MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

I am wondering what the value of this scope should be. Its a bristoline trinocular with 10, 40, 100.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/233658587716?& ... fresh=true

Looks like a good price those Bristol-ines are good stands from what I understand and the late B&L phase system on it is pretty cute. You would be happy with it.

In fact this here I would say is a prime example of the basis for the "why would you spend $2000 on a new Chinese microscope" question.

The Bristoline microscopes were originally made by Kyowa as is that one. As Japanese instruments became too expensive , most of the scientific supply houses that purchased stencilled house brands switched over to in some cases , firstly Korean ( SEOUL Optical) but ultimately lower tiered Chinese products. It is easy to tell the difference. The Japanese products used short parfocal J.I.S. objectives(36mm) or proprietary lengths copied from established companies ( Nikon/Zeiss, Olympus/B &L). Depends who made the stencil stand.The newer Chinese microscopes used 45mm D.I.N. objectives.

The reason that Bristoline is carryng a Bausch & Lomb phase condenser system, is that the Bausch & Lomb lower tiered microscope; the less expensive option than the Dynazoom or Balplan was made in the orient. Initially, they used an Olympus KHS for the Galen I, which was a nice fit because Olympus had copied their 36.67mm parfocal length from B & L. As Olympus became more expensive they moved to Kyowa for the Galen II, which is very similar to that Bristoline. Most had a B & L made base and illuminator with a Kyowa arm stage and optical units fitted.Most parts are interchangeable and a phase condenser marked B & L would work with Kyowa objectives, if that is what they are.

I have one of those condensers I am fitting to a binocular field microscope design based on an AO scholars microscope. It is very nicely made, with smooth machined parts, a positive action and glass annular diaphragms.

That is a good buy and a trinocular is uncommon. It should not be too hard to find the other objective.

BramHuntingNematodes wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:02 pm

In fact this here I would say is a prime example of the basis for the "why would you spend $2000 on a new Chinese microscope" question.

Maybe, make that $1000.00. For $2000.00 you get a 25mm head, 100 watts, oil immrrsion 100X D.F. and for not that much more planfluorite objectives.

apochronaut wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:37 pm

BramHuntingNematodes wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:02 pm

In fact this here I would say is a prime example of the basis for the "why would you spend $2000 on a new Chinese microscope" question.

Maybe, make that $1000.00. For $2000.00 you get a 25mm head, 100 watts, oil immrrsion 100X D.F. and for not that much more planfluorite objectives.

Hmm yeah I guess they are getting better all the time. Keeps the secondary market prices low though.

I have tried and enjoyed a few Kyowa products. They did good work. They're even still around, though they apparently don't have any US prescence anymore.

Assuming this is in good working order then light years better than a new scope in the same price range (amscope m500)?

Seller is willing to let me pick it up and asked what I need to know to be comfortable buying it.

Huh wow apo's right they are getting cheap.

I don't know about light years, but you'll get a trinocular head, phase optics, and a pretty well built, solid stand. If you can pick it up that's a pretty big bonus as you can save on shipping, check it over for broken or missing parts, and transport it safely.

oh also the mechanical stage and that nosepiece is better yeah I mean it's a better scope than the Amscope

A Amscope M500B-MS is 161.99 on amazon I actually have one ordered and on the way, but I am considering returning it and picking this up instead.

oh also the mechanical stage and that nosepiece is better yeah I mean it's a better scope than the Amscope

Was typing when you replied. Thanks!

Is there a what to check on a used scope guide?

I'm probably not the best to answer this as I exclusively buy scopes with crippling mechanical defects but check to make sure the knobs turn, the binocular head can change its inter-pupillary distance, that the optics are intact. If you can plug it in to see if it lights up that would be good. You should be able to focus the image of any flat object ok with the low power objective and you phone flashlight

Well lets see what happens...they accepted an offer for 125.

The Amscope M500B MS is pretty much a hobby/elementary school microscope based on a physical design from the 1980's at the latest.
The Bristoline would be welcome in a veterinary lab, a place where they use microscopes daily and rigorously.
It will need a cleaning and possibly some adjustments but once done it is done for a while. Kyowa are sturdy well built instruments.

Speaking of cleaning what is the correct way?

There are a lot of threads on this forum about cleaning procedures. Do a search and if you are still not quite sure , shout again.

I am a little concerned about the image I see in the microscope. Can someone point me in the right direction to sort out whats wrong or what I am doing wrong?

I have an amscope 100 I am returning to Amazon here is a comparison between the two.

Bristoline

https://flic.kr/p/2jyon8a

Amscope
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189879684 ... res/a8MUyT

Are you referring to the yellow hue of the illumination on the Bristoline? You may not have a blue filter in place to produce a white brightfield.

Judobadger wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 21, 2020 4:39 am

I am a little concerned about the image I see in the microscope. Can someone point me in the right direction to sort out whats wrong or what I am doing wrong?

I have an amscope 100 I am returning to Amazon here is a comparison between the two.

Bristoline

https://flic.kr/p/2jyon8a

Amscope
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189879684 ... res/a8MUyT

The Brisoline needs a good cleaning and some adjustment but you are probably running the voltage to the bulb too low.
The Amscope most likely has a severely mis-aligned nosepiece. It looks like you are imaging the edge of the image circle . It also could be the illuminator aperture you are seeing but that likely would not entail seeing the distortion at the edge of the image.

The Amscope , I think runs a full power illuminator from 110 : no regulator.
It looks like your Bristoline is running at a low setting for the bulb. Bulbs are meant to be driven at quite high power: around 90% is the best combination for purity of the light and longevity of the bulb. Below 90% the illumination gets increasingly yellow. You do your intensity control with the diaphragm(s) not the rheostat. A blue filter over the illuminator window or under the condenser would help some too.

The model of your microscope is 3002. It is always possible the wrong bulb has been installed. It is supposed to be a 30 watt. Bristoline is now Accuscope. They may still have manuals or can send one on-line.

You do your intensity control with the diaphragm(s) not the rheostat

Ahhhh OK my newb is showing The bulb is correct.

The model of your microscope is 3002

Thank you I will go looking.

Are you referring to the yellow hue of the illumination on the Bristoline? You may not have a blue filter in place to produce a white brightfield.

Yes I am.

There are sliding parts below the stage, which I think is the condenser. One is labeled 10 x on one side and 40 x on the other. The second is labeled 100 x and DG. I am not sure how to correctly use these, but the DG one makes it very dark until I adjust it closer to the stage. Once I do it looks less yellow. I wasn't using those last night. Should I be matching the number to the objective being used?

Those are the annuli, they block almost all the light to produce phase or a dark ground effect. They are matched to the objectives with the the exception of the dark ground slide which probably works pretty good for the 10x. If you have both of these centered they are in the "open" position and should let more light through. Start there and familiarize yourself with the device before moving on to attempting phase.

Also please read carefully the first 60 or so pages of this:

https://archive.org/details/handbookofb ... 9/mode/2up

I have more work and learning to do, but these are much better. Thank you all!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/189879684 ... res/dXN896

Nicely done. Is the background colour accurate? Is the brown tone what you are seeing with your eyes?

No the background color isn't accurate. I was using the phase contrast.This is a drop of water from my aquarium on a slide with a slip cover so background is actually clear.

Yes, I know it is phase but usually generic phase is dark medium phase. I am pretty sure yours would be . Normally, the background would be grey with such a system. A brownish background could be due to the system not being a dark medium type, usually then anoptral, the colour balance of the camera being not set properly to match the light source or the condenser and the objective not being perfectly conjugate. If you see grey then photograph brown, it's the colour balance, if you see brown and the objectives are just marked phase and only have a coloured ring designating the magnification, then it is likely condenser adjustment.
You need to establish a Koehler illumination condition to properly adjust phase. If you have not, it could result in an off colour background.

Yes, I know it is phase but usually generic phase is dark medium phase. I am pretty sure yours would be . Normally, the background would be grey with such a system. A brownish background could be due to the system not being a dark medium type, usually then anoptral, the colour balance of the camera being not set properly to match the light source or the condenser and the objective not being perfectly conjugate. If you see grey then photograph brown, it's the colour balance, if you see brown and the objectives are just marked phase and only have a coloured ring designating the magnification, then it is likely condenser adjustment.
You need to establish a Koehler illumination condition to properly adjust phase. If you have not, it could result in an off colour background.

Thank you. I will take a look and circle back.

Having observed these beasties myself, I can say that the color of the dinoflagellates themselves is what you would see using standard brightfield. The background is somewhat grayer/muddier, but not as much as I would expect based on other phase photos I’ve seen.