruments.

[vasselle]

Bienvenue sur le forum
Cordialement seb

[Essaouira]

Thank you very much!

[MicroInspector]

Nice classic microscopes
Reminds me when I saw the old family doctor
Had a medical compound microscope
Now these days doctors don't have them they mostly depend on the labs