Dear forum,
This somewhat convoluted post contains two questions.
1) I am currently hunting to complete a DIC-setup in the Olympus ecosystem. I'm currently sitting on a CX-40, which in most respects is a fine stand. The big upgrade to a BX-50 would be the 100W illuminator, and then obviously the possibility to do DIC. I'm now wondering if the "diagonal" slider-slot for the filter (shown in the image below) can also hold a DIC-prism (U-DICT)? I'm just wondering, since I'm wondering if what I'm looking for is already in front of me. I was under the impression that any optical component could be mounted in any position on an infinity corrected microscope. (I don't own a U-DICT yet, so I don't even know if it fits).
Picture here:
https://e.pcloud.link/publink/show?code ... ycGzjpcUcX
2) The main problem with the stand other than the non-interchangeable nosepiece is the way the condensers are mounted. The stand lacks the in-plane adjustment-knobs found in most other microscopes, and have to be adjusted via a special pop-in-lens (in the manual called the "compensating lens") that slots into the CH3-CD condenser and has some limited room for adjustment (https://www.manualslib.com/manual/10140 ... e=6#manual).
Why did Olympus do this? I had this condenser before, but sold it with another stand. I'm wondering if its possible to modify the condenser-mount from for example a BX-40, and in this way use my universal condenser (which without x-y knobs cannot be centered, nor adjusted properly).
Some questions about the Olympus CX40, its condenser and and possible DIC compatibility
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erikwetterskog
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:18 pm
Some questions about the Olympus CX40, its condenser and and possible DIC compatibility
Nikon S-Ke - Old goodie
Olympus CX40 - Fluorescence [Selling]
Olympus BX61 - Phase contrast, DIC, fluorescence [Work-in-progress]
Olympus CX40 - Fluorescence [Selling]
Olympus BX61 - Phase contrast, DIC, fluorescence [Work-in-progress]
Re: Some questions about the Olympus CX40, its condenser and and possible DIC compatibility
Erik,
I haven't had a CX40, so there's some speculation in answering your two questions:
1) Your picture of the polarizer holder looks to me like it sits too far above the objectives' back focal plane to work. The Olympus BX upper DIC prism carrier is part of the nosepiece, so the prism sits much lower. The least expensive DIC-capable turret is likely a used 4-place polarization nosepiece/turret. It also appears that existing BX parts couldn't easily be used to convert a CX to handle interchangeable turrets. This problem, combined with #2 below, probably rules out a CX as an affordable conversion.
2) As I understand it, the CX used a different condenser mount. Why? They likely wanted to keep buyers from getting a lower-cost stand to host more advanced options. I've run into this with Nikon and Leica as well.
While it's theoretically possible to modify your stand to handle a BX DIC condenser, the project might cost more in time and money than finding a proper BX stand -- and you'd still have the problem of having interchangeable nosepieces to host a DIC or Polarizing turret.
The BX50, as you say, would be a great stand to host DIC. If you happen across an Olympus BX40 with the U-READB adapter, you could do a LED or external 100-watt fiber-optic upgrade and have sufficient illumination for DIC to 100x -- and be essentially equivalent in performance to a BX50 or others in the series with interchangeable nosepieces and 100-watt-equivalent illumination.
I'll add that I've had some luck in using Nikon and Leica phase condensers (the type with a slider), replacing the phase slider with a mounted DIC prism, and then using a proper upper set of prisms with it to get decent DIC in the 20x-50x range. It's a bit of an adventure down a rabbit hole, but an option to save the $1-2K a DIC universal condenser and a set of prisms might cost. I haven't tried this yet on BX, but it has worked reasonably well on Nikon Eclipse and Leica DM systems. Fortunately, it sounds like you already have the condenser and a prisms.
Good luck!
Pete
I haven't had a CX40, so there's some speculation in answering your two questions:
1) Your picture of the polarizer holder looks to me like it sits too far above the objectives' back focal plane to work. The Olympus BX upper DIC prism carrier is part of the nosepiece, so the prism sits much lower. The least expensive DIC-capable turret is likely a used 4-place polarization nosepiece/turret. It also appears that existing BX parts couldn't easily be used to convert a CX to handle interchangeable turrets. This problem, combined with #2 below, probably rules out a CX as an affordable conversion.
2) As I understand it, the CX used a different condenser mount. Why? They likely wanted to keep buyers from getting a lower-cost stand to host more advanced options. I've run into this with Nikon and Leica as well.
While it's theoretically possible to modify your stand to handle a BX DIC condenser, the project might cost more in time and money than finding a proper BX stand -- and you'd still have the problem of having interchangeable nosepieces to host a DIC or Polarizing turret.
The BX50, as you say, would be a great stand to host DIC. If you happen across an Olympus BX40 with the U-READB adapter, you could do a LED or external 100-watt fiber-optic upgrade and have sufficient illumination for DIC to 100x -- and be essentially equivalent in performance to a BX50 or others in the series with interchangeable nosepieces and 100-watt-equivalent illumination.
I'll add that I've had some luck in using Nikon and Leica phase condensers (the type with a slider), replacing the phase slider with a mounted DIC prism, and then using a proper upper set of prisms with it to get decent DIC in the 20x-50x range. It's a bit of an adventure down a rabbit hole, but an option to save the $1-2K a DIC universal condenser and a set of prisms might cost. I haven't tried this yet on BX, but it has worked reasonably well on Nikon Eclipse and Leica DM systems. Fortunately, it sounds like you already have the condenser and a prisms.
Good luck!
Pete
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erikwetterskog
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:18 pm
Re: Some questions about the Olympus CX40, its condenser and and possible DIC compatibility
Dear Pete,
Thanks for your insights! Sad that manufacturers take bad decisions just to tier their equipment accordingly. The build quality of the CX40 is actually great, but you can tell from the manual it’s not a full system-microscope.
I’m wondering if I will be able to use the RFL-fluorescence illuminator on my next BX scope, or if it’s somehow locked to the CX-series (it’s marketed as a CX accessory). It only has a single cube for FITC, but still nice to have the option of doing fluorescence imaging once in a while.
Thanks for your insights! Sad that manufacturers take bad decisions just to tier their equipment accordingly. The build quality of the CX40 is actually great, but you can tell from the manual it’s not a full system-microscope.
I’m wondering if I will be able to use the RFL-fluorescence illuminator on my next BX scope, or if it’s somehow locked to the CX-series (it’s marketed as a CX accessory). It only has a single cube for FITC, but still nice to have the option of doing fluorescence imaging once in a while.
Nikon S-Ke - Old goodie
Olympus CX40 - Fluorescence [Selling]
Olympus BX61 - Phase contrast, DIC, fluorescence [Work-in-progress]
Olympus CX40 - Fluorescence [Selling]
Olympus BX61 - Phase contrast, DIC, fluorescence [Work-in-progress]
Re: Some questions about the Olympus CX40, its condenser and and possible DIC compatibility
Erik, I'm pretty sure the CX uses the same 46mm diameter as the BX - and so the epi illuminator should work fine.