Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

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dkingloff
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Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#1 Post by dkingloff » Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:12 am

I just became the proud parent of a B&L Stereozoom 7 with boom stand and lamp (sans transformer) via a Facebook ad for an excessively cheap price (I think). I'd like to get either a 0.3 or 0.5 mag auxiliary lens to increase the working distance for watchmaking and precision soldering but can't seem to find one. Any information about the optics necessary to create a negative lens? The lens protector I have with the scope is marked "524 pY". It seems to have some refracting properties (it makes things move when you wave it around printed words) but I can't seem to find any reference to that nomenclature. Any help here would be greatly appreciated!

Scarodactyl
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#2 Post by Scarodactyl » Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:36 am

I have an sz7 accessory marked 0.5x ehich seems to actually be an adapter with threads for sz 1-5 objectives, so likely for reducing mag they are sufficiently compatible. Mine just had a ring light adapter attached though, no 0.5x lens.

BramHuntingNematodes
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#3 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:14 am

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-Stereo-Z ... 890.l49292

Maybe like this one? Anyway, yeah I don't encounter them too often somehow need to check for leica as well as b&l but if you can screw on other sz lenses that would be very handy as those are common and cheap
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

Scarodactyl
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#4 Post by Scarodactyl » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:18 am

Similar, but mine is threaded (the ring light adapter was a separate component).
You do need to look for Leica, Cambridge and Bausch for these, and even then they are scarce.

PeteM
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#5 Post by PeteM » Sat Mar 06, 2021 2:46 am

Unlike most of the B&L Stereo Zooms (2-6), the 7 used a sort of clip-on adapter similar to what Bram linked. Don't recall every seeing one for sale - but you'd think they'd be out there.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#6 Post by Scarodactyl » Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:15 am

Let me clarify. Mine snaps on with pins like all SZ7 attachments but it has internal threads which accept SZ1-5 accessories. Presumably it was only meant to hold an sz1-5 0.5x objective.
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PeteM
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#7 Post by PeteM » Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:34 am

Very cool. Haven't seen that before.

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dkingloff
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#8 Post by dkingloff » Sat Mar 06, 2021 1:14 pm

Thanks for all the responses. Yes, the SZ7 has that snap-on adapter with ears. I have an adapter which does not seem deep enough for a reducing lens. The adapter marked 0.5 in the picture doesn't look like the ones in the catalogue. Has anyone ever constructed a reducing lens system for a stereo 'scope? I only paid $80 for the whole thing and I don't want to pay too much for the lenses.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#9 Post by Scarodactyl » Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:17 am

Just as an update, I recently got a 0.3x lens for the SZ1-5, and figured I'd try it with that SZ7 adapter. Mechanically everything fits but optically it didn't work at all--oddly the working distance and magnification barely changed, maybe a very slight reduction in mag. I am not sure if you could expect better results from a 0.5x if the 0.3x didn't work.

Sliding Focus
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#10 Post by Sliding Focus » Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:41 pm

I can't answer the question OP asked directly (I don't know how you'd DIY a negative lens), but Spach Optics has a 0.5x objective for the StereoZoom 7 listed for $250: https://www.spachoptics.com/STEREOZOOM-7-p/sz7-obj.htm. I wouldn't pay that much, personally—I'd wait for one to pop up on eBay (which could take a while, as others have said)—but it is an option...and I've had luck negotiating prices with a (different) dealer in the past, so they might be open to offers.

How much do you care about the SZ7's zoom range? I'd have a hard time giving up something that I got such a great deal on, but if you don't mind losing the SZ7's broad zoom range, it might be easier to trade your 'scope for one that's easier to find aux. lenses for, like an SZ4, SZ5, Cycloptic, etc., than to track down the 0.5x lens for the SZ7 or to DIY something.

I don't know what the "524 pY" part is.

Scarodactyl, that's interesting to hear that the 0.3x lens didn't work on the SZ7—thanks for sharing that info.! I wonder why it didn't work...

BramHuntingNematodes
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#11 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:07 pm

Not enough pitch polishing in the microscope community!
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

dtsh
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#12 Post by dtsh » Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:32 pm

BramHuntingNematodes wrote:
Mon Mar 29, 2021 9:07 pm
Not enough pitch polishing in the microscope community!
I've done parabolic mirrors and optical flats, but no lenses yet. It's one of those processes that is tedious, but can yield some nice results with only a very small outlay of cash, the majority of the investment is effort.

apochronaut
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#13 Post by apochronaut » Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:18 pm

The 7 was a whole other optical system than the other stereozooms. Different eyepieces too. That was the reason for the SZ7 aux. lenses fitting on with a stirrup mechanism rather than threads : so they couldn't be mixed up.

jeffery163
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Re: Stereozoom 7 auxiliary lenses

#14 Post by jeffery163 » Tue Apr 06, 2021 6:18 pm

Scarodactyl wrote:
Sat Mar 06, 2021 4:15 am
Let me clarify. Mine snaps on with pins like all SZ7 attachments but it has internal threads which accept SZ1-5 accessories. Presumably it was only meant to hold an sz1-5 0.5x objective.
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Looks cool

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