Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Images made through a microscope. All subject types.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by NikonUser »

Live Cosmarium sp. (a freshwater desmid alga)

Still testing the feasability of using a Nikon 60x CF N Plan Apo (NA 1.4) on an Olympus BHS with otherwise Olympus optics (NFK 2.5x photo relay lens, Olympus 1.25x intermediate lens; Olympus DIC prisms)

Top: with DIC prisms out
Middle: with DIC prisms engaged
Bottom: full frame

The DIC shows a little more detail and less blue chromatic aberration.
Image
Image
Image
NUM10112
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

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

Re: Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by Pau »

NikonUser wrote: Bottom: full frame
A rotatable stage would be nice (to control both framing and DIC shear), rotating the camera (if the bellows allows it), and both rotations (the best) would be nice to use.
Did you test this objective with direct projection removing the trinoc head?

...looking forward your progression with much interest.
Pau

NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

Yes such a stage would be nice.
I did see one on ebay (rather expensive) but it lacked an x-y adjustment for the slide. Without such fine control I would never be able to find the subject.
These rotating stages seem to be designed for looking at a rather large piece of material with reflected light.

Have not tried removing the trinoc head but Charles had a good idea that I may try. The top half of the trinoc is removable and could be replaced with a tube of the correct length for the Nikon relay lens. But, as Charles said, it may not be worth the effort.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

georgetsmurf
Posts: 46
Joined: Tue Nov 30, 2010 5:55 pm

Post by georgetsmurf »

NikonUser wrote:Yes such a stage would be nice.
I did see one on ebay (rather expensive) but it lacked an x-y adjustment for the slide. Without such fine control I would never be able to find the subject.
I actually purchased off Ebay a Nikon microscope just the other day with the rotating stage with no x-y adjustment however the threaded holes are there for it so I am now looking for mechanical stage (slide-holder) to go with it. The microscope is a beautiful-very big instrument, the rotating stage is about 140mm Dia. The instrument came with a irise'd condenser and polarisation annalyser that fits between the instrument and the turret. I have now also found a straight verticle turret to replace the angled one for camera mounting until such time as I come up with a more stable solution for photo-stacking.
Cheers George.

NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

George:
I found an Olympus mechanical stage for their rotating stage (which I don't have) for about $500.00. I have decided to live without such a stage.
Have no idea about the Nikon system but the Oly mechanical stage is made for a shorter and wider slide than normally used for biological specimens; also far less x-y travel.

I'm sure others besides me would love to see an image of your 'scope; lot of us are equipment junkies.
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

Mitch640
Posts: 2137
Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 1:43 pm

Post by Mitch640 »

I'm sure others besides me would love to see an image of your 'scope; lot of us are equipment junkies.
Yes. I am one of the worst. LOL A post like this is no good without pictures. ;)

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

Post by Pau »

I use a Zeiss Standard scope with a very useful rotable stage provided with x and Y controls, and a slide holder adequate for both standard and short petrographic slides. It's not cheap, but is usualy on offer in ebay auctions. The mounting holes are different of the Oly ones but I think that the adaption would be easy making a custom metal plate with both holes.
( if you would be interested I would do some mesuremeents in order of see the possible compatibility)
Pau

NikonUser
Posts: 2693
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 2:03 am
Location: southern New Brunswick, Canada

Post by NikonUser »

Thanks for the offer Pau.
I would be concerned with a stage other than one designed for the scope that the correct distance from the condenser to the slide would not be attainable.
Also, as Krebs noted in a PM, with live organisms they are constantly moving and it would be difficult/impossible to keep them in the correct orientation; I would be continuously spinning the stage :roll:
NU.
student of entomology
Quote – Holmes on ‘Entomology’
” I suppose you are an entomologist ? “
” Not quite so ambitious as that, sir. I should like to put my eyes on the individual entitled to that name.
No man can be truly called an entomologist,
sir; the subject is too vast for any single human intelligence to grasp.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr
The Poet at the Breakfast Table.

Nikon camera, lenses and objectives
Olympus microscope and objectives

Sm55
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:20 am
Location: BNGALORE

Re: Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by Sm55 »

NikonUser wrote:
Tue Nov 30, 2010 2:31 pm
Live Cosmarium sp. (a freshwater desmid alga)

Still testing the feasability of using a Nikon 60x CF N Plan Apo (NA 1.4) on an Olympus BHS with otherwise Olympus optics (NFK 2.5x photo relay lens, Olympus 1.25x intermediate lens; Olympus DIC prisms)

Top: with DIC prisms out
Middle: with DIC prisms engaged
Bottom: full frame

The DIC shows a little more detail and less blue chromatic aberration.
Image
Image
Image
NUM10112
Hi, I am Sameer from Bangalore. I want to buy a Nikon DIC microscope. I would wish to learn Brightfield DIC techniques (without Polarisation) from you.... Can you please make tutorials or teach me?

I am very keen on viewing Plant Sections under the microscope... I am a Botany student..

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

Re: Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by Pau »

Sm55 wrote:
Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:35 am
Hi, I am Sameer from Bangalore. I want to buy a Nikon DIC microscope. I would wish to learn Brightfield DIC techniques (without Polarisation) from you.... Can you please make tutorials or teach me?

I am very keen on viewing Plant Sections under the microscope... I am a Botany student..
Hi Sameer,

Brightfield DIC is a term at least very unusual, normally we say bright-field when we don't use other illumination contrast techniques.
DIC without polarisation just doesn't exist: DIC is based in polarized light.
If you don't have equipment for DIC you could experiment with different techniques of oblique illumination that can produce a pseudo relief effect somewhat similar to DIC and it's very useful and not difficult except for high magnification-NA
Pau

wowjl
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2022 12:49 am

Re: Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by wowjl »

I'm trying, too
_20221221150610.jpg
If appropriate, this is my post

https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... 14&t=17571

PeteM
Posts: 177
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 12:06 am
Location: West Coast, USA

Re: Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by PeteM »

NikonUser, if direct projection doesn't work you might get a slight upgrade by swapping the Olympus 2.5x photo relay lens for the Nikon equivalent. That should reduce chromatic aberration still further and at a reasonable cost.

The Nikon 60x 1.4na plan apo is a wonderful objective -- and it seems to be reasonably compatible with your Olympus DIC prisms. Another hack you may want to try is rotating the condenser DIC prism slightly out of alignment. There's sometimes a satisfying combination of DIC and oblique effects.

Scarodactyl
Posts: 1617
Joined: Sat Apr 14, 2018 10:26 am

Re: Brightfield vs. DIC Brightfield with 60x

Post by Scarodactyl »

I'll bet he's swapped a few things out in the last twelve years.

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic