Nikon Microphot FXA

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
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PeteM
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Nikon Microphot FXA

#1 Post by PeteM » Fri Apr 08, 2022 9:30 pm

I've noticed a number of Nikon Microphot FXA scopes showing up on Ebay - some with Plan Apos and sometimes priced below a similarly equipped Nikon Optiphot 2. The reason they sometimes sell affordably is because they are huge, heavy, and encumbered with all manner of obsolete 35mm camera controls. These include a controls display, keyboard, half a dozen extra knobs, a dozen circuit boards inside, a couple dozen ribbon cables, and so on. I've avoided them for this reason, despite the sometimes attractive prices.

Until recently. Turns out they're a beautifully built scope, the old 35mm camera controls can be stripped out, and you're left with a microscope with some desirable features. Among them:

- Very stable platform for photography, if you have the space.
- 100 watt lamp, same as the Optiphot 2
- Four (!) camera ports, two of which can be simultaneous (e.g. video and photo)
- 3-speed focus (coarse, medium, and fine) that's the nicest I've seem - 1 micron increments on fine
- A built-in magnification changer with useful steps (1x, 1.25x, 1.5x, and 2x)
- A built-in Bertrand lens for phase contrast
- The best Nikon stage I've seen (vs. Optiphot, Eclipse E600) - smooth x-y and near full rotation on bearings
- Removable and dovetail adjustable stage platform
- Condenser with both a focus rail and an adjustment dovetail - useful for adapting other condensers
- Integrated epi-flourescent head if that's of interest
- Integrated and very complete filter cassette with six positions
- Integrated swing-in diffuser in the base - nice large diameter and easy to operate
- Slot for an analyzer, wave plate, or barrier filter in the head
- There seems to be a super wide head available. Just holding one up -- seems they could also be easily adapted
- Capable of phase, DIC, polarization, fluorescence etc.

If you stumble across one of these locally, there seem to be two cautions apart from any condition issues. First, they are large and heavy. Second, the "system magnification" is 1.25x as a result of the potential positioning of epi fluorescent, DIC, etc. options. So your 4x becomes a 5x and so on. Some might see this as an advantage, but it does mean you need to be judicious in the use of the mag changer, especially with lower numerical aperature rather than plan fluor or apo objectives.

Anyhow, a system I once thought obsolete and undesirable might actually be a welcome addition for someone wanting pretty much the peak performance of Nikon's finite systems. Here's what one looks like (a random Ebay listing) before stripping out all the 35mm camera stuff, adding a power supply inside, etc.
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Nikon Microphot FXA.jpg
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KurtM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#2 Post by KurtM » Sat Apr 09, 2022 1:18 am

A most interesting post, Pete -- thanks for that!!
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
League City, Texas
email: ngc704(at)gmail(dot)com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/67904872@ ... 912223623/

viktor j nilsson
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#3 Post by viktor j nilsson » Sat Apr 09, 2022 6:03 am

Great Post, Pete. I was really tempted by one of these a couple of years ago. Came with a full set of PlanApo's, for $999. Of course, shipping it across the Atlantic made it too much of a hassle. Being the flagship model, I'm thinking that a greater proportion of these were sold with high-end optics than the other -phots.

These research-grade beasts really are worth the desk space they take up. Didn't know about the 3-speed focus mechanism. Now I wanna try one even more!

Phill Brown
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#4 Post by Phill Brown » Sat Apr 09, 2022 8:27 am

With clean optics it's likely to be as good as it got.
Not seen one complete for sale, obviously not been looking.
my bench is strong enough as is the concrete floor.

PeteM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#5 Post by PeteM » Sat Apr 09, 2022 4:02 pm

Viktor - The $999 would have been a bargain, except of course for the shipping. Just the Plan Apo objectives now seem to be selling for over $300 each and the 60x or 100x around $500.

I'll aim to take some photos of the one I cleaned up when I get a chance. There's now a fully dimmable 120 watt power supply in the base, instead of the external supply and controls. It's constant current and could run something like a UV LED for Epi as well. I added another small DC supply and some "jog" switches to turn a tiny gear motor that selects one of three ports at the top.

As a sort of a half joke, half practical matter - an Apple iPhone now fits to the slide-out tray that used to have a B&W display and tiny keyboard. I thought it a nice contrast - more computing and display power than $10,000 or so of 1990 circuit boards and wire harnesses. Plus, the world's reference library, specimen ID, and a pretty decent scope camera (the IPhone) in the base and visible though the front window. Push in the tray and out pops the phone. FWIW, a new old stock Apple iPhone 6, complete with box and instructions, now costs about $60 and runs just fine on WiFi (no cell service needed) for Internet, phone, camera uploads, etc.. I learned you do need a SIM card (but not service) to get it set up for WiFi. That cost another $3. I'll probably make a holder for one of the ports to instantly position the phone, just to demonstrate to parents and kids that they don't need to spend hundreds on an 8 MP USB eyepiece camera.

All the unused 35mm camera focus and exposure controls have been removed and all evidence of their former presence removed - holes covered. etc.

It was in surprisingly good shape, except for lots of dust. The triple focus smooth as can be. Almost all of the ball bearing slides inside fine. The x-y controls on the stage did need a clean and lube. The gear racks are steel, not plastic as on many Nikon and Olympus of the time. The filter cassette needed to be cleaned and lubed, as did the condenser focus adjustment. The triple focus was fine. The one disappointment was that the seller had apparently wiped some of the dust off the microscope with a dry rag - putting some fine scratches in the field lens. All the other optics were fine.

The field lens is a bit of a surprise. It has 52mm threads - common to Nikon 35mm cameras. So a good linear polarizer fits perfectly and the full range of diffusers, fitlers, etc. could be screwed in and stacked as well. Might open some creative possibilities and this offers a very affordable way to get simple polarization, with a stage that smoothly rotates a good part of 360 degrees.

A modern Nikon D750 full frame DSLR fits just fine and the right size relay lens is built in.

PeteM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#6 Post by PeteM » Mon Apr 11, 2022 4:04 am

Here's what mine ended up looking like.

I kept a number of prisms, roller bearing slides, first surface mirrors, tiny gear motors, etc. for future projects. Still a big pile of obsolete circuits removed.

The scope is now missing about a half dozen external 35mm controls for film exposure. The keyboard and screen have been replaced with a tray for a cell phone - part joke on the progress of electronics, part useful resource and camera.

Jog switches allow turning the mirrors and prism to direct the image to any of the three rear ports. The tiny gear motor is on its own power supply. A 120 watt dimmable power supply barely fits along one side of the base. A switch was added to direct 0-12v 10 amp power to the upper epi or lower diascopic ports.
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Attachments
NikonFXA.jpg
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NikonFXAcircuits.jpg
NikonFXAcircuits.jpg (114.46 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

PeteM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#7 Post by PeteM » Mon Apr 11, 2022 4:06 am

A few more details of where things fit. The fine focus takes an entire turn to move 0.1mm, the medium 1.7mm, and the coarse and quick adjustment 36.8mm. A DSLR is attached to the right rear port. Both it and the left equivalent fill the frame nicely.
Attachments
NikonFXAJogOn_Epi_Dia.jpg
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NikonFXA_fuse_dimmer.jpg
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NikonFAX_iPhone_tray.jpg
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NikonFXA_new_screen.jpg
NikonFXA_new_screen.jpg (135.76 KiB) Viewed 4279 times

fjordwarrden
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#8 Post by fjordwarrden » Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:14 pm

Thats so cool Pete! I love how your area able to "up cycle" these old scopes! Bravo!

ionita
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#9 Post by ionita » Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:24 pm

Hi Pete,
I have a Nikon FXA, and i would like to fix a horizontal line on the LCD panel which appeared this afternoon. I hope it is just an open connection between the driver and the lcd. I tried to remove the metal plate which keeps the control pad in place, but i could not; I seems that there was another screw somewhere (i removed 4). Do you mind telling me the steps you took to remove the pad and the LCD?
Thank you,

Ionita

PeteM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#10 Post by PeteM » Mon Jan 23, 2023 1:40 am

My vague recollection is that there was a metal tab, maybe two, on the sliding table that was bent as a stop. Don't recall any major puzzles, though. If you invert the scope and pull off the bottom plate, I believe you'll find just what's needed to remove the entire tray assembly. You might then look to see if there are metal tabs that need to be bent to remove the keyboard tray.

ionita
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Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2018 4:15 pm

Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#11 Post by ionita » Sat Jan 28, 2023 2:23 pm

Hi pete,
Thank you for your reply; i was trying to avoid removing the bottom plate; Have you tried to replace the electroluminescence panel? mine is very dim.
Regards,

Ionita

PeteM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#12 Post by PeteM » Sat Jan 28, 2023 4:59 pm

In my case, I stripped out all the old 35mm film camera electronics, considering it obsolete and choosing a Nikon full frame digital camera instead. Only thing I kept was the motor and a switch to select camera ports.

My panel went to our local electronics recycler. I now use the space to house an iPhone. I gather you are among those preferring 35mm film photography? Sorry to say, I can 't much help you with that.

ionita
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Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2018 4:15 pm

Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#13 Post by ionita » Sat Jan 28, 2023 7:23 pm

Hi Pete,

I use a PCO edge 4.2 but i like the old microscope the way it was sold back when; I will try to get an old stand from ebay and see if maybe that one will have a better panel.
Thank you,

ionita

einman
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#14 Post by einman » Tue Jul 18, 2023 3:20 am

Hello Pete,
My microphot is a project that will have to wait until December as I will not have time to address before going back to Costa Rica. However I will be touching base with you given I have only seen one PS for this scope on E-bay and they want abut $270 at this time. I feel this is a bit extreme given I could use my Leitz PS.

einman
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#15 Post by einman » Fri Aug 11, 2023 10:25 pm

Ok I recently opted to use a microstuff LED replacement lamp rather than rewire the existing lamp. I then went through the scope and cleaned all the lenses. There were a few ugly spots. I can now view slides! Now I am considering upgrading to a DIC/Phase/darkfield set-up next. It is a beautiful scope. Weighs like an elephant. When I purchased this scope at auction it also came with a Zeiss invertoskop. It is a beautiful inverted scope. I upgraded the 0.2 na condenser to a 0.4 na condenser. Great images for what it is! I am quite impressed with this inverted.

PeteM
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#16 Post by PeteM » Sat Aug 12, 2023 1:51 am

Congrats on getting it up and running -- and way ahead of schedule.

einman
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Re: Nikon Microphot FXA

#17 Post by einman » Sun Aug 13, 2023 2:15 am

Yes, well it is ahead of schedule because I have yet to leave for Costa Rica. We had a death in the family which required our attention. Hopefully we will be leaving in the next week or so.

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