Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

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D0c
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Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:13 pm
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Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

#1 Post by D0c » Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:08 pm

I have a Leitz SM Lux microscope with a binocular head and want to change this in time to a trinocular head. I have searched google etc but cannot find a answer to my question which is.

Are Leitz binocular heads interchangeable with trinocular heads? Do any of the Leitz brands such as Diaplan, dialux, laborlux etc fit onto a SM Lux body? Is there any part numbers to look for on the trinocular head that I require?

Any help is much appreciated.

Mick
Leitz SM-Lux

apochronaut
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Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 12:15 am

Re: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

#2 Post by apochronaut » Fri Dec 04, 2020 1:34 pm

They did not refer to it as a trinocular. It was called a Binocular Phototube. The type or model number was Tube O.

Here is a Pol manual where they give it another designation. Perhaps the Pol microscope used a slightly different head.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/90012 ... x-Pol.html

D0c
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:13 pm
Location: England

Re: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

#3 Post by D0c » Fri Dec 04, 2020 4:56 pm

Thanks for the reply apochronaut but it doesn't really help.

I noticed a post from John (mrsonchus) on here regarding perrennial milk weed and within the post he shows his SM-Lux with a newly aquired trinocular head. Unfortunately he doesn't mention nothing about it and I cannot send him a private message. The photo is shown below and does anyone know what microscope this is off.

Image
Leitz SM-Lux

PeteM
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Re: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

#4 Post by PeteM » Fri Dec 04, 2020 5:06 pm

You can swap heads, but with caution. Start by precisely measuring what I'll call the dovetail diameter on your scope. My guess is that the pictured scope is 43mm rather than 42mm and from the gray Dialux era?

Leitz/Leica changed head designs several times. So just "leitz" won't guarantee compatibility. Generally speaking, you can swap a trinocular head for a binocular head if it has the same dovetail diameter (they changed these with each generation to try to keep things straight). I'm calling this a dovetail, but unlike many other makers it's often a sort of quick disconnect with a maximum diameter that can be used for identification.

Paint also tended to change from generation; from black 170 tube length (far as I know 43mm dovetail fitting), to gray 170 maybe sometimes 160 tube length, and then an off-white color with a 42mm OD fitting. The heads were often black in the transition from 170mm short barrel to 170mm long barrel to 160mm long barrel objectives. Is your scope set up for 170mm long barrel objectives? Using DIN objectives and a modern eyepiece on a 170mm frame? Or??

Newer Leica DMLS scopes are up around 44.72mm and have an infinity tube lens in the head. Some widefield (finite) are 45.72mm. and the Orthoplan are just under 50mm. These clearly won't fit and arent right.

So, when looking on Ebay or elsewhere for a trinocular head you can use color and style - and ask for a precise dovetail measurement -- to be more likely to get a head that fits and puts the eyepieces the proper tube length away from the objectives. You may also find an entire microscope with a trinocular head nearly as cheap as the head alone. You could swap parts, sell what's left.

Be aware that Leitz carried some of their scope names over from one optical generation to the next.

D0c
Posts: 267
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2020 9:13 pm
Location: England

Re: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

#5 Post by D0c » Fri Dec 04, 2020 6:40 pm

Thanks Pete that's great info.

I seem to have a mixture of objectives. I only have four and they are:

EF 4/0.12 170mm
EF 10/0.25 160mm
Plan 10/0.25 Phaco 1 160mm
Plan 40/0.65 Phaco 2 160mm

Scope is same colur as above an off white with black head.

I'll measure OD fitting tomorrow.

Thanks for your help
Leitz SM-Lux

Bryan
Posts: 101
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2018 11:31 pm

Re: Swapping binocular head for a trinocular head.

#6 Post by Bryan » Sat Dec 05, 2020 6:22 pm

I went through the same confusion when I was looking for a trinocular head for my Leitz SM medical microscope. Everything worked out well for me, maybe the thread below will have some helpful information.

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=6453&p=58899&hilit ... lar#p57776

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