Had To Buy IT!!

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
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mrsonchus
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Had To Buy IT!!

#1 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Jun 14, 2021 12:02 am

Hi all, trawling the net as I often do for new parts that may be handy for my microscopy at the right price, I came upon a nice-looking Olympus SZH, offered a rather affordable price as it had a buy it now or offers option, and had my offer accepted! This 'scope was in the U.K. (where I am of course) and the price was very good. Anyway it arrived a couple of days ago, packaged as two parcels, in the safest, most carefully-packaged way I've ever received a 'scope or parcel!

So on first look all seemed well, two objectives with the hard-to find changer! A superb darkfield-capable stand the SZH-ILLD, camera-port and even a 'floating stage' adapter. I bought one of these 'scopes on my first attempt to move my stereo 'scope up to a more capable level, a long while ago now. That one turned out to be in awful condition and had to be returned. Subsequently I bought the beautiful Nikon SMZ800 that I currently use - a truly lovely 'scope giving superbly bright and clear images.....

Always hankering for an SZH as I'm a bit of an Olympus fan, I took a chance on this one as the (accepted offer) price was very good for me indeed.

A quick look throught the 'scope gave a rather low-contrast image, often a sign of dirty optics... Equally often easy enough to remedy with a careful clean. The objectives were reasonably clean, the eyepieces filthy and in need of a thorough clean inside and out, and the internal zoon-lenses were absolutely filthy with accumulated settled dust rather than actual discrete pieces of dirt - making the glass actually appear quite frosted with a light behind them! Easy enough to clean once I opened the case and the rest is history. The 'scope now gives beautifully bright clear images.
This evening I gave the base a first clean also, cleaning the filthy glass - mirror beneath 50W halogen bulb in base, heat-filtering glass, 2 frosted glasses etc. All now working as beautifully as the 'scope's optics. The 50W halogen is giving plenty of light - very bright and very even.... The built-in fan keeps everything sensible around the tiny artificial-Sun that is a halogen bulb and the darkfield switching mechanism works very smoothly indeed - all in all a very pleasing start.

Apart from the standing-dust everywhere the 'scope is in excellent condition - the focus rack is lovely and smooth (this can be a weak point on the SZH according to the web, but no problems here).

Here are a few images of the 'scope during cleaning/testing, on the desk with my lovely SMZ800, but I'll soon follow up with some proper images of this beauty in action!
SZH first look (1).jpeg
SZH first look (1).jpeg (129.4 KiB) Viewed 3968 times
SZH first look (2).jpeg
SZH first look (2).jpeg (105.81 KiB) Viewed 3968 times
SZH first look (4).jpeg
SZH first look (4).jpeg (89.66 KiB) Viewed 3968 times
SZH first look (3).jpeg
SZH first look (3).jpeg (78.32 KiB) Viewed 3968 times
John B

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mrsonchus
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#2 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Jun 14, 2021 12:38 am

A few images of those dirty lenses inside the zoom-housing mechanism - no wonder the first-look lacked a little contrast - hard to believe in fact just how good those images were with the glass this grubby!...


The top fixed lenses lit from below - the glass looks frosted!
Image


Part-way through a very careful clean.....
Image


Same story with the inner sliding lenses - again part-way cleaned.....
Image


Image


Zoom lenses from below...... amazingly they all cleaned up very nicely indeed.
Image


All's good now, details with images tomorrow and a demo of the superb BF/DF switching SZH-ILLD base, and that nice objective-changer, and I'll mount a camera onto the phototube - I have the required adapters as I use them on my Olympus BX50 compound 'scope.
John B

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KurtM
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#3 Post by KurtM » Mon Jun 14, 2021 12:49 am

I'm having a terrible jealous attack. :mrgreen:
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#4 Post by Scarodactyl » Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:04 am

The szh is quite a beast for sure, and having an objective changer is also a real upgrade. With all that you have a solid 18:1 mag ratio.

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mrsonchus
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#5 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Jun 14, 2021 11:50 am

Thanks chaps, I'm really pleased with it. What I did find a pleasant surprise was the quality of both objectives, but especially the 2x. Not high-end planapos of course but very sharp and very planar!
The darkfield option available at the push of the large robust (as everything Olympus is in my experience) lever on the RHS of the stand is a revelation - absolutely beautiful 'proper' darkfield illumination, more than adequately illuminated by the 50W halogen both with and without the beam-splitter engaged, lovely.
I'll need a replacement clear glass 100mm stage plate though as the current one has a little surface damage - maybe from heat or chemicals, but I can't remove it - I've tried. Mind you they're easy enough to find.

Over the next few weeks I suppose I'll need to decide between the SMZ800 and the SZH - one will probably have to go to make room to actually work, maybe.... The SMZ800 is also a truly oustanding 'scope. I'll be a while before I can make any qualitative or even quantitative comparisons for any meaningful differences, but in terms of utility the SZH has the objective changer and that superb SZH-ILLD stand....

I'll try to make time today to take a few images through the beastie and get them posted! I've a set of fine grass inflorescences to analyze later, maybe a few images from those.
Last edited by mrsonchus on Mon Jun 14, 2021 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#6 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Jun 14, 2021 1:30 pm

Congratulations mrsonchus !
Waiting to see examples of photos taken (with both scopes - a comparison...)
Please tell, where is the heat filter (IR filter, yes?) placed ? does the fan protect the lamp housing and the filter protects the stage ?

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mrsonchus
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#7 Post by mrsonchus » Mon Jun 14, 2021 2:05 pm

Hi, yes that's right. The heat-filter glass is directly over the bulb, directly under the bulb is a small and very reflective concave mirror. Around the edges of the under-stage well is a cylindrical mirror to focus the off-axis light for DF when the DF mask swings into place. Also substage are two frosted glasses.
The fan does protect the 'scope's body etc - the 50W halogen is mounted internally rather than into a housing on the rear in the manner of say a BH2 etc. The whole thing runs very cool and the fan is virtually silent - and that's before I get around to cleaning the blades, which always quietens a fan significantly. A very, very well made 'scope in all parts, stage included. The same definitely applies to my beautiful BX50, which is why I suppose I've become quite a fan of Olympus - that said the Nikon SMZ-800 is also an equally excellent 'scope I've found.

Very much looking forward to trying this one out! The darkfield is stunning - should prove quite invaluable especially for moss examination.

P.S. I'll also take some images of the stage's internals etc as it's a very nicely implemented piece of kit indeed.
Last edited by mrsonchus on Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Rorschach
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#8 Post by Rorschach » Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:09 am

What a great find and a marvelous cleaning job too! The SZH was one that I seriously considered before going the Wild route. The objective slider was one of the pluses for the SZH. Fortunately a third party objective slider (of apparently high quality) can be found for the Wilds/Leicas as well. So expansion route is secured should I feel the need :D

PeteM
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#9 Post by PeteM » Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:12 am

Rorschach wrote:
Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:09 am
. . . Fortunately a third party objective slider (of apparently high quality) can be found for the Wilds/Leicas as well. So expansion route is secured should I feel the need :D
Haven't seen that. Would you happen to have a link?

Rorschach
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#10 Post by Rorschach » Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:31 am

PeteM wrote:
Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:12 am
Rorschach wrote:
Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:09 am
. . . Fortunately a third party objective slider (of apparently high quality) can be found for the Wilds/Leicas as well. So expansion route is secured should I feel the need :D
Haven't seen that. Would you happen to have a link?
Here, close to the bottom of the page: https://www.opto.de/en/microscopy/acces ... for-leica/

With the existing objective adapters, that slider can be connected to almost any Wild stereo as well. And with yet more adapters, almost any two objectives from Wild or Leica can be used on it (55mm, 60mm 65mm thread adapters). Parfocality likely isn't achieved in most cases but if one is willing to tinker by ordering a set of spacing rings with various widths from e.g. RAF, perhaps even that is possible relatively cheaply. The slider itself is not cheap, however.

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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#11 Post by PeteM » Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:37 pm

Thanks, Rorshach.

Not seeing any prices on the Opto site, I'm reminded of the old J.P. Morgan quote "if you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it . . ."

Rorschach
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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#12 Post by Rorschach » Sat Jun 26, 2021 4:00 pm

PeteM wrote:
Sat Jun 26, 2021 2:37 pm
Thanks, Rorshach.

Not seeing any prices on the Opto site, I'm reminded of the old J.P. Morgan quote "if you have to ask how much it costs, you can't afford it . . ."
I asked Opto in 2019 and the price for the slider was 1165 euros. Not particularly cheap, but I would be very tempted if there was a demo unit or similar available bit cheaper.

In addition to the slider, Opto do have a few other interesting items in their selection. If only I got the funds... :D

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Re: Had To Buy IT!!

#13 Post by PeteM » Sat Jun 26, 2021 6:48 pm

John's scope (our topic post) is looking ever better. All those wonderful SZH optics and mechanisms, PLUS what is likely today a 1200 euro objective changer.

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