Carl Zeiss Universal Microscope 1st Edition

[colinbm]

I am looking for information on the Carl Zeiss Universal Microscope 1st Edition please ?
Is there a product description &/or manual on-line ?
I would like to know if the objectives are finite or infinity ?

[enricosavazzi]

I am looking for information on the Carl Zeiss Universal Microscope 1st Edition please ?
Is there a product description &/or manual on-line ?
I would like to know if the objectives are finite or infinity ?

I don't know if it helps, but you can look at this: https://www.savazzi.net/download/Zeiss_ ... g_1978.pdf

Objectives are finite (160 mm tube length). Objective mount is RMS, except for the BD objectives and revolver heads for epi illumination. The Universal I has chrome-plated fine and coarse focus knobs (not plastic). The casing of the focus rack is painted black.

The Zeiss Universal and Zeiss Photomicroscope are quite similar, apart from the camera and optics built into the stand of the Photomicroscope.

Not specific, but see also:
https://www.zeiss.com/content/dam/Micro ... versal.pdf
http://earth2geologists.net/Microscopes ... sories.pdf
https://research.ncsu.edu/cmif/files/20 ... inning.pdf
https://www.mikroskop-online.de/Mikrosk ... L%20II.pdf
https://manualzz.com/doc/12731368/zeiss ... ns-for-use

Some of the Zeiss Axioplan and Axiophot microscopes were also called Universal, but they are different beasts:
https://www.uab.edu/vsrc/images/manuals ... Manual.pdf

[colinbm]

Thanks very much Enrico
You know me from the UVP forum.
This is exactly what I was wanting to know.
I have purchased the Epi-Illumination turret & nosepiece for the 1st edition & I am hoping to adapt it to my M42 tube connection to my full frame camera.
I am using M42 tube for attaching up to 100x objectives to my full frame camera & I want to attach this epi-illumination to M42 tube.
I have been using finite objectives with 160mm & 210mm registration.
The turret has 4 epi objectives that have 24mm threads. I guess there is a 24mm to RMS adapter too ?
The Epi-Illumination turret & nosepiece with 4 objectives should arrive next week, so you have made me more confident that I can make a reasonable connection with these.

[enricosavazzi]

Thanks very much Enrico
You know me from the UVP forum.

Hi Colin, yes, I recognized your "callsign".

This is exactly what I was wanting to know.
I have purchased the Epi-Illumination turret & nosepiece for the 1st edition & I am hoping to adapt it to my M42 tube connection to my full frame camera.
I am using M42 tube for attaching up to 100x objectives to my full frame camera & I want to attach this epi-illumination to M42 tube.
I have been using finite objectives with 160mm & 210mm registration.
The turret has 4 epi objectives that have 24mm threads. I guess there is a 24mm to RMS adapter too ?

There are adapters made by Raf Camera on his website and on eBay. Not sure if they are the right type because I no longer have these Zeiss parts. Also not sure whether Australia is still sanctioning Belarus and Russia. Sweden apparently is, so I can no longer get adapters from Raf Camera, or anything from either country. There are occasional Zeiss 24-RMS and RMS-24 adapters for the Axio scopes on eBay, not sure if they also fit the older BD turrets and objectives.

The Epi-Illumination turret & nosepiece with 4 objectives should arrive next week, so you have made me more confident that I can make a reasonable connection with these.

I did notice years ago that the BD turrets are cheaper than those for RMS transmitted illumination objectives. I even owned one or two of these turrets and a few BD objectives for a few years. I gave up on all Zeiss finite scopes and got rid of everything because of continuously worsening delamination, but I still use a Zeiss Stereomicroscope III that so far seems immune to delamination. My current microscope systems are Olympus BX and Mitutoyo. Probably the BD turret contains some optics (some sort of telan or adapter to compensate for the increased tube length), but if delaminated you can probably remove them for your application. The BD turrets, in addition to the bayonet mount for the microscope body, usually also have a round port on one side for inserting the beam splitter (not necessary unless you will use epi illumination via BD objectives) and a third port for incoming light from the epi condenser that is mounted horizontally in the Universal microscope stand.

The finite BD objectives require the proper correcting eyepieces, just like the finite transmitted illumination objectives for the Zeiss Universal and Standard. The eyepieces are not so difficult to find on eBay. Then you can use a lens on the camera in afocal configuration, mounted as close as possible to the eyepiece and pointed into the eyepiece. The usual lens focal lengths are 60 mm for full-frame, 45 mm for APS-C and 30 mm for Micro 4/3. I have some information on this setup at https://www.savazzi.net/photography/zeiss-adapter.html .

[Pau]

Hi Colin, Welcome to the forum!
You're getting good advice from Enrico.

The finite BD objectives require the proper correcting eyepieces, just like the finite transmitted illumination objectives for the Zeiss Universal and Standard. The eyepieces are not so difficult to find on eBay. Then you can use a lens on the camera in afocal configuration, mounted as close as possible to the eyepiece and pointed into the eyepiece. The usual lens focal lengths are 60 mm for full-frame, 45 mm for APS-C and 30 mm for Micro 4/3. I have some information on this setup at https://www.savazzi.net/photography/zeiss-adapter.html

I was going to point this, but he was faster
More info on afocal at viewtopic.php?p=99265#p99265

[Pau]

Admin note:
This post would be better placed at the Equipment Discussions forum.
I'll move it after you had time to see this note.

[colinbm]

Thank you Enrico & Pau
This is my present set-up for using finite microscope objectives with my full frame camera.
I am attempting to adapt the Zeiss epi turret to this.
The camera can be moved vertical in 0.6um steps.

[Pau]

The setup looks nice, is there any optics inside the long tube? How long is the tube?
So, you don't have the Universal microscope, do you?

Be aware that, as we formerly wrote, if you use Zeiss finite corrected objectives (160/ ) without the adequate compensating eyepiece (in this case the best ones are Zeiss Kpl) you can get good image center but lateral chromatic aberration increasing towards the periphery. The right distance between the components is also important, increasing that importance with the magnification and NA of the objective.

(Note: thread moved)

[colinbm]

Thanks Pau
This is with a 100x finite objective at 210mm registration.
Nikon M Plan 100x/0.80 ELWD Microscope Objective.
No other optics in the tube.
No I don't have a Zeiss Universal microscope, but I have purchased a Zeiss Epi Turret and Nosepiece, Fit Universal 1 first edition with 4 objectives.

[colinbm]

The Zeiss Epi Turret and Nosepiece Fit Universal 1st Edition has arrived.
It appears that I can adapt it to fit the M42 tubes to my full frame camera without much trouble & not changing the original equipment.
There are a few levers & slides, I there an instruction manual in English for this epi please ?

[colinbm]

The connection to the M42 went well.
Next is to adapt the light source.
I would like to know what the two levers on the side of the light tube are for ?
The one on the other side is to change the opening for the light.