Image quality of AmScope microscope via the trinocular tube

[Astyanax]

I'll attempt to contact the seller of the base on eBay and see what he says about it. That may well be the a good solution. Thanks again for finding the link for the base.

[gekko]

Hard choices, but I think you've now been thinking about it and discussing the various options that I'm sure you will make a good decision. Regarding the 0.3x adapter, my concern is that it would not give the optimum image from your Nikon, but for the 4x (and maybe the 10x) objectiveI doubt any problems would be noticeable. However, the problem with uneven illumination would still exist. I think you are talking here about buying a 160-mm tubelength stand without objectives/eyepieces but with illumination system (including condenser) and using your Nikon objectives and eyepieces?

[75RR]

This is probably too simple a solution but I noticed in the image of the ebay stand that there are centering screws for the head. Have you checked that it is correctly centered?

By the way I noticed the stand was sold today - hope it was you that bought it.

[Astyanax]

This is probably too simple a solution but I noticed in the image of the ebay stand that there are centering screws for the head. Have you checked that it is correctly centered?

By the way I noticed the stand was sold today - hope it was you that bought it.

As for the base, no unfortunately it was not me. ebay people rarely respond to questions. The washers will have to suffice for now.

I normally centre the crews in my set up except that it is fiddly with the washers. Once centred I don't touch the field lens (tube).

Taking off the top condenser lens is chore too because it needs to be lowered which then loses the focal setting. To overcome that I marked a side of the sliding condenser with two white pencil marks which can be used to realign the condenser back in its previous setting. That's seems to work ok. (By the way I remeasured the distance between the original field iris position and the point where the washer sits and it is about 5mm further than where it should be. I refocused the system using a fine wire across the field iris and it does make a difference to the condenser setting. Now I have marked the settings, things seem ok. Please see the two pics with a 4x and 10x obj. repectively (0.5mm reduction lens). It is also possible to get a uniform image without the reduction lens albeit with a reduced fiv but positioning the camera securely is a pain. There is still a bit of work to do with the white balance setting but it's getting there. Anyway I'll stick with the reduction lens for now and may invest $65 for the 0.3x reduction lens. If that works I won't bother buying another scope.

Many of the problems have been resolved and my thinking was well directed after our fruitful discussions and I am very grateful for that. Assuming that a new AmScope is similar to the one from TechTrader (Sunny XY..) then "the old girl" still has a lot going for her!

[75RR]

Vast improvement! Agree that the old girl can show them a thing or two.

Two things:
1) Found another Field Diaphragm (that should avoid all that fiddling), unfortunately seller does not export, so hopefully one of the forum members from either Canada or the USA will volunteer to ship it to you.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Microscop ... 0934863995

This is probably too simple a solution but I noticed in the image of the ebay stand that there are centering screws for the head. Have you checked that it is correctly centered?

2) I was referring to the grub screws (which can be adjusted) which together with the thumb screw hold the microscope binocular/trinocular in place: If the head is slightly off centre ... I am hoping it might solve the trinocular misalignment.
Worth double checking anyway.

[gekko]

Astyanax, very good results. My only suggestion would be to dispense with the definite inconvenience of unscrewing the top lens, and simply place a diffusing filter over the field lens/under the condenser. I doubt very much you can see any difference in resolution or evenness of light with the 4x objective, but you can test for that.

Regarding 75RR's suggestion, I'd be happy to order it and send it to you. Having said that, I very much doubt that that would be economically sensible. I would imagine that the cost of shipping it to Australia added to the cost of shipping it from the seller to me would be quite prohibitive, considering the condition of the microscope and its worth.

[75RR]

Having said that, I very much doubt that that would be economically sensible.

Perhaps you could just send the Field Diaphragm, that is all that is needed.

[gekko]

Having said that, I very much doubt that that would be economically sensible.

Perhaps you could just send the Field Diaphragm, that is all that is needed.

That would work if replacing the diaphragm is easy to do, but no one answered my earlier question on whether the field diaphragm assembly is "user replaceable" (and I don't mean by a microscope technician). Also, that in an L-KE, and the question that I would ask is whether the diaphragm assembly is identical to that in the S-KE which Astyanax has (probably, but not necessarily).

[Astyanax]

Thanks 75RR and gekko I appreciate your willingness to assist.
The pic from 75RR with the yellow arrows is not pointing to the spot where the diaphragm lies although I will try to see if the centring the photo tube can make the slight adjustment needed.
The iris that needs to be replaced is located in the foot of the microscope, with reference to my early pic it its just above the mirror. Please see the detail from the attached pic with arrows and annotations (view from underneath with the base plate removed). The replacement looks like a job for a techo who knows what to do. Knowing my mechanical ability I would probably cause irreparable damage because a lot of bits need to come out to gain reasonable access even if a spare iris mechanism can be found!

[Astyanax]

Having said that, I very much doubt that that would be economically sensible.

Perhaps you could just send the Field Diaphragm, that is all that is needed.

That would work if replacing the diaphragm is easy to do, but no one answered my earlier question on whether the field diaphragm assembly is "user replaceable" (and I don't mean by a microscope technician). Also, that in an L-KE, and the question that I would ask is whether the diaphragm assembly is identical to that in the S-KE which Astyanax has (probably, but not necessarily).

Sorry guys I misunderstood about the diaphragm you were talking about. Assuming the old scope's diaphragm is working and is actually the same. Not sure how we can determine if it would be a suitable replacement. Does anyone know or are the Nikon techo's there that would know?

gekko: assuming that the iris is suitable, is it possible to estimate the shipping costs from the seller to you then to me. If suitable I could pay the seller for the unit to be shipped to you. Then if you can remove the iris housing it may not be too costly to send. Of course you may not feel comfourtable about removing the iris and I then don't know how I can handle it ??

[Astyanax]

[/quote]Sorry guys I misunderstood about the diaphragm you were talking about. Assuming the old scope's diaphragm is working and is actually the same. Not sure how we can determine if it would be a suitable replacement. Does anyone know or are the Nikon techo's there that would know?

gekko: assuming that the iris is suitable, is it possible to estimate the shipping costs from the seller to you then to me. If suitable I could pay the seller for the unit to be shipped to you. Then if you can remove the iris housing it may not be too costly to send. Of course you may not feel comfourtable about removing the iris and I then don't know how I can handle it ??[/quote]


I'll have another look at the feasibility of getting the diaphragm assembly out hopefully without damaging anymore components

[gekko]

I am now totally confused as to what diaphragm we are talking about. I thought it was the field diaphragm above the mirror with the yellow arrow pointing to it in your picture above. If so, it looks to me that replacing it would require disassembly of the mirror at least and its reassembly may need realignment. Are you saying that replacing the diaphragm will be doable?

Buying microscope off ebay: Seller states that shipping it to the US will be about US$60. That sounds reasonable to me. Shipping the iris to you will probably cost about US$26 from what I can gather from the USPS website (assuming I can extract the iris in the first place, but you might be able to tell me if that is reasonably easy to do). Ebay shippers are averse to shipping other than to the buyer's address that is registered with Paypal, so I will have to buy it then send you the iris (and whatever other parts that you might want from it). From past experience, I don't think I'll have to pay customs duties on it coming from Canada, but even if I do, it shouldn't be much considering the purchase price. And, of course, there is the possibility that the iris on the L-KE might not be identical to that of the S-KE, so if someone knows, it would be very useful to know. Having raised all the possible problems that may arise, I would be happy to do this. I have just asked the seller if the field iris is working smoothly and I'll let you know what he says.