CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

Everything relating to microscopy hardware: Objectives, eyepieces, lamps and more.
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Sabatini
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CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#1 Post by Sabatini » Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:24 pm

Cordial greeting!
I was studying this topic viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11708
and I found the features and specifications of this Diastar microscope and I was very surprised because a few weeks ago, near my residence a lady is selling one, I tried to negotiate but then I was discouraged because I was researching and this CAS200 is a type of hardware that is aimed at the detection of cancer and I found something unsuitable for use only as a hobby and I think it is already practically out of use. Also looking at the microscope in detail I was discouraged by the fact that it did not have the complete objectives.
But now to my surprise I have learned that it is a microscope with important and interesting features that I would like to know.
Now if it would be possible for the experts to take a look at it and give me a better appreciation of the equipment, as far as I can see it lacks some objectives, polarizing filters for example.
If you could give me more information with the little that is seen in the photos to see if it really is an important equipment and I negotiate it.
The value she is asking for is $ 650.
Thank you.
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Charles
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#2 Post by Charles » Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:49 pm

That does not appear to have DIC. There is no DIC slide above the objectives as this one does:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/CAS-Reichert-D ... ect=mobile.
Do you have pictures of the condenser...what does it look like or say on it?

PeteM
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#3 Post by PeteM » Thu Jan 21, 2021 8:57 pm

No DIC slider visible, as noted by Charles.

A complete mish-mash of wrong objectives.

And, perhaps, overpriced. Were you nearby, I'd sell my Diastar with the right objectives for less.

Someone else may know what the "CAS" add-on with the serial port adds to the mix. Looks like a new control pad is also affixed - maybe to help sample cell images? Could be it adds significant value?? Could also be that most any lab instrument with a serial port isn't much used these days and the added complexity subracts rather than adds to the value?.

Sabatini
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#4 Post by Sabatini » Thu Jan 21, 2021 11:24 pm

yes sir.I imagined something like that ...that is not at all very well kept nor very well organized equipment.The other thing is that caught my attention is that hardware _software..CAS200. i found it more as a drawback than anything else ,
Well to all thank you very much for your kind recommendations as always ,i think i will pass it on.
PeteM.
Thank you for your interesting offer.
But the shipping costs make it very difficult. I am sending you a link concerning the cas200 ,again thank you very much .
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/DI- ... g2_7664025

eward1897
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#5 Post by eward1897 » Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:01 am

I agree with what has been said by others. The mismatched short barrel objectives are worrisome that someone with no microscope experience bodged this one together.

A Diastar with standard optics is a very good scope. Occasionally they come with a third party CAS (Cell Analysis System) installed. The CAS is an example of how quickly digital systems go obsolete. No software is available and even if you found it you might need a 20 year old computer to run it. The CAS has step off motors to automatically scan a prepared tissue slide for certain colors or densities and determine how much of a tumor marker or other substance is present. Useless now without software. Some sophisticated hacker might be able to write a program to control the mechanical stage movement with a joystick. Someone with good machining skills might somehow tap into the image that is directed into the CAS 200 box with a pick off prism.

I know from personal experience the CAS box comes easily off the dovetail and most of the rest is just stuck on with adhesive and can be ripped off, leaving the Diastar intact. There is a plastic diaphragm jammed into a standard #1970 condenser to stop it down a fixed amount. I'm not sure how to get it out and free the iris, and I just use a different condenser. with my Diastar.

(I still have the CAS box and mechanical parts I took of a Diastar. If someone wants them I could send them along for the price of shipping.)

Just wanted to let people know the CAS is easily removed to liberate a great quality microscope.


Ed in Minnesota, USA

apochronaut
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#6 Post by apochronaut » Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:16 am

I think normally they were shipped with standard 45mm Reichert Planachros, painted up with different objective colour codes and CAS branded on them. A black ring on the 10X .25 for instance. They even used the former cat.# 1303 , 63X .80 SPL rebranded CAS and fitted with an 11mm extension, which is weird because it has tons of lateral ca in that microscope. Obviously the system scanned using only a central part of the field.

Sabatini
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#7 Post by Sabatini » Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:31 am

eward1897
Very grateful for your interesting explanation.
Yes I imagined that it was possible to disassemble that piece of obsolete engineering ,but my interest in this microscope came back when I read that it was possibly able to work and test for the first time with the DIC technique, . but it is clear that parts are missing and I don't think it is possible to get them here.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

Plasmid
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#8 Post by Plasmid » Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:46 am

(Probably a dumb question and Not knowing a lot about DIC) I wonder If inserting a non matching used prism ($200 on ebay) on the turret slide or light path above objectives and the oblique slide below the condenser (Analyzer and polarizer as well) will it yield something along the lines of plasDIC?

apochronaut
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#9 Post by apochronaut » Fri Jan 22, 2021 4:01 pm

Plas DIC requires a slit condenser.
The system on that Reichert, further places a polarizer under the condenser, as does the PZO system and the Goerz system. It might not be too hard to rig one up. There are 2 relatively common sources for a slit condenser and one possible one.
1) The PZO one. It has an akehurst slide below it that allows the polarizer to be moved into the light path or removed. The polarizer is rotateable and the condenser is translational and geometrically adjustable, in two dimensions.
2) The Goerz condenser. This is a combination unit, sometimes referred to as a 3-D condenser. This has a rotational polarizer and a rotational slit, adjustable with a lateral adjustment for width. It further has a prismatic plate built in that is most likely of glass. There are further, dark field caps , dry and oil up to 1.2 N.A. Later ones were branded , Gamma.
3) You might be able to pilfer something from an opthalmic slitlamp.
It is possible that Pluta's design evolved from the Goerz or visa versa I suppose. I think the Goerz condenser was earlier. It is likely that the Zeiss design evolved from both. Interesting that they snuck a patent in there.

The Zeiss patent does not include the substage polarizer. The prism polarizer and analyzer are above the objective. The PZO design has a substage polarizer with a prism and analyzer above the objective. Further, the DIC objectives can be used, which have a rotating integrated prism, or not. PZO had 4 different interference contrast possibilities with their kit.The Goerz design has a polarizer below the stage and is designed to work with standard objectives and an analyzer. The system in that Microstar has a polarizer substage and presumably a prism and analyzer above.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/PZO-DIC-Microsc ... SwA9tenaKs

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/GAMMA-condenser ... ondition=4

hans
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#10 Post by hans » Fri Jan 22, 2021 5:17 pm

eward1897 wrote:
Fri Jan 22, 2021 1:01 am
(I still have the CAS box and mechanical parts I took of a Diastar. If someone wants them I could send them along for the price of shipping.)
Probably not worth shipping but I have been curious what's in those boxes. Have you taken the cover off? Beam splitter and camera? Or something more exotic?

Sabatini
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#11 Post by Sabatini » Fri Jan 22, 2021 7:35 pm

Apocronaut.
Thanks for the technical explanation. Now I definitely think that getting that microscope to work as a plas dic sounds like a Mission Impossible.

I don't think those elements are even remotely obtainable In these lands.

apochronaut
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#12 Post by apochronaut » Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:12 pm

The PZO condenser is relatively common in some European countries. Poland for sure, some other former iron curtain countries, U.K. , Italy.
The Goerz condenser one would think too, since it was Hungarian. They were represented in the U.S. by American Optical Supply, or something like that completely unrelated yo AO. They show up on ebsy fairly frequently. The complete kit has adapter rings do the condenser can be made to fit various sleeve mounts.

wabutter
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#13 Post by wabutter » Sat Jan 23, 2021 4:51 am

The CAS 200 system was integrated to the Diastar for analysis in cancer research from an OEM. The first generation CAS 100 used a fairly simple modification to the basic microscope. The Cell Analysis System 200 system was the last generation platform from Bacus Laboratories developed before it was sold to Benton Dickerson.
There were many internal mods made to the system to address repeatability in the scanning process of the sample, and is shown on the picture, liberties were taken with the mixture of optic on the system. The CAS system could be removed from the system and used as a building block for a standard configured scope.

Sabatini
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#14 Post by Sabatini » Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:16 pm

Apocronaut.
Thank you for your interest.
So you would be recommending that it is possible to put this equipment to work with plas dic. but as I believe the observations made by the forumists, the value would be a bit high, I would have to renegotiate it. And then I would be embarking on a challenge of waiting for the missing parts to show up.
I am very curious to use this technique ... we will see what answer the owner of the microscope gives me, if she doesn't lower the price I doubt it.

Sabatini
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Re: CAS Reichert Diastar 420 Nomarski DIC

#15 Post by Sabatini » Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:18 pm

Wabutter.
Thank you for the technical details regarding.

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