LOMO biolam C1

[Leitzcycler]

You are right with the top position. However, If you would like to have your Lomo perfect, I have a big Lomo research microscope which I will junk anyway. There is also a plastic gear rack. I could dismantle it and see if it is compatible. What do you think?

[smollerthings]

That would be awesome ! If not too much work. The plastic piece is 6x42 mm.
I will let you know if I am successful in putting this lomo together.

One should never underestimate one's ability to f..k stuff up

I was cleaning my condenser glass. So much mold. How is this even possible. What is there to eat on there?

[smollerthings]

One more question: the revolver (?) that allows to change the objective lens is really stiff. How do I take it apart? The center screw?

[smollerthings]

Nevermind, I unscrewed it and now it is smooth like smooth jazz.

[smollerthings]

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!



Thanks everyone for helping me putting together my first microscope. It is safe to say I wouldn't have unstuck that thing without your help!

[smollerthings]

After an afternoon of fun. I have to say, the image quality is much more fantastic than expected. But I don't have that many comparison points.

[Leitzcycler]

I am happy to hear you are doing well with your Biolam. I think the condenser gear slide is the same. See picture and notice that there is a crack in the other head. The screw has caused a tension which has broke the plastic. This is a common phenomenon. Also the screws tend to loose during time and cause the slide to move when you change the condenser height. Also notice that there are a couple of thin aluminium plates under each end of the slide. These are for adjusting the fitting of the plastic part. This is by no means good manufacturing. However, these kind of adjustment plates are common in Lomo stuff. And there is also a very minor defect in the most upper tooth barely seen in the picture. However, I don't think it is a problem as Biolam operates in the middle part of the slide.

I think it would be wise to add some Loctite to the screws (blue/soft, so you can easily dismantle them later if required). It is also important not to tighten the screws too much when fixing any plastic parts. Plastic is easily cracked, especially when old.

If you are interested to change your condenser gear slide, send me a PM and your address, and I will send mine to you.

[smollerthings]

It is so nice of you Leitzcycler. I will PM you tomorrow.

[Leitzcycler]

I don't think it is a problem as Biolam operates in the middle part of the slide.

I have to correct this. I looked my Biolam more closely and the condensed knob axle orientation is more or less on the top part of the gear slide (when the condenser is in it's highest position). However, my gear slide is made of brass. So there are two types of gear slides: brass and plastic used in this condenser mechanism.

[smollerthings]

Quick question folks.

Taking pics with my iphone is really frustrating. I have a fuji camera. I was thinking of getting this microscope 23,2 (I measured the lomo, which seems to be 23 mm) ->m42
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000055965617.html

Then m42 -> fuji x
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002039188604.html

Would that work with the Lomo Biolam? I have doubts because the adaptor doesn't seem to have optics. How can it focus on the camera's sensor?

PS: nevermind, it was a stupid question. It is a top of eyepiece adaptor and I don't think it is the right diameter for lomo eyepieces

[Hobbyst46]

Taking pics with my iphone is really frustrating.

Expected.

I have a fuji camera. I was thinking of getting this microscope 23,2 (I measured the lomo, which seems to be 23 mm) ->m42
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000055965617.html

Then m42 -> fuji x
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002039188604.html

Would that work with the Lomo Biolam? I have doubts because the adaptor doesn't seem to have optics. How can it focus on the camera's sensor?

PS: nevermind, it was a stupid question. It is a top of eyepiece adaptor and I don't think it is the right diameter for lomo eyepieces

Not stupid. Direct projection of the image from the objective to the camera sensor is possible. Indeed, it only requires mechanical adapters between the camera body and the microscope, without an eyepiece. Just tried it a few days ago. The distance to optimize is the distance between the camera and objective shoulder (just below the thread). However, because the objective needs an appropriate coupled eyepiece to minimize the various aberrations, the image formed that way was inferior than images obtained via eyepiece projection (objective->eyepiece->camera body) or afocal photography (objective->eyepiece->camera lens->camera body).

[MicroBob]

Your 40:1 and 100:1 microscope objectives will be calculated for use of correction eyepieces, the low power ones not. So it will be a bit difficult to construct one single camera adaptation that offers perfect image quality towards the border. The objectives are not planar so this won't matter too much. When designing the camera adaption it is very important to use the objective in it's intended distance to the specimen. So focus with the eyepiece and adjust the adapter so you get a sharp image in this position of the focus.

In your Biolam the intermediate image is 13mm down inside the eyepiece tube. Picked up at this point with the camera sensor you would get a good image with the lower power objectives and an okay one with the stronger objectives. Inside of an adapter you linked you could use the eyepiece in a little lifted position to project the image on the sensor.

Bob

[smollerthings]

Thanks for all the insight. I need to review my optics classes...

I think I am gonna go for a cheap smartphone adapter for the time being. The over the eyepiece adapters seem to need an eyepiece that is flat? Mine has a border (23 mm then 27 mm). I don't think the images will be much better with the DSLR vs smartphone. The objectives are not plan, so I won't be able to have a sharp image across the field anyway.

Another question (they keep on poppin' as I go lol). Should my 20x 0.4 and 90x 1.25 have some spring action in them? Because they don't... Is it because the soviet tank grease dried inside as well? Anyway to loosen it if this is the case?

PS: I found this for another lens
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... bjsup.html
Looks risky...

[Leitzcycler]

20x doesn't have a spring, 90x has a spring and obviously jammed.

[smollerthings]

20x doesn't have a spring, 90x has a spring and obviously jammed.

Apologies, I was actually thinking about my 40x not 20x (that I don't have yet). Is there a way of unjamming the 90x?

[deBult]

20x doesn't have a spring, 90x has a spring and obviously jammed.

I have several 90* Lomo, please be informed some do have a spring and some do not.

[Leitzcycler]

Ok, all the student kits I have obtained and refurbished had both 40x and 90x objectives with springs.

By the way, it is very useful to have spring-loaded 90x objective as, according to my experience, the parfoaclity with those Lomo objectives is not so good. It needs some training to change from 40x to 90x as you have to refocus a lot. It is better to look from aside as you bring the 90x objective close to the slide.

[deBult]

Agree on the usefulness of a spring loaded objective, no discussion.

My observation on some version of the 90* not being spring loaded was to prevent any “force” used in trying to get them going.

[Lomonaut]

Congratulations with getting your Biolam operational!

Just pm me your address and I'll send the 20x and 60x to you later this week, as promised! I checked the 20x on my Optiphot and it was maybe not as good as the Nikon 20x plan DIC but not bad at all. The 60x... hmm, never used it much.

[smollerthings]

Thanks to the generosity of Leitzcycler, I was able to repair the condenser gear slide I damaged trying to unfreeze the microscope.



Thanks, this is awesome.

[Leitzcycler]

Thanks! It was junk for me anyway. However, very rare spare part indeed and very difficult or impossible to find. That is the Achilles heel of that scope. The other irritating plastic part is the gear slide in the x-moving mechanism of the objective stage (not in your scope). This is annoying as the other parts of the scope are very robust.

[smollerthings]

@Lomonaut
I received both of the lenses! Thank you so much!

I put on both the 20x and 60x. The 20x is functional, but I found that it didn't quite have the contrast quality of my 8x or 40x. So I looked into the lens and found that there was a long dust inside that spanned 3/4 of one of the lenses. So I took some time to disassemble the lens for a thorough clean. Now it has similar contrast as the other lenses. I don't think this lens is from the same series, and parfocality is quite different, so I made a small plastic ring to correct for it.



Now the 60x. The 60x is functional: Both the internal aperture and spring are working well. But I also have some contrast issue. And looking at the optics, I can see some oil residue on the lenses inside. I am trying to disassemble but get stuck here. Does anyone know if the bottom cap can be unscrewed?

[Leitzcycler]

Yes, as far as it looks like mine.

[smollerthings]

By the way, Leitzcycler, now I understand what you meant by "the top cap shouldn't be that hard to take off"
My 90x was nothing like Lomonaut's 20x and 60x...

[smollerthings]

Yes, as far as it looks like mine.

Do you have the 60x 1,0 0,7 APO?

signal-2021-09-08-170109.jpeg (68.98 KiB) Viewed 5687 times

[Leitzcycler]

Yes, this is exactly the same.

[smollerthings]

Strange, I can't unscrew the bottom barrel.

[Leitzcycler]

Would this help?

[smollerthings]

Very helpful thanks. I now need to WD40 the objective

[Lomonaut]

Sorry they were not so clean, very embarrassing!

So the 60x has a spring after all, I had completely forgotten. Apparently it wasn't as stuck as I thought, my hands must be very weak

Good luck with them!