Leitz Ortholux on Sony a7r ii

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skrama
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 8:04 am
Location: Iowa City, Iowa

Leitz Ortholux on Sony a7r ii

Post by skrama »

Hello All,

This may have been posted, but apologies to post again. I searched but my limited knowledge it wasnt easy to sort this out. With that out of the way, here is the question:

I am very new to the world of macro and micro-photography. after reading and going through a lot of set ups, I came across someone locally ready to part their way with Leitz Ortholux microscope. I have attached pictures of the item for sale. The original owner uses it to take some pictures of the slide and digitize them using a Nikon D300. I can buy adapters, but my question, can I use this kind of a microscope to venture into photo-micrography.

The price they are quoting is not certain but in range of $450-550.

Please help me in regards to this request.
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zzffnn
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Location: Houston, Texas, USA
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Post by zzffnn »

Yes, that microscope is a very good one. Camera adaptation is not that difficult.

The "Pv apo" objective is a very good lens. Is there only one Pv apo or two? The full Pv (variable phase contrast) set should have at least two apos (40x and 90x, IIRC). Pv 20x and 10x are not apochromatic though.

Your condenser seems to be a Leitz bathtub though. Matching condenser for Pv objectives is Leitz Heine, which itself can cost over $350 USD used. Each Pv apo objective is worth at least $70, if not $100.

Note the eyepieces on that microscope seem to be of a different brand (AO Spencer?) and may not work very well with Leitz objectives.

skrama
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 8:04 am
Location: Iowa City, Iowa

Two Pv Apo's in the Microscope

Post by skrama »

Hi zzffnn,

Thanks for the response.

With couple of other pictures that I have taken with my iPhone, I can see two Pv Apo objectives. With two Pv, do you think a price of lets say, $500 worth? Then again, you mentioned the buying a Leitz Heine will cost me additionally and of course the adapters.

The other route I found was to buy wemacro and they are also selling the Plan 10x/0.25 objective for about $320 ($249 + $69).

Any input is really helpful.

Best,
Sai

Pau
Site Admin
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Post by Pau »

Sai, welcome aboard!

First: what kind of subjects you want to study or image?
- For flat transparent subjects mounted in a microscope slide the right setup is a classic compound microscope
- For bigger and more 3D subjects like pinned insects a focusing rail like the Wemacro with a modern objective is more convenient (of course there are also intermediate situations and setups)

The black Ortholux is a fine classic microscope, in fact one of the best and IMO the most beautiful of its time. With a microscope of that vintage you need to be very careful about the condition of the optics and mechanics.
I don't recognize the camera coupler, it must be a third part accessory. With that kind of microscopes, because they need Periplan compensating eyepieces the right coupling is by means of that kind of eyepiece, a bit raised to project the image on to the sensor or by means of a camera lens "afocal"*
* http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?p=99265
Pau

skrama
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 8:04 am
Location: Iowa City, Iowa

more 3D images

Post by skrama »

Hi Pau,

Thanks for the kind response and some additional explanation regarding the Ortholux and the need for a periplan compensating eyepiece.

I started recently into macro foray (coming mostly from portraiture) and bought Sigma 105mm Canon EF mount (with Metabones EF-Sony E mount adapter). 3D capture of images has always fascinated me (I am computational bio/chemist with molecular visualization kinds of research work). Realized that 1:1 doesnt give me the images that I had planned and came across this forum and started reading the setups posted in Charles Krebs and Rik and others contributing (The Bratcam is my favorite so far).

Also, ordered the book by Enrico Savazzi to seriously learn more about this photomacrography and photomicrography.

All that aside, based on your response and zzffnn's response, I will either go with WeMacro or StackShot and buy the Nikon Plan 10X/0.25 infinity to begin with and venture from there.

zzffnn
Posts: 1896
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:25 pm
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Post by zzffnn »

WeMacro is best for thick opaque subjects of around 1mm or more,l in diameter, in general.

Microscope is best for transparent pond protists and prepared slides. Though for microscopic (less than 1mm) opaque subjects, metallurgical compound microscope works best.

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