MicrobeHunter.com Microscopy Forum

Does anyone know what the dovetail diameter on a Vanox head is?

My friend has one Vanox sitting around, absolute beast of a microscope, but I don't know if it's the needed model, binocular head seems built-in, only the camera ports have dovetails.

I guess you are talking about the older analog Vanox AH? Not the electronic monster, AH-2. I can measure my Vanox AH later today.

Here are the dimensions of the Vanox AH head dovetail. Let me know if there's any other measurement you need.



Edit: I misunderstood Apo's question. To clarify, the measurements above are for the linear dovetail at the rear side of the head, as shown here:

Thank you Viktor. I was thinking of using one on a PZO Biolar but itwould be a time consuming fit.

Oh, you meant the circular dovetail that connects the head and the nosepiece. Sorry, my measurements are for the linear dovetail that connects the head to the frame.

That actually makes more sense since you asked for the diameter. But I didn't consider that possibility, since that dovetail dimension is not specific to the Vanox: that dovetail is exactly the same as for the rest of the Olympus finite line. BH, BH2, Vanox AH use the same dovetail for their intermediate pieces.

So it should be easy to find that information.

Here's a relevant comparison:
https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... 05#p102205

The PZO is 43mm. I just want to find a non- infinity trinocular head that I can mount on the Interference head, since PZO trinos aren't that abundant.

Yes, and as shown in the thread I linked, the Olympus circular dovetail is 42mm, so it's very close. Could work. People have mostly had trouble getting PZO DIC units to work on Olympus microscopes, the reverse should be easier. The Vanox head might work. But I don't know the tube length of the vanox head. I could try to measure that if you want.

viktor j nilsson wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:47 pm

Yes, and as shown in the thread I linked, the Olympus circular dovetail is 42mm, so it's very close. Could work. People have mostly had trouble getting PZO DIC units to work on Olympus microscopes, the reverse should be easier. The Vanox head might work. But I don't know the tube length of the vanox head. I could try to measure that if you want.

If you can, although I do not know the dovetail to eyepiece tube distance on the PZO. I probably can deduce it though, once the frame/stand arrives. I came across a set of PZO N.O.S. Pl interference contrast objectives with the rotating integral prisms for under 200.00 and I already have all the other interference contrast stuff, so it seemed logical to just use the PZO Biolar stand. I just need a head , now.

Looks like this popular Polish microscopist is using a Olympus Trino on his Biolar: https://youtu.be/lSuIuUT4qKs

If you master the German language: a lot of info on the 3 PZO DIC flavors:

https://www.mikroskopie-forum.de/index. ... ic=34574.0

deBult wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:22 pm

Looks like this popular Polish microscopist is using a Olympus Trino on his Biolar: https://youtu.be/lSuIuUT4qKs

That helps some., It seems it shouldn't be too difficult a swap, irregardless of the 1mm.
It looks like he is not using PZO objectives. You probably can use many strain free 160mm objective in a PZO interference microscope as long as you have the interference head, with the polarizer. The PZO objectives with the integral prisms do not require the use of the interference head necessarily, or if I am reading the manual correctly, you can use it as well for a different technique. Since there are two different types of interference substage condensers and 2 sets if interference prisms above the objectives, there is a kind of mix and match set up list in the manual. I think there are 5 different combinations that provide differing results, with a couple of them used for measuring.
Back around 1990, PZO sent me the English language version of the Biolar Interference Contrast manual. Yes. It is pretty complete. Over 100 pages. I do appreciate your help in sending me the German link though, de Bult.

apochronaut wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 02, 2021 7:39 pm

viktor j nilsson wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:47 pm

Yes, and as shown in the thread I linked, the Olympus circular dovetail is 42mm, so it's very close. Could work. People have mostly had trouble getting PZO DIC units to work on Olympus microscopes, the reverse should be easier. The Vanox head might work. But I don't know the tube length of the vanox head. I could try to measure that if you want.

If you can, although I do not know the dovetail to eyepiece tube distance on the PZO. I probably can deduce it though, once the frame/stand arrives. I came across a set of PZO N.O.S. Pl interference contrast objectives with the rotating integral prisms for under 200.00 and I already have all the other interference contrast stuff, so it seemed logical to just use the PZO Biolar stand. I just need a head , now.

Just measured the Vanox nosepiece. It adds exactly 40.0 mm TL from the shoulder of the objective to the top edge. So the head should add another 120mm TL. Quite a long optical path in the head, it seems. But the Biolar nosepiece looks pretty thin, as do the holder on the arm, so it might not be too far off.

I would guess, however, that the BH2/BH trino heads have a shorter path lenght, so maybe it would be better (but more expensive) to use one of those.