Nebulous wrote: ↑Mon Mar 04, 2024 1:05 am
The illumination is "Built-in transmitted Koehler illumination6V 30W halogen bulb (pre-centered) 6V30WHAL (PHILIPS 5761)" according to the BX41 manual.
So for something with Kohler illumination, infinity objectives, the ability to swap out for a darkfield condenser down the road, and a camera tube with a DSLR attachment (I have an old Nikon D3000 laying around somewhere), what brands/models would you recommend looking into if I wanted to pursue the used big 4 path? And what would you recommend looking into if I decide to pursue the new scope path? I'm a little iffy on going directly to Chinese suppliers and getting a no-name microscope after having watched microbehunters video on some of the horrors people run into with poor manufacturing quality, but I'm willing to keep an open mind.
Big 4? Why necessarily big 4?. You are looking for a 4 planachro objective BF binocular microscope with standard illumination. You're not deluded into thinking that at 2500.00 for such an equipped microscope that it is an investment are you?
Actually, I have probably posted more about the poor manufacturing quality of lower cost Chinese microscopes than anybody but at 2500.00 you are not talking about a lower cost Chinese microscope anymore. The q,c. that they ignore for the 500.00 microscope gets used elsewhere. They know enough to apply the effort to microscopes that are being used a lot in their own domestic research efforts and extract the foreign capital for such from the randomly adjusted Googroscopes they hawk through Amscope.
Pete M. has some good advice for you there but don't get too focused on brands. Look for specifications not badges. There is no resale for value your intended microscope. You aren't buying an Aston Martin. If and when you come to sell that 2500.00 BX41, if you eventually were to sell it, you will lose a big chunk of your purchase price.
If I were you I would get started with anything that the seller guarantees as fully functional at a good price. BX at the right price, BHT or preferably S, Labophot or preferably an Optiphot, Balplan or preferably research Balplan, AO 10 or preferably 20, 110 or preferably 120, Reichert 410 or preferably 420, Zeiss Axioscope, any Leica DM with the right specs. There are a bunch of options, you are just looking for a microscope that will get you there as a starter, then if, you can move on. The reason for the stated preferences for the S, 20, 120 etc. is that those are the 100 watt halogen versions of conventional stands . Those are immediately high resolution DF and fluorescence capable and high resolution DF is where DF lives. Dry DF up to the 200X that it gives you and the occasional gifted practioner that can push it to 400X are DF baby steps. Oil immersion DF is the James Webb telescope of DF and aside from the oil immersion condenser required, an iris equipped 100X objective seals the deal.
If I had to choose the one stand that would last almost forever, had 5 objective capability, changeable nosepieces, dry and oil high resolution DF capability, phase capability, an easily adaptable to digital photo tube, 8 filter options with fluorescence , including pol and possible DIC conversion( but difficult to find) ; essentially a microscope that can do almost everything an average amateur could possibly want to do at under 2000.00 for everything except the DIC, it would be the AO 20. It's only real defect is the 19mm f.o.v. which in use doesn't really get noticed. The advanced planachros are superb and there are 10X and 40X planapos out there. The oil DF condenser is available in spades cheaply, and a phase system including 10X and 40X dry D.F. can be put together for under 400.00 but that is included in the $2000.00 estimate. The 100 watt halogen bulb is under 5.00 most places. The AO 20 will be chugging along, doing it's thing when the BX 41 power supply hss melted.