Can one microscope do it all??

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Davids
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 2:20 pm

Can one microscope do it all??

Post by Davids »

Eventually I would like to purchase a microscope for photography. I would like it for darkfield, phase contrast, epi illumination and epi fluorescence. Is it possible to do all of the above with one system? Furthermore, does this exist in an inverted microscope system? The reason why I'm leaning towards an inverted system is the ability to place large specimens on the stage.

Thanks for any input!

David

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

Post by JohnyM »

I have Nikon microphot with all those techniques with addition of DIC and Polarization. Define large? I dont see any problems with specimens that i would use the microscope to view (and multiple times larger than that).

Ichthyophthirius
Posts: 1152
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:24 am

Re: Can one microscope do it all??

Post by Ichthyophthirius »

Davids wrote:darkfield, phase contrast, epi illumination and epi fluorescence.
Hi David,

Epifluorescence on an inverted microscope is a more recent thing; it became more widely used from maybe the 1980s. Epi-illumination was done on inverted metallurgical microscopes. However, you can often use epifluorescence illuminator for epi-illumination by inserting a mirror block instead of a filter block, and using a set of pol filters.

The most useful epi-illumination technique is epi-darkfield which is quite specialised (in contrast to the widespread but less useful epi-brightfield).

For transmitted darkfield, you need to decide what NA you want. Low NA can be done easily with a darkfield slider and a normal long working distance condenser. High NA darkfield requires oil immersion condensers and is more difficult to do (requires a microscope on which a condenser with short working distance can actually be mounted).

Inverted stands that should be able to do most of what you want are the Leitz Diavert and Leitz Fluovert. Other highly versatile inverted stands are the Zeiss IM35, Olympus IMT-2 and Nikon Diaphot.

It might be easier to have two stands, one for biological (transmitted darkfield, phase, epi-fluorescence) and one metallurgical (epi-illumination).

Regards, Ichty

Davids
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Jan 31, 2016 2:20 pm

Post by Davids »

One thing I am uncertain about is the ability to alter stage height for objectives with different parfocal distances, say using a Mitutoyo M Plan APO 20x NA 0.42 vs a Nikon CFI Plan Fluor objective.

Ichthyophthirius
Posts: 1152
Joined: Thu Mar 07, 2013 5:24 am

Post by Ichthyophthirius »

Hi David,

The objectives you mentioned are part of "infinity" microscopes systems. All the microscopes I mentioned are conventional microscopes with 160/170 mm tube length, so they would not be useful for you.

For the infinity systems, you usually need to use the manufacturers own microscope stands with their own specific tube lenses. There is no/very limited interchangability.

If you want to attach just a single microscope objective to a camera, this might be more useful for you: http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?p=76195

Also keep in mind that the Mitutoyo M Plan APO 20x NA 0.42 is corrected for use without a cover glass ("0") so it's not as good for transmitted light applications that require a cover glass.

If you want to find a Nikon CFI inverted biological microscope that can also take Mitutoyo objectives, I have to admit, I don't know :D It is extremely long (+20 mm working distance) http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/u ... _20X_1.jpg

Ichty

Pau
Site Admin
Posts: 6051
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 8:57 am
Location: Valencia, Spain

Post by Pau »

You would need to use a self arranged variable height microscope like the extremely nice setup of Charles Krebs:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 389#144389

In most cases having different stands for different optics will be easier
Pau

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