ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)

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david.rojillo
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:02 pm

ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)

#1 Post by david.rojillo » Sat Jul 17, 2021 4:46 pm

Hello collegues. I have found a good bargain of one shop selling those two models on a good price: ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)
(Less than 40% of catalogue price).
Now I wonder what is best, go for a standard achromatic 160 mm at 275eur or go for plan infinity corrected at 343eur?

My concern comes from the fact that this model 122/148 is off the catalogue from this year, so it may be difficult to find a 20x infinity objective compatible with the 122/148 model. (Not even its manual states clearly the tube length, only says that it is plan infinity... )

Also checked working distances of the plan infinity objectives (those are stated in the catalogue) and they seem to be pretty much the same as regular 160 plan objectives, so not gain on working distances...)

So now my head is in a loop of what is best, if go for plan infinity scope or regular achromatic scope but 160 that can upgrade very easily to plan 160mm. (AMscope, chinese without brand, motic.. or many others).

And just to be sure, is this statement completely true? Infinity objectives can not be interchanged between scopes unless they have same tube length.
Does anybody know the tube length of the ZUZI 122/148 series?


Many thanks for your feedback!

dtsh
Posts: 977
Joined: Wed May 01, 2019 6:06 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)

#2 Post by dtsh » Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:12 pm

david.rojillo wrote:
Sat Jul 17, 2021 4:46 pm
Hello collegues. I have found a good bargain of one shop selling those two models on a good price: ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)
(Less than 40% of catalogue price).
Now I wonder what is best, go for a standard achromatic 160 mm at 275eur or go for plan infinity corrected at 343eur?

My concern comes from the fact that this model 122/148 is off the catalogue from this year, so it may be difficult to find a 20x infinity objective compatible with the 122/148 model. (Not even its manual states clearly the tube length, only says that it is plan infinity... )

Also checked working distances of the plan infinity objectives (those are stated in the catalogue) and they seem to be pretty much the same as regular 160 plan objectives, so not gain on working distances...)

So now my head is in a loop of what is best, if go for plan infinity scope or regular achromatic scope but 160 that can upgrade very easily to plan 160mm. (AMscope, chinese without brand, motic.. or many others).

And just to be sure, is this statement completely true? Infinity objectives can not be interchanged between scopes unless they have same tube length.
Does anybody know the tube length of the ZUZI 122/148 series?


Many thanks for your feedback!
All other things being equal, I'd go for plan over not plan. Are all other things equal though? I don't know.

It is my understanding of infinity systems that the distance between the last lens of the objective and the telan lens can be, theoretically, infinite; this allows putting other analyzers, or other systems in the light path without substantially altering the magnification or focus. I allow it's possible my understanding is wrong, but I do have a few infinity systems and I have raised and lowered the head (with telan) about a foot above it's usual point and the image was relatively unchanged.

I tend to think that unless you're buying into a highend platform for specific features, you're better off just using the average microscope as-is and replacing it with that higher end system when the need for the features it offers become desireable. You can throw endless money at a system, but it's probably not cost effective. If you want that expandability, I would look at higher end systems now. A careful and informed person can find an amazing array of high end systems and find something to fit all but the smallest of budgets if you're patient. Basically, ignore the money costs and shop features, you can then find the platform that meets your budget out of those that fit your criteria best. If you aren't sure what your criteria are, I'd talk about what you want to do with it and ask for advice about the desired features and budget constraints.


That said, I'm an informed newbie with increasing experience, so that that for what it's worth.

Scarodactyl
Posts: 2775
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:09 pm

Re: ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)

#3 Post by Scarodactyl » Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:31 pm

david.rojillo wrote:
Sat Jul 17, 2021 4:46 pm
And just to be sure, is this statement completely true? Infinity objectives can not be interchanged between scopes unless they have same tube length.
Does anybody know the tube length of the ZUZI 122/148 series?
No. An objective will generally work with different tube lengths, though it will give a different magnification than it is specced at. Most objectives will tolerate this acceptably since it is usually a matter of 180mm vs 200mm, only 10%.
Most of the lower end Chinese infinity systems follow the Olympus standard, 180mm with 45mm parfocal rms-threaded objectives. Olympus uis/uis2 infinity objectives and many or most other generic infinity objectives readily available on the market would probably be mostly compatible. A wider variety do get made in China but with you don't see a lot of eg 60mm parfocal ones on eBay.

david.rojillo
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:02 pm

Re: ZUZI 122/108(160) or 122/148(infinity)

#4 Post by david.rojillo » Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:27 am

Many thanks for your reply. They have been very helpful.
Most of the lower end Chinese infinity systems follow the Olympus standard, 180mm with 45mm parfocal rms-threaded objectives. Olympus uis/uis2 infinity objectives and many or most other generic infinity objectives readily available on the arket would probably be mostly compatible. A wider variety do get made in China but with you don't see a lot of eg 60mm parfocal ones on eBay.
I have investigated a bit following your post, and it turns that ZUZI brand, is the Spanish brand for Chinese manufatured scopes, imported and rebranded. Those two models match perfectly two AMSCOPES models, offering same features... (Same trinocular head, same kholer lamp, same filter and condensor, same UIS optics, same etc... same pictures of the microscope :) )

As my target for the moment, it is just to watch water samples from places I visit and indentifying specimens, I will buy the one with infinity plan optics. It seems that they are compatible with amscope accessories and even with some Olympus optics, so for 343 eur I can't make a big mistake....
(My current microscope is kind of cheap Frankenstein, and it can not be upgraded to Phase contrast, nor to polarized light, small warking distances,... althoug I am very proud of it, and I have enjoyed it a lot and I will...)

For the moment the big for brands are out of range in my budget, I have searched several times in ebay/ wallapop, etc... and can't find any reasonable trinocular scope...
(To be honest, I haven't got much time to search... but it is difficult to find time to browse every day...)

Many thanks!!

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