My Current Microscope Setup

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 3:17 am

Charlie asked for details of my current setup. Here it is, except that I am using different main illumination in the form of a Watson microscope lamp, which is in fact the black lamp visible in the background of this picture, behind the microscope. It has been modified by fitting with a Luxeon K2. This is fine for most purposes but a bit dim when using x100 DIC, so it will be upgraded to a higher power LED when something beefier is available. It is more convenient to use than the Projectina lamp shown in use in the picture because it runs cooler and has variable focus and variable lamp position by means of a sliding mounting. Both lamps are centrable.

The microscope illumination is via a "Y" fibre optic with the Vivitar flash on one leg, controlled by hotshoe on the G9 and a resistance box (in the foreground) for duration control. The flash output is not focussed, the fibre optic end merely being placed directly in front of the flash. The resistance box has coarse selection by means of fixed resistors and fine adjustment by means of a multi-turn 5K linear potentiometer. The continuous illumination for viewing is provided by a microscope lamp focussed onto the end of the other fibre optic leg.

The single end of the fibre optic is in a purpose made mount and occupies the same position as the Zeiss filament lamp originally.

For more portable use, the flash feed can be placed in front of the on-board camera flash using cable ties around the Zarf adapter, thus removing the need for the Vivitar 283. The Vivitar does, however, provide much more control over flash duration.

The camera is controlled from the laptop using Breeze software with release via a foot mouse pedal.

The microscope shown is a Zeiss Standard 16 with modified substage to take a Leitz ICT (DIC) condenser.

Hairyduck · Post by **Hairyduck** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 8:58 am

looks good, I wish I had so much room, my microscope constantly has to battle with all the other junk on my desk so normally loses and end up on the floor, there seems to be 3 down there at the moment and a microtome. Won't be any room for me in here soon

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 12:00 pm

Graham,

Thanks for posting this! Looks like your "Mark III" setup with different light sources. Always helpful to "compare notes" on these things.

This is exactly the way I had initially set up my first microscope flash. It worked very well. Despite some hasty (and crude) efforts to put more "flash" into the light guide, it was impressive how effective it was to simply place the light guide up against the face of the flash, as you have done, so I left it at that.

One reason I changed was that with my light guide there was a clear, nearly 50/50 jagged illumination split at the microscope end of the guide. The end of the light guide at the microscope end looked about like this:

(and this was a custom guide ordered to be made "randomized" so there would not be such a "split" . The other reason I changed was that the only FO illuminator I had at that time had a bad fan bearing and it sounded like a Boeing 747 moving down the runway )

So when this end was place at the microscopes normal bulb location there was actually a slight oblique light effect. But it was different between flash and continuous light because of the angle of the light. I have found that one "Y" light guide I now have is quite "random" at what would be the microscope end, and I've long since replaced the FO illuminator. I'm resurrecting an older Olympus BHA, so I plan on giving this arrangement another try. It is very simple and very effective.

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 12:32 pm

I see your problem, Charlie: I use two "Y" fibre optics, both bought on eBay and thankfully both are randomised. They both work fine and I would certainly recommend the system to anyone.

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Thu Nov 20, 2008 5:39 pm

Graham,

The modification of the Watson microscope lamp to accommodate the Luxeon K2. That sounds like an interesting excercise. When you get some time could you elaborate further?

I'd like to use LED down fiber optic cables for focusing and viewing for photomacrography. I'm using flash for shooting and to my eye the LED provides a closer 'visual' match to the flash output. The Waldmann SPOT LED 003 looks interesting?

Craig

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 5:23 am

Craig, you asked about lamp details. This was an experimental lamp modification, so is not as neat as I might wish. When I rebuild one day with a more powerful LED, I hope to do a more professional job! In the meantime here is the lamp as it is today:

Overview of lamp

LED mounting
The heat sink assembly is a push fit into the original filament lamp holder

The "guts" of the power supply. This is a simple and indeed crude bridge rectifier circuit with smoothing capacitor directly across the bridge - no frills!

The Powerpuck is controlled by the 5K variable resistor. The original transformer is more than enough for the job, so all I had to do was take the original power supply, replace the low resistance potentiometer originally used for the 30W filament lamp and add rectification suitable for driving a DC Powerpuck. I also added a red LED pilot lamp.

As you can see, with the original (large) potentiometer removed there's bags of room inside. The mods are minimal - I wanted to ensure that the lamp looked the same as originally and that it could be converted back simply if needed.

The lamp mounting is a slide fit into the rear of the housing.

The Spot LED in your link looks like it would provide the basis for a lamp modification, although with a suitable lens, some rigid plastic tubing and a little ingenuity in mounting a K2, you could probably construct a microscope lamp from scratch...

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:29 am

I'm going to use these in my next project:

http://www.luxeonstar.com/endor-rebel-c ... -p-183.php

I'm currently using K2 STARs at 1500mA but these would be easier to get more bangs for the buck.

Andrew

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:45 pm

3 in one - can't be bad! I think I'll also try these...

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 5:14 pm

Graham,
Thankyou for the detailed outline of the lamp modification.

The link that AndrewC provided is interesting. There is also a link on that page to a lens specifically designed for the Endor Rebel Star.

Craig

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 7:36 pm

Some other links that may provide an idea or two:

http://www.micrographia.com/articlz/art ... pc0300.htm

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... lash1.html

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Sun Nov 23, 2008 2:59 am

augusthouse wrote: The link that AndrewC provided is interesting. There is also a link on that page to a lens specifically designed for the Endor Rebel Star.

Craig

Luxeon lenses are interesting (?). On the setup I'm currently building I use single Luxeon K2s with a concentrating lens. The intent is to focus this straight on to a diffuser (next to the subject).

http://www.anglia-lighting.com/products ... %5C141.pdf

I'm thinking of the triple emitters & lenses for some <1x mag illumination.

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:16 pm

I have been doing a few minor upgrades, so thought I would post the latest setup. On the left is a Zeiss Standard 16 set up with Leitz DIC optics. I can also use phase contrast on this instrument. On the right is a Zeiss Standard GFL set up for brightfield. I can also use darkground and phase easily on this instrument. In between, you can see my new Samsung NC10 Netbook, that I intend to use to control the Canon cameras (G9 visible on the Standard 16, and the adapter for the S50 on the GFL). The NC10, being small, should be convenient to take out on expeditions, such as those run by the Quekett Microscopical Club.

The blue box at the rear of the bench is a newly built LED controller and this controls a Luxeon K2 in the small box sitting on top of the controller. This is constructed to take the fibre optic feed from either microscope - I experimented with various lenses, but concluded that the best setup for the K2 was just abutting the end of the fibre optic. The K2 is therefore mounted at the end of a short length of tube into which the fibre optics plug snugly and can thus be changed over very quickly. The LED is mounted directly on the heat-sink, not a star mounting, and I used solder pads, of the sort used with strain gauges, to provide solder points. Here it is with the box open:

I have also been looking at the Endor Rebel Star and the controller will also run one of these. I've now mounted one, using the lens mentioned above by Craig, in the light housing for a rather unusual inverted scope:

This instrument was built by the late Tony Saunders-Davies, a much missed member of the Quekett Club. The original light source was a mains voltage filament lamp that got so hot that it rapidly became impossible to adjust. The scope is only suitable for low magnification work, being intended for screening specimens in transparent bottomed dishes, so I used the Rebel LEDs with a translucent plastic sheet diffuser made from a weighing boat mounted just behind the field diaphragm in the light housing. This gives a large diffuse light source when illuminated using the Rebel LEDs and special lens.

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Fri Jan 02, 2009 4:04 am

Graham,

Thankyou for the latest info and images regarding your setup.

I've been reading your post with interest.

Craig