Has anyone tried a Lomo before?

[MicroMan2]

Specifically their "Laboroscopes", if so what are the parts recieved and how is the quality?
Also if the quality is good then is it a good long term upgradable scope?

[75RR]

You should ask Crater Eddie about "Boris" and his cousin "Natasha"

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=710

[zzffnn]

Please note Laboroscope has DIN 45 mm parfocal distance (long objectives), while Multiscope has short 33 mm parfocal distance (short objectives). I am not sure how this will affect parts compatibility - more likely Multiscope and Laboroscope use different incompatible heads. Also, their condenser mount may or may not be the same - this will affect phase or darkfield condenser compatiblity.

Assuming currently available LOMO parts are compatible with Laboroscop, phase, darkfield and epic fluorescence upgrades for LOMO are likely cheaper than Nikon, Olympus, Zeiss or Leitz.

LOMO's water immersion objectives are 33 mm parfocal. So you need to modify Laboroscope or extend objectives, if you want water immersion objectives on Laboroscope.

Older AO Spencer or Bausch & Lomb parts / stand may be cheaper than LOMO.

Member eiman also has experience with some LOMO parts and he has done some DIY adaptation.

[Crater Eddie]

I always wanted a Laboroscope, but never wanted to shell out the $$$. As far as parts compatibility, the trinocular head (and binocular too) listed for the Laboroscope is the same trinoc listed for the Multiscope, so there should be no issues there. I have a Multiscope and a larger LOMO L-2-2 lab scope (but not a Laboroscope), can swap the viewing heads around with no problem. I can't speak about other parts, since I have no experience with them. However, the condenser mounts I see listed on Ebay for the Laboroscope look more like the one on my L-2-2, and it is not the same as the one on the Multiscope. I have never compared the condensers though, so I'm not sure if they are interchangeable or not. I can look tonight when I get home if you like, but that won't be a positive comparison with the Laboroscope part.
The LOMO PLC site is still up, so you can look at all the LOMO specs here:

http://www.lomoplc.com/microscopesFrames.html

You might be able to answer some of your questions by studying the specs.
You just can't buy new scopes anymore.
I like the LOMO instruments because that was what I started with. If I had it to do over I would probably start out with a nice AO instead.
CE


PS: Boris and Natasha say "Здравствуйте"

[75RR]

благодарю!

[MicroMan2]

To Crater Eddie- What do you mean that you can't buy new scopes anymore?

[Crater Eddie]

I meant that the LOMO PLC site is a great resource for information on the LOMO scopes, but their scopes are no longer being made so you can no longer buy new ones.
CE