Looking Oly microscope for learning + follow up + problems

[NicoVB]

Hello,

I would like to buy a Olympus microscope as the start for microscopic photography.
Anyone that can point me in the right direction?
For starters, i would like to make crystal and insect photography, so i guess objectives of M5x M10x M40x M100x Oil will be ok.
Maybe a trifocal metallurgic microscope with upper light?

Anyone that sells something or can give me some info?
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When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[NicoVB]

Forgot to mention, I live in Belgium, Europe.
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When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[zzffnn]

You won't use M100x oil at all, with natural crystal or insects. Very very rarely M40x, as your samples won't be flat enough. M20x would be more useful than M40x.

Epi light source of a scope can be used, but reflection can be difficult to avoid, even with polarizers.

Please take a look at Charles Krebs's Nikon MM-11 set up: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17656
He won many awards with that set up. He prefers to use diffused external angular light, rather than scope epi light.
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Selling my Canon FD 200mm F/2.8 lens

[NicoVB]

I just found a great deal for the left microscope with lower lighting.
It comes with Oculair P15x (the right one is WF10x)
They both have M5x M10x M40x M100x Oil
But is there a significant difference between the left and the right objectives? plan or tokyo i think, what's best?
Sorry for my ignorance.


_________________
When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[Pau]

[NicoVB]

I think the 'base' of both scopes are the same, only the oculars and objectives are different.
You say you would go for the right one because of this?
Maybe i can swap the oculars and the objectives.
The variable light is included in my purchase.
Here is a picture from a slightly different angle:


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When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[Pau]

Oops!, I was mislead by the defocused image of the source potentiometer.

If you go for one of them the best combo (assuming that they are in good condition, something to test..) will be the trinoc head, the WF eyepieces and the plan objectives, no idea of what epiiluminator is better, although the right side one seems more modern and complete, ready to plug.

If you can test them before buying do it.
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Pau

[Alan Wood]

The objectives on the right look like Olympus ones, the ones on the left do not.

I don't think Olympus made an M20 for this microscope.

Neither microscope will be much use for insect photography, you will probably get a great deal of flare that even a polariser / analyser won't be able to fix. A microscope that provides reflected darkfield illumination would be better for biological subjects.

I think the microscopes are the MF model for which there is an instruction book here:
http://www.alanwood.net/photography/olympus/downloads.html#metallurgical

The "N" is the BF/DF version from the same era.

Alan Wood

[ChrisR]

Neither is ideal.
The one with epi-lighting might be interesting to play with, for a restricted range of subjects.
I have one of that era (it was very cheap!) - the fine focus is about 2mm so not very useful for stacking . Check if the bulbs are obsolete, too

A CH or BH model gives you about 30mm.

Those objectives had chromatic aberration designed to be corrected in the eyepieces, so unless you use an afocal method, (which would probably have to be with a high eyepoint eyepiece), you'll need an Olympus NFK projection photo-eyepiece.

It's popular to NOT use a microscope!
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Chris R

[NicoVB]

Wow, this is some nice serious advice you are giving me.
Reading a bit between the lines, you all 'advice' me a bit not to buy these microscopes for photography use.
Maybe ok to play around with and learn the process but not to actually create nice shots.
I really appreciate your honest pov, and maybe it's better to look for a different piece of hardware.
Although it's maybe a good deal for around 200-250 euro ($220-275)

Alan, you seem to be an Olympus specialist, so can you advise me on some better scope options/combinations?
I've read your OM bellows specifications a lot, and i was looking for a macro zuiko 20 or 38mm lens, but it's nearly impossible to get here in Europe for , even harder at a reasonable price.
I own the OM Bellows in perfect state, an Olympus E500, an E3 and an OM D-E-1 body to play with, an old 50mm OM, but also the macro 50mm 4/3 and EX-25 extention tube.

As for my interest, I absolutely love what Ploum does.
That is what i would like to do also.
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=25139&highlight=mineral

Chris, a focus DOV of 30mm seems indeed a huge difference vs 2mm.

Maybe i should just buy a microscopic lens, like 10 x or 20x, and attach it to my OM Bellows. (yes i have a lathe that i can use to make custom pieces if needed)
Dunno, just looking for those first baby steps into micro world.

Let the advice continue (or you can point me to the beginners information sections links)
_________________
When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[NicoVB]

I followed you advice and went searching for something else.
Bought myself a nice Olympus CHA in perfect condition, from a former doctor.
I'l' start searching for a connection tube or maybe i'll mount my bellows on top.
The search for other objectives also starts.
Need to find some more info first and having fun learning to use it.
Here it is.

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When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[NicoVB]

I have decided to extend this topic to document my learning curve and problems i run/ran into.

Blowing capacitors is one of the many things you can encounter with old equipment. Hahaha, those old paper condensers like to leak internally and shortcut after 20-30 years. You can remove them completely or replace if you like.
They are only there as a distortion filter (like to prevent noise in radio signals)
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=31460&highlight=

For me at this moment is the complete unknown world of microscopy.
I've made a deal where many of you will be jealous i think, but i'll tell you later about that.
I come from a photographic world, and to set the step into microscopy is another level, a new learning curve...
I had never heard about Lightfield or Darkfield, Phase contrast, Hoffman, Normarski and Köhler microscopic illumination.

It asks for a learning curve that i am willing to set my teeth in and I'm eager to learn and progress. But it's hard finding good information about something you know nothing about.
So being able to understand the progress is one thing, making it work on your device is another.

Luckily there's Alan, who has one of the most extended informations about microscopes and Olympus material.
So i found this now, and I'm sure it will help a lot in my progress:
http://www.alanwood.net/downloads/olympus-bh2-nic-instructions.pdf

Yes i have a BHB now...
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When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[NicoVB]

Before continuing in microphotography one need to know and understand the different techniques of microscopy.
I struggled with this a lot the first weeks, because i never handled with a scope before and knew nothing about it.
Thinking that shooting away once a camera is attached to a scope is very naive.
There as just so many factors you need to consider, there is no quick solution.
So first things first, technique, then connecting a camera (witch is also an adventure onsigh), then finding samples, then capture photo's.
Just as a reminder for myself these are very good references to learn the terminology and modus operandus.

http://www.microbehunter.com/the-beginners-guide-to-microscopy/#chapter8

http://virtual.itg.uiuc.edu/training/LM_tutorial/

http://www.olympusmicro.com/primer/java/index.html

http://zeiss-campus.magnet.fsu.edu/articles/basics/index.html

https://www.microscopyu.com/techniques

And some Polarize, DIC and Phase contrast explained and used on a scope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czFJBtqzlhw
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When you make the most fantastic discovery, a lot of people want a piece of it...

[jeve398]

Hi Nick, where are you from, I'm from close to Leuven, I use several types of Olympus microscopes. Maybe good to exchange experience and ideas?
Joris