EXA exakta?

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Phill Brown
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EXA exakta?

#1 Post by Phill Brown » Sat Jul 31, 2021 2:14 pm

Wondering if anyone here has this camera port fitting or could let me know what it is?
Came across exa exacta which looks possible.
30mm diameter centre,
30mm eyepiece slides in and is easily parfocal.
I have Canon EOS 50D or Micro 4/3 Lumix G3, Canon with battery pack is close to right level to rest on the worktop.
The mount is on the side of inverted GTvision XDY.
∞ phase/plan objectives so should be worth trying out.
Thanks in advance for any light on the subject.
I can machine up something but it's not made it to the top of any list yet.

MicroBob
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Re: EXA exakta?

#2 Post by MicroBob » Sat Jul 31, 2021 3:09 pm

Not sure but it may be M42 or Exakta bayonett.

Hobbyst46
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Re: EXA exakta?

#3 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Jul 31, 2021 3:12 pm

The Exacta microscope adapter is superb. Mine accepts a 25mm OD phototube and, on the other end, an M42.

Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#4 Post by Phill Brown » Sat Jul 31, 2021 4:25 pm

Image
Thanks, Meant to include image.
I have EF eos to M42,
This is 40mm O/D, 30mm I/D.
The hole in this port is 22.0mm with a digital Vernier.
Hoping to avoid buying parts I can't use so identifying the fitting as exa,exacta would be a big step.
GTvision who market the scope didn't get back to me, which is disappointing.
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MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#5 Post by MichaelG. » Sat Jul 31, 2021 4:53 pm

It doesn’t look like the Exakta lens to body mount, Phill … but I think it quite probably matches their photomicro attachment

You might find these links useful:

https://www.wrotniak.net/photo/exakta/lenses.html
https://vintage-camera-lenses.com/exa-e ... t-adapter/
and particularly p18 of this:
https://www.cameramanuals.org/exakta/ex ... phy_vx.pdf

MichaelG.
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Hobbyst46
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Re: EXA exakta?

#6 Post by Hobbyst46 » Sat Jul 31, 2021 6:16 pm

MichaelG. wrote:
Sat Jul 31, 2021 4:53 pm
...
and particularly p18 of this:
https://www.cameramanuals.org/exakta/ex ... phy_vx.pdf
Yes, Illustration 9 on page 18 is the adapter I use.

Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#7 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:03 am

It's the dimensions that I can't find.
If the exa fitting is 40mm O/D it may well be that.
Why this modern microscope would be fitted with exakta is enough to hold off on buying the adaptor unless I could confirm it.
I have 50mm diameter aluminium bar, lathe,mill,matt black paint ect but then it becomes a project, give a project an inch and it will take a mile.

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#8 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:06 am

Phill Brown wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:03 am
Why this modern microscope would be fitted with exakta is enough to hold off …
Phill,

The comment on p18, about ‘the latest Zeiss microscopes’ may be relevant.

MichaelG.
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Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#9 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Aug 01, 2021 11:53 am

Thanks Michael,
Font and images are 1950's?.
Recent then could be 60+ years now.
This scope is still marketed by GTVision UK @ £10k ish.
I picked it up last year pre owned.

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#10 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:25 pm

Very nice too !!
... I guess this is the one:

https://www.gtvision.co.uk/XDY-2LED-Inv ... -100X-400X

As for the dovetail mount ... some things are 'right first time' so why not keep it going for 60 years and beyond ?

MichaelG.
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Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#11 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:34 pm

That's the type.
Everything about it is light industrial.
Maybe exa is as good as it got, at some point a push fit between the camera and scope would be ideal.
Holding the camera in one hand while turning the scope in the other could be awkward.

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#12 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:50 pm

Phill Brown wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:34 pm
Holding the camera in one hand while turning the scope in the other could be awkward.
Sorry, you’ve lost me there :?

MichaelG.
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Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#13 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Aug 01, 2021 8:57 pm

Exa is a twist/bayonet fit ¼ turn?
Canon EF is a twist fit ⅛ . M42 is screw type.
Some of the fitting will need mounting on the camera, some on the scope then slot together as the camera port is low on the side with no clearance to turn.

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#14 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:04 pm

The fitting in question is a simple conical dovetail, as commonly used on microscope heads.
Your photo shows it … Two fixed sectors and one clamp screw.

MichaelG.

.
The dovetail clamp in your photo is directly equivalent to this bit [which is not an Exakta bayonet]
Exakta clamp for dovetail
Exakta clamp for dovetail
38FD5DCD-818C-4F3A-BC64-1DBFDC508E94.jpeg (79.63 KiB) Viewed 6506 times
… all you need is to fit an appropriate tube to the camera, equipped with the mating male dovetail.
Drop it in, and tighten the screw.
Last edited by MichaelG. on Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#15 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:42 pm

Some excellent photos of the equivalent Zeiss Jena microscope dovetail arrangement here:
http://www.geocities.ws/dushang2000/Mic ... hment.html

MichaelG.

.
P.S. __ There is a Pentacon version of that Ihagee unit; which conveniently has a 42mm screw thread at the camera connection, instead of the Exakta bayonet
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Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#16 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:07 pm

It's 3 fixed sectors at 120° + screw clamp.
Sorry it's not clear picture,definitely not 2 fixed sector that could allow 40mm dovetail.
I can take a better exposure picture?
Thanks so much for all the help and suggestions so far.
I can see myself machining up the part needed.

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#17 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Aug 02, 2021 6:46 am

Phill Brown wrote:
Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:07 pm
It's 3 fixed sectors at 120° + screw clamp.
Sorry it's not clear picture,definitely not 2 fixed sector that could allow 40mm dovetail.
.
Then it would appear we are not discussing an Exakta [Zeiss] fitting at all … sorry but [if you will excuse the mixed metaphor] we are ‘up the garden-path’ and ‘chasing red herrings’

Yes, a better photo, and some detail measurements, might help solve the mystery.
… is it easily detachable from the microscope ?

MichaelG.
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Hobbyst46
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Re: EXA exakta?

#18 Post by Hobbyst46 » Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:15 am

FWIW

The four rounded pins together form a "handle" to facilitate tightening the adapter onto a 25mm OD phototube (red arrows). When the thumbscrew-equipped ring (blue arrow) is held static. The male threaded ring is a separate camera adapting ring. When the adapter is mounted on the photo tube, the camera can be rotated 360 degrees around, and the thumbscrew serves to fix the azimuth. Yet the original parts are thick walled and heavy, so I replaced the ring with a lightweight aluminum no-brand "clone".
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complete Ihagee adapter.jpg
complete Ihagee adapter.jpg (79.82 KiB) Viewed 6460 times
Adapter, left- original top ring, right- replacement light weight Chinese ring.jpg
Adapter, left- original top ring, right- replacement light weight Chinese ring.jpg (45.27 KiB) Viewed 6460 times

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#19 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Aug 02, 2021 7:21 am

PostScript:

Having looked at the GT Vision pages for the ‘scope, I see they offer just two camera adapters:
This is the [empty] 1x version :
https://www.gtvision.co.uk/epages/es141 ... ducts/4918
This adapter will accommodate sensor sizes of up to 2/3" .
They don’t seem to have considered the possibility of using larger-format cameras
So, buying that item and using a physically small C-Mount camera might be the preferred option.

Incidentally: C-mount adapters are readily available for your Micro 4/3 Lumix G3


MichaelG.

.

I have just grabbed this from the product page, and added the Green arrow for location reference
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Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#20 Post by Phill Brown » Mon Aug 02, 2021 11:09 am

Image
A tube/eyepiece 30mm is central to the 20mm centre hole.
Outside is 40mm.
Body of the port is 50mm.
Lower 2 tabs are 5mm tall.
Upper tab is 3mm with the thumbscrew taking up the rest.
Sorry if this is a well known standard c-mount well known to all but myself.
Lumix G3 is an option I have to hand so that would be ideal.
Part listed is standard c-mount apparently but not listed as for XDY?.
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IMG_20210802_112624810~2.jpg
IMG_20210802_112624810~2.jpg (64.54 KiB) Viewed 6440 times

MichaelG.
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Re: EXA exakta?

#21 Post by MichaelG. » Mon Aug 02, 2021 2:43 pm

Phill Brown wrote:
Mon Aug 02, 2021 11:09 am
Image
A tube/eyepiece 30mm is central to the 20mm centre hole.
Outside is 40mm.
Body of the port is 50mm.
Lower 2 tabs are 5mm tall.
Upper tab is 3mm with the thumbscrew taking up the rest.
Sorry if this is a well known standard c-mount well known to all but myself.
Lumix G3 is an option I have to hand so that would be ideal.
Part listed is standard c-mount apparently but not listed as for XDY?.
Thanks for the details, Phill

Just to clarify …

C-mount is a standard for the screw thread interface with the camera, not for the bayonet.
The part is listed as an accessory on the microscope page that I linked
… Sadly they do not illustrate it sufficiently well, but one must assume that it has the male bayonet.

MichaelG.
.

Ref. https://www.edmundoptics.com/knowledge- ... ns-mounts/

and here’s the listing:
CBFECF7D-299C-40ED-AD63-12DD86929FAC.jpeg
CBFECF7D-299C-40ED-AD63-12DD86929FAC.jpeg (158.44 KiB) Viewed 6414 times
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Phill Brown
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Re: EXA exakta?

#22 Post by Phill Brown » Mon Aug 02, 2021 4:40 pm

Thanks Michael.
Really appreciate your due diligence.
It all sunk in too slowly here.
I googled C-mount to find it's not anything I have.
99.9% it's not exa from the image of the part.
Looking at the parts my best option is M4/3 to M42 microscope adapter and make the custom 'scope attachment up from 50mm aluminium bar.
Easy enough to offer up the 4/3 sensor to find what will work.

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