Olympus Bh2 UCD universal condenser

[Antartica]

Does anyone have the Olympus BH2 UCD instruction manual that they could share? Or a link to an online resource?

Or better yet, could someone make a video on how to set it up properly and use it?

I would like to learn how to use the various functions and also how to open it up to change prisms. It seems intimidating when I look at online images. I'm thinking of purchasing one and would like as much information about its use before I consider buying.

thanks

[Polymerase]

I don’t know if it’s of any help, but here is at least the repair manual. It should provide you with details of its parts and internal structure. This is probably not what you are looking for, and maybe you’ve already seen it. I am posting it just in case you haven’t.

https://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olym ... manual.pdf

[Antartica]

I don’t know if it’s of any help, but here is at least the repair manual. It should provide you with details of its parts and internal structure. This is probably not what you are looking for, and maybe you’ve already seen it. I am posting it just in case you haven’t.

https://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olym ... manual.pdf

Hi polymerase

Yes, I did see that. But it doesn’t really help first time users. I’d like the manual instead.

[Tom Jones]

I don't think I've ever seen an instruction manual for the BH2-UCD. The instruction manual for the NIC/Phase Contrast condenser and the service manual will tell you all you need to know to use the UCD. Anything beyond that will just be knowledge of how DIC works. The only benefit I can see for the UCD over the NIC/Phase condenser is the ability to have DIC prisms for the DPlanApos, and the 60x SPlanApo. Obviously the NIC/Phase condenser has a full set of phase annuli and DIC prisms save for the 60x.

A UCD fully loaded with individual DIC prisms will cost a lot more than the NIC/Phase condenser. I've paid between $325 and $450 for each of the DIC prisms except the 60x SplanApo. That one cost me $550 and took two years to find. They both use the same intermediate tube and slider, so that cost is a given, and one of those just sold last night on eBay for $1500!

[PeteM]

As Tom suggests, there's not much to it beyond opening up the condenser (a hex screw from the top) and placing prisms in the correct orientation.

The U-UCD8 manual, widely available on the Web, is a bit better done than the old BH2 DIC prism manual. While meant for the BX, as has been said before, these (U-UCDB and U-UCD8) are similar to the earlier BH2 individual-prism condenser.

Should you acquire a used unit that requires a bit of maintenance, be sure to use a proper JIS screwdriver for anything that looks (to those of us in the US) like a Phillips head screw.

Were you the buyer of Sid's-asking-$1500 prism that recently sold?

[woyjwjl]

intermediate tube and slider $1500!

Is that so?

[Tom Jones]

Yep. https://www.ebay.com/itm/134659294086

I just looked. I paid $1025 in 2016 for my first intermediate tube and slider. They were getting pretty rare even then.

[josmann]

intermediate tube and slider $1500!

Is that so?

Lol, right? I hope the buyer knows that they need another fairly important piece…

[Antartica]

Just saw that auction how did it sell so quickly? I guess there’s more people out there searching for these parts.

Thanks for the ideas to read the ucd8 manual. I read it now but still have some questions.

1) what’s the swing out lens for? Manual says it’s 2x for 100x objective. Not sure what that means.

2) and there’s two gears underneath that you can turn. I think one is the polarizer and the other does what?

What’s the right hex screw to open it? On eBay I see a ucd for sale but the center screw looks like a perfect circle?

[Tom Jones]

The swing out lens is just like any swing out condenser lens. Higher NA with it in, lower NA with it out. See the UCD Repair manual under A. Outline of Product, 5. Specifications, 3. Numerical Aperture.

You're reading the chart wrong. It's giving you a list of compatible objectives. 1x, 2x, and 4x objectives should have the upper lens swung out for a lower NA and wider cone of light to the objective. 10x and higher mag objectives need the have the top lend swung in as they require the higher NA and narrower cone of light (more light). And it doesn't say 2x for the 100x. That is *2. That means look at note #2. Look below the chart for the notes. #2 says "Slightly insufficient of numerical aperture (NA)." That's because the 60x and 100x objectives need a higher NA to reach their maximum resolution. Both objectives have NA's higher than that of the 0.9 NA of the upper condenser lens.

Look at the UCD repair manual, you should be able to figure a lot of this out from the exploded diagrams.

Not gears, knurled thumbwheels. The larger one is for the polarizer, the smaller one locks the larger one.

The polarizer is swung in and out by rotating the bottom part of the condenser. The thumbwheels will move with it.

The U-UCD8 has a 3mm hex screw to remove the cover. The BH2-UCD has a knurled thumbscrew on the bottom holding the cover on. What you see in the photo is the bottom of the thumbscrew. See page D3 of the manual. It's the large unnumbered thumbscrew at the bottom.

[Tom Jones]

It sold because someone wanted/needed it. If you want one, you should jump on it if one shows up. The same for condensers and/or prisms. I know people here have pointed you to DIC sets that were decent deals, but you never pulled the trigger on one. If you keep waiting for a really good deal, you may never get what you want. You may get lucky, but the cost of waiting adds up in lost opportunities.

When I found the UNP60 Oil prism, I'd been looking for more than two years. It took me two minutes to confirm it was what I wanted before I bought it. I didn't even bother to make an offer as after two years I didn't want to risk losing it even though it was more expensive than I thought it should be. Price wise, a few hundred dollars here and there doesn't mean much in the long run if it's something you really want. Scrimp somewhere else with things that aren't as rare. Maybe only feed your kids every other day...

I bought an intermediate tube and slider several months ago that needed repair. It had been on eBay for a couple of weeks as apparently no one wanted to try to repair it. The seller posted pictures indicating the slider needed a little E-clip, but was otherwise in nice condition. I took mine apart and confirmed it was built the way I thought it was so I bought it. It took me a couple weeks to find the right size clips, but it's fixed and the parts were ~$5. Now its cleaned and lubed as well. It cost way less than the one that just sold. I think I have 99 spare clips now, too.

[Scarodactyl]

If you really want a transmitted DIC system and have a reasonable budget I really think the best way is to stalk eBay and wait for a partially complete system of any make to be listed, particularly one poorly labelled. You want a unit being resold by a surplus dealer who knows nothing and got it for pennies. It will likely have no objectives or eyepieces (they're so easy to strip for other systems before surplusing) and obviously broken parts (lamphouse, head etc) and best of all might not make any mention of things like the nosepiece and condenser each fully loaded with prisms barely visible in the photos. Heads, lamps, objectives and stands can be replaced fairly easily if you have the essential DIC bits.

[Sure Squintsalot]

Might anyone have manufacturer specs on that DIC slider prism?

I just need a few basic dimensions on that prism. ie- element thicknesses and optic axis orientation.

Hell, I'll take specs on ANY DIC prism ever made.