Are 60x objectives worth it?

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dirigibil
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Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2023 5:16 pm

Are 60x objectives worth it?

#1 Post by dirigibil » Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:10 pm

I want a bit more than 40x but don't want to deal with oil immersion. I notice 60x objectives are available but seem on the expensive side. I am currently using 4x, 10x, 20x, and 40x to look at live water critters. Would I get any real benefit to removing one of those and adding a 60x?

Alexander
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#2 Post by Alexander » Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:25 pm

Those 60x dry objectives are quite difficult to use. Free working distance is marginal and they are most sensitive against cover-slip thickness. You may have significant problems to bring your critters into focus. I don't like them at all. Immersion objectives are much easier to use.

BramHuntingNematodes
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#3 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:25 pm

Now a 60x immersion lens, that's a good lens
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

Scarodactyl
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#4 Post by Scarodactyl » Tue Mar 07, 2023 8:26 pm

Oil immersion is amazing. My nikon 60x oil blows my mibd. If you really don't want to deal with oil a water immersion objective is a potential compromise.

apochronaut
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#5 Post by apochronaut » Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:00 pm

Unless you can afford a really good immersion 60X , a good alternative is to get a pair of good W.F. 15X or 16X eyepieces but they need to have a f.n. of at least 16 and preferably equivalent or close to the eye relief of your 10X. The cost will be pretty close to the cost of a 60X objective. Most decent 40X .65 objectives can handle them. You retain the w.d. of your 40X and get a 20% boost over the f.o.v. that you would have gotten with a 60X objective and 10X/20 eyepieces......and you add 60X, 150X and 300X magnifications to your system.

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imkap
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#6 Post by imkap » Tue Mar 07, 2023 10:19 pm

I had a 60x dry (no cover slip) and didn't like it so I sold it. Now I kinda regret it though. :mrgreen:

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zzffnn
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#7 Post by zzffnn » Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:10 am

Air 60x objective is not easy to use on water mounts. Sand particles or plant debris may prevent it from producing any image. It would work if you can isolate a protist using micro pipette; but not easy for amateur beginners.

I personally love using 40-60x oil or water immersion objectives on water mounts.

The common spring-loaded 100x NA 1.25 oil objectives work well too.

If you are careful enough, immersion can be wiped off gently with cotton swap tips and you can swing nosepiece back to 4x-10x objectives easily (even if you oil clean up is not perfect, up to 10x NA 0.25 they are very forgiving). At 20x NA 0.40, you want to do a gentle and through oil clean up. Going back from oil to dry 40x NA 0.65 would not be easy.

Or as apochronaut said, you can use 40x objective along with 15x eyepieces.

dirigibil
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#8 Post by dirigibil » Wed Mar 08, 2023 2:53 am

Thanks all. Barring any new advice I think the best is to stick with what I have for now. I am in the beginning stage and 'gear-itis' is a tough malady to stand firm against.

Phill Brown
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Re: Are 60x objectives worth it?

#9 Post by Phill Brown » Wed Mar 08, 2023 9:19 am

Getting closer to moving subjects in suspension doesn't often work well.
It takes time to train yourself to see what is there.
There's plenty to see with 20x, it's a good compromise of f.o.v and d.o.f.
It's also notable for anyone new that prices of quality objectives seem to have got more spendy recently.
It's probably more cost effective and rewarding to experiment with lighting and getting the most from lower magnification.
Good luck with finding interesting subjects.

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