Nikon FL illuminator

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

Saul
Posts: 1781
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:59 am
Location: Naperville, IL USA
Contact:

Post by Saul »

Pau wrote:I don't think so, the collimating optics at my lamp housing is very strong although the ones inside the Nikon illuminator could be different (mine has only one other lens inside the illuminator). The optics need to be able to focus the LED die at the rear focal plane (and fulfilling it) of the objective after Köhler
OK, this is what bought on eBay:

Image

...and this one I got from Ray http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=37394

Image

Is something missing in the 1st one ?
Pau wrote:You can put some more money, I have a "3 W" no brand chinese UV LED and, despite working it's not well powered and produces a large amount of white light.
The Nichia I linked is excellent although expensive and I'm also very satisfied with the LG 3535 385nm
Agree, Chinese stuff is just for training ... :)
JohnyM wrote:Nothing is powerful enough for fluorescence
Those 10W diodes are just many weak diodes on single board. You need to find strongest SINGLE diode, otherwise you'll get very uneven illumination or you'll need to use diffusion which ultimately bring their power down to that 3W equivalent...
Browsing for FL information I saw some FL units with fly eye type lens
https://www.nikoninstruments.com/Produc ... opes/SMZ18
Saul
μ-stuff

Pau
Site Admin
Posts: 6053
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:57 am
Location: Valencia, Spain

Post by Pau »

Browsing for FL information I saw some FL units with fly eye type lens
https://www.nikoninstruments.com/Produc ... opes/SMZ18
It will work well for sure...when paired with the optics designed to work with them, not your case

Did you get the lamp housing? If so you could profit its optics.
I don't know if the collimating lens shown at your last picture could be adapted to the fluorescence illuminator nor if it could work well or not. Maybe a member actually having the equipment could tell you.
Pau

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Post by JohnyM »

You got UV transmitting fly-eye lens? I dont know how is whatever plastic they using is transmitting. Could work with stacked diodes, but i have no experience with it.

Ebay one is an fluorescence attachment, it works wiht HMX lamphouses (100W HBO/XBO/Halogen). HMX also have a housing for its own collector.
Sadlly, your illuminator is missing HMX lamp adapter, which is also filter holder and weight support (rightmost part):
https://www.fluorescencemicroscopes.com ... llum_4.jpg

Second one is brightfield (maybe also darkfield) white light epi-illuminator that works with dedicated 50W halogen lamphouse, but nikon also offered many different light sources that uses its collimator lens and that's what it is. 12V 50W lamphouse collector. Should work good for VIS fluorescence, should also work good for UV with some lower transmittance.


All the hassle with fluorescence is to provide enough light for comfortable eyepiece observation and reasonable exposure time. But in fact, everything will work. Ie:
I have custom made HAL/HBO hybrid illuminator, and rarely turn on HBO as i find HAL good enough for eyeballing UV excitation.

Cut-off in ~365nm for glass, and i doubt you would go lower... not with LED's.

Saul
Posts: 1781
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:59 am
Location: Naperville, IL USA
Contact:

Post by Saul »

Pau wrote:It will work well for sure...when paired with the optics designed to work with them, not your case
JohnyM wrote:You got UV transmitting fly-eye lens? I dont know how is whatever plastic they using is transmitting. Could work with stacked diodes, but i have no experience with it.
No, I do not have ...yet :) It looked interesting ...
Pau wrote:Did you get the lamp housing? If so you could profit its optics.
I don't know if the collimating lens shown at your last picture could be adapted to the fluorescence illuminator nor if it could work well or not. Maybe a member actually having the equipment could tell you.
JohnyM wrote:Second one is brightfield (maybe also darkfield) white light epi-illuminator that works with dedicated 50W halogen lamphouse, but nikon also offered many different light sources that uses its collimator lens and that's what it is. 12V 50W lamphouse collector. Should work good for VIS fluorescence, should also work good for UV with some lower transmittance.
I have housing for the 2nd unit, will try different options
JohnyM wrote:Sadlly, your illuminator is missing HMX lamp adapter, which is also filter holder and weight support
I'm going to 3D print it. If you saw somewhere some interesting DIY designs , please let me know.
Saul
μ-stuff

Saul
Posts: 1781
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:59 am
Location: Naperville, IL USA
Contact:

Post by Saul »

JohnyM wrote:...I dont know how is whatever plastic they using is transmitting...
Found this on Wikipedia:
"PMMA transmits up to 92% of visible light (3 mm thickness), and gives a reflection of about 4% from each of its surfaces due to its refractive index (1.4905 at 589.3 nm).[3] It filters ultraviolet (UV) light at wavelengths below about 300 nm (similar to ordinary window glass)"

...and on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-PMMA-Plas ... 1564910689

Only one problem - too big diameter :( Sent them email regarding smaller diameter

Edit: Got answer within 10 mins
"Could you please kindly advise the size and the focal length you need.
Our factory can cut it for you according to your request."
Saul
μ-stuff

dolmadis
Posts: 899
Joined: Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: UK

Post by dolmadis »

Saul wrote:...and on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-PMMA-Plas ... 1564910689

Only one problem - too big diameter :( Sent them email regarding smaller diameter

Edit: Got answer within 10 mins
"Could you please kindly advise the size and the focal length you need.
Our factory can cut it for you according to your request."
So where would you deploy this and size/FL?

Thanks


John

Saul
Posts: 1781
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:59 am
Location: Naperville, IL USA
Contact:

Post by Saul »

dolmadis wrote:...So where would you deploy this and size/FL?...
No idea yet. I have to get to the my UV photo with this setup first ... :)
Saul
μ-stuff

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Post by JohnyM »

JohnyM wrote:Sadlly, your illuminator is missing HMX lamp adapter, which is also filter holder and weight support
I'm going to 3D print it. If you saw somewhere some interesting DIY designs , please let me know.[/quote]
Sadly no, as i dont have an 3d printer, but those illuminators are so dirt cheap that i wouldnt bother and just order another one.
On the other hand, do you plan to use HMX lamphouses for their collimating optics? If not, you wouldnt need one anyway.

Saul
Posts: 1781
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:59 am
Location: Naperville, IL USA
Contact:

Post by Saul »

JohnyM wrote:
JohnyM wrote:Sadlly, your illuminator is missing HMX lamp adapter, which is also filter holder and weight support
I'm going to 3D print it. If you saw somewhere some interesting DIY designs , please let me know.
Sadly no, as i dont have an 3d printer, but those illuminators are so dirt cheap that i wouldnt bother and just order another one.
On the other hand, do you plan to use HMX lamphouses for their collimating optics? If not, you wouldnt need one anyway.
Going to play with LED's first, and, depending on results , it will be some kind a mix of the Pau's design and :

Image

I have few excitation 25.4mm filters, would like to test them also, so , most probably, will design filter tray also
JohnyM wrote:... but those illuminators are so dirt cheap...
John, can you point the source ?

Thanks,
Saul
μ-stuff

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Post by JohnyM »

Ebay. You can pick those epi-illuminators for 50-150 USD depending on your patience and luck.
Example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Japan-Fl ... Sw9RdbCdaG

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-JAPAN-VE ... SwJdBbJrlZ

Saul
Posts: 1781
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 11:59 am
Location: Naperville, IL USA
Contact:

Post by Saul »

JohnyM wrote:Ebay. You can pick those epi-illuminators for 50-150 USD depending on your patience and luck.
Example:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Japan-Fl ... Sw9RdbCdaG

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-JAPAN-VE ... SwJdBbJrlZ
OK, I misunderstood you previous information :oops:
I thought we are talking about "tail" portion of the illuminator :)
Saul
μ-stuff

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic