Wild M8

What equipment do you use? Post pictures and descriptions of your microscope(s) here!
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75RR
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Wild M8

#1 Post by 75RR » Tue Jul 19, 2016 4:27 pm

My first ever stereoscope - had never even used one before so many thanks to Charles for all the virtual hand holding and his patience.
Not even passed a cloth over it yet, sorry too excited - does need a lens clean though.
Anyone have the users or the service manual in pdf?

Added the F 40x objective for scale.
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Last edited by 75RR on Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:26 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Charles
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Re: Wild M8

#2 Post by Charles » Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:02 pm

Glen,

Wild made some excellent stereo scopes. Looks like you have a beauty there.

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Re: Wild M8

#3 Post by rnabholz » Tue Jul 19, 2016 5:25 pm

Congratulations on the new scope.

Although I have no first hand experience, I know their reputation for quality optics is very good.

I can say one thing though, they absolutely win the award for the coolest case!

Enjoy your new rig!

Rod

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Re: Wild M8

#4 Post by Johann » Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:19 pm

Nice - let us know how it performs - never used a stereo scope myself either.
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75RR
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Re: Wild M8

#5 Post by 75RR » Tue Jul 19, 2016 6:37 pm

Many thanks everyone.
Totally new learning experience. Glad I went for it.
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Re: Wild M8

#6 Post by chipper » Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:33 pm

Very nice binoc! This one is also on my whishlist.
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Re: Wild M8

#7 Post by 75RR » Tue Jul 19, 2016 10:41 pm

Thank you chipper, which stereo microscope do you have?
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Re: Wild M8

#8 Post by KurtM » Tue Jul 19, 2016 11:13 pm

I've lost count of how many stereo scopes I have now, the latest is a Leica S4E with 2X accessory lens. Can't live without 'em! :)

I agree with Rod - excellent rep, and hands-down the coolest case ever!
Cheers,
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Re: Wild M8

#9 Post by zzffnn » Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:09 am

Congrats, 75RR!

I am guessing it is a CMO design with perspective distortion corrected?

I viewed through a lower end Wild before, probably a M1a or M3, and saw perspective (central dome) distortion that is NOT corrected? I was NOT impressed by its image quality, given its reputation, and thought a Bausch & Lomb Setreoozoom 4 (Greenough) nearby did not perform much worse. Or maybe that particular one has optical (alignment) issues? It was sold as university surplus here:
https://www.slapsale.com/4-misc-microscopes-95924#

Does anyone here know, from which model upward (or from which model downward), did Wild start correcting perspective distortion?

Also I know some Wild stereos have pretty good NA for stereos, does that apply to most Wild stereos (except for ....?)?

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Re: Wild M8

#10 Post by 75RR » Wed Jul 20, 2016 1:17 am

Thanks KurtM and zzffnn
I've lost count of how many stereo scopes I have now, the latest is a Leica S4E with 2X accessory lens. Can't live without 'em!
Looked up the Leica S4E, nice! I admit this was a bit of an impulse buy for me, I have a weak spot for classics at bargain prices. What do you actually do with yours?
I am guessing it is a CMO design with perspective distortion corrected?
I had to look up CMO, apparently it stands for (Common Main Objective) something else I learned today.
According to the brochure it has a 5 lens main objective virtually free of distortion and chromatic aberration.
If you look at the image the objective in this case is the Plan 1x, it is not in there, it is the whole thing - I removed it , it is extremely heavy for its size.

Image

This is the whole range in 1978:
Image
Last edited by 75RR on Sat Aug 06, 2016 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Wild M8

#11 Post by KurtM » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:04 am

75RR wrote:What do you actually do with yours?
I look at all sorts of stuff through it, whatever happens to come up that needs closer scrutiny. Today it was fiberglass cloth. I'm repairing a canoe, and didn't like the way the 'glass was responding to the epoxy resin, so brought a sample to the lab for a closer look. Turns out it's really dirty, filthy dirty, and I had no idea just looking at it. I had it stored a while, and I thought it was protected well enough in a cardboard box. Now I know I need a better sealing container, evidently fine airborne dust gets in and really messes it up otherwise.

The most routine use is removing splinters from hands and fingers, especially fine wood or fiberglass splinters that are difficult to see. I habitually head straight for the lab, grab a forceps, get the lamp articulated, and have the splinter out in seconds.

Pond water samples always go under the stereo scope as the first step.

I examine so many things under the stereo scope so often I can't even think of where to start...
Cheers,
Kurt Maurer
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Re: Wild M8

#12 Post by 75RR » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:10 am

Thanks for the info KurtM, sounds like just having one creates a need for it. :)
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Re: Wild M8

#13 Post by zzffnn » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:41 am

75RR,

I use my stereos to pick up selected protist for a super clean and thin live mount, with aid of a 10 microliter research pipette. Stereos, due to having low NA than compounds, have great working distance and great depth, which helps with picking.

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Re: Wild M8

#14 Post by 75RR » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:45 am

I use my stereos to pick up selected protist for a super clean and thin live mount, with aid of a 10 microliter research pipette.
That sounds like a good idea! Bet it takes a bit of practice. Will look into it.
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Re: Wild M8

#15 Post by KurtM » Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:05 am

I think one of the things I love most about a stereo scope is that it gives you a real perspective of the size of the things you look at through the compound microscope. Copepods and Cladocera are a revelation - you discover you can see 'em pretty easy with the naked eye. Same thing with diatoms and desmids. These tiny specimens become more real, somehow, more an actual part of the world around you that you can actually see.

It's liable to open up a whole new world to you, as it certainly does for me. Dang, I feel like I'm waxing poetic all of a sudden... :P

EDIT: This is getting fun to think about. If you want to learn to sharpen blades really well, use the stereo scope to monitor your results. For examining things like bugs or minerals or what have you, it's easy to hold specimen on a needle, or with forceps, or even just hand hold it, and be able to turn it over and over. Because there's no need to fiddle with slide and coverslips and whatever else, there's little hesitation in tossing so many things under the stereo for a quick peek; some of my observing sessions last all of five seconds to satisfy myself on some minute point. Transfer grains of pollen from flower to slide. When making diatom strew slides, I examine each diatom-laden coverslip before committing to mountant for large pieces of debris that may be easily removed with a needle. I could go on...
Cheers,
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Re: Wild M8

#16 Post by Crater Eddie » Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:42 pm

Nice acquisition! Congrats!
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Re: Wild M8

#17 Post by billbillt » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:23 pm

KurtM wrote:
75RR wrote:What do you actually do with yours?
I look at all sorts of stuff through it, whatever happens to come up that needs closer scrutiny. Today it was fiberglass cloth. I'm repairing a canoe, and didn't like the way the 'glass was responding to the epoxy resin, so brought a sample to the lab for a closer look. Turns out it's really dirty, filthy dirty, and I had no idea just looking at it. I had it stored a while, and I thought it was protected well enough in a cardboard box. Now I know I need a better sealing container, evidently fine airborne dust gets in and really messes it up otherwise.

The most routine use is removing splinters from hands and fingers, especially fine wood or fiberglass splinters that are difficult to see. I habitually head straight for the lab, grab a forceps, get the lamp articulated, and have the splinter out in seconds.

Pond water samples always go under the stereo scope as the first step.

I examine so many things under the stereo scope so often I can't even think of where to start...
Hi Kurt,
How did you clean the glass?.. Just wash it with clean water?.. Would it be possible to wear some kind of gloves to keep the splinters out of your hands?..

The Best,
BillT

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Re: Wild M8

#18 Post by KurtM » Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:02 pm

Bill: Discarded it. And, no. If you wish more specifics that are OT here, please PM me.
Cheers,
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Re: Wild M8

#19 Post by billbillt » Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:00 pm

75RR wrote:My first ever stereoscope - had never even used one before so many thanks to Charles for all the virtual hand holding and his patience.
Not even passed a cloth over it yet, sorry too excited - does need a lens clean though.
Anyone have the users or the service manual in pdf?

Added the F 40x objective for scale.
Hi 75,

I have used the Wild brand stereoscopes in years past and found them a real pleasure to use.. Congratulations on your purchase!..

Billt

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Re: Wild M8

#20 Post by 75RR » Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:27 pm

Many thanks Crater Eddie and billbillt - I feel very fortunate to have these two beautiful microscopes.

Thanks for all the additional uses KurtM
If you want to learn to sharpen blades really well, use the stereo scope to monitor your results.
I am actually quite good at blunting knives (might even go as far as saying I am skilled) so will definitely give that a try. ;)
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Re: Wild M8

#21 Post by Rylander » Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:00 pm

Congratulations on your new "baby". As bryolog can not do without a stereo microscope right now, I use a Zeiss IV (0.8 - 4X) zoom, but I hope one day to get a Wild M5, the ancestor for your M8. I used it when I was at university, lovely instrument.

Rylander

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Re: Wild M8

#22 Post by 75RR » Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:33 am

Many thanks Rylander,
have heard nice things of the Wild M5. Have also heard there is a M5APO That sounds pretty amazing.
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Re: Wild M8

#23 Post by gekko » Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:41 am

Congratulations on owning a truly superb instrument. I used one at work some years ago, and it is just fantastic.

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Re: Wild M8

#24 Post by einman » Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:28 pm

The Wild M8 is perhaps the best of the Wild Stereoscopes just beneath the Wild M10 but a better cost to performance ratio. It is a beautiful scope. I have been watching E-bay for a nice example reasonably priced for a while now.

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Re: Wild M8

#25 Post by 75RR » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:32 pm

Many thanks gekko and einman
I have been watching E-bay for a nice example reasonably priced for a while now.
There are some very unreasonably priced ones on ebay at the moment.
Got mine locally, at a reasonable price :)
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Re: Wild M8

#26 Post by zzffnn » Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:53 pm

Sorry, I posted in a wrong thread.

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Re: Wild M8

#27 Post by jfiresto » Fri Feb 15, 2019 10:07 am

My apologies for bumping an old thread. It appears that zzffn did not get his questions answered, and that I need to post a bit before I can send a PM. I hope no one minds.
zzffnn wrote:... I viewed through a lower end Wild before, probably a M1a or M3, and saw perspective (central dome) distortion that is NOT corrected? I was NOT impressed by its image quality.... Or maybe that particular one has optical (alignment) issues?... Does anyone here know, from which model ... Wild start[ed] correcting perspective distortion?
The original M3 has the dome distortion you may have seen. I find it mild enough to overlook and consider it a charming quirk. It was, after all, a "routine microscope", the polite term for lower end. ;) The M3 uses the same objective as the original Wild M5 and many (most?) of the later M5As. They may show it too: I know little about the M5.
Also I know some Wild stereos have pretty good NA for stereos, does that apply to most Wild stereos....
Generally, yes, they all had NA's around 0.07 at maximum magnification (with 1X objective). The M10, along with the M3x and M5A models that were ordered with apochromatic objectives, probably do somewhat better. The "S" versions that let you center the objective in the left optical path, when set that way, do noticeably better and avoid the strong lateral chromatic aberration inherent in CMO stereo microscopes. I have an M7S that reaches around 0.1 toward the center of view [No, it only reaches 0.07: see this thread.]. Here is an image I took of an EPROM at 1.5X (specimen to sensor), lit by an LED ring light:
am27c2048_full_1.5x.jpg
am27c2048_full_1.5x.jpg (195.1 KiB) Viewed 15533 times
Here is a full size crop of the column of the 96 lp/mm rectangles along the left edge of the chip:
am27c2048_crop_1.5x.jpg
am27c2048_crop_1.5x.jpg (27.26 KiB) Viewed 15533 times
The 12 megapixel, E-PL1 camera that took the image has less resolution than the microscope, at least toward the center of view.

I hope the OP has been enjoying his M8!
Last edited by jfiresto on Sun Apr 07, 2019 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Wild M8

#28 Post by MichaelG. » Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:07 pm

jfiresto wrote:My apologies for bumping an old thread. It appears that zzffn did not get his questions answered, and that I need to post a bit before I can send a PM. I hope no one minds
No objection from me !!
A very interesting post ... Thanks

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Re: Wild M8

#29 Post by zzffnn » Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:51 pm

Thank you very much, jfiresto. Your comments are helpful to me. And welcome to the forum!

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Re: Wild M8

#30 Post by jfiresto » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:36 pm

You're welcome (x2) and thank you.
-John

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