Leitz Dialux setup

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gpmatthews
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Leitz Dialux setup

Post by gpmatthews »

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Cactusdave asked about the configuration of my set-up for photomicrography on this Dialux.

This is a semi-experimental afocal setup. It consists of a Leitz phototube with a Brunel (I think) over-tube which has a 42mm thread at the top (the horrible thing with the clamping screws sticking out). Then there is an adapter to the filter thread of a 50mm Tominon. The eyepiece is a a Leitz GF 10x (the GF for the 170mm tube length). The Brunel tube is only of any use if it has a surface to rest on, otherwise it will not sit squarely and will rock on the mounting screws. I don't know where it came from, but I hope I did not actually buy it!

Why? you might ask. Well it is cobbled together from what I had in the workshop. The field width is about the same as I get with a raised Zeiss KPL W 10/18 ocular, but that setup gives very slight chromatic aberration, whereas this afocal configuration does not. The field width with a x40 Leitz ICT NPL Fluotar is approx 400 microns.
Graham

Though we lean upon the same balustrade, the colours of the mountain are different.

Cactusdave
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Post by Cactusdave »

Thanks very much Graham. It was that Brunel tube which puzzled me. Whereabouts is the eyepiece lens, at the top or bottom of the tube? If it's at the bottom as I imagine, that may be placing it further away from the camera lens than is ideal. In my experience afocal setups work best with the eyepiece and the camera lens as close together as is practical, though a hotspot can occasionally be a problem with this situation. http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 528#207528
Leitz Ortholux 1, Zeiss standard, Nikon Diaphot inverted, Canon photographic gear

gpmatthews
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Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Horsham, W. Sussex, UK
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Post by gpmatthews »

Just back from QMC AGM - followed by curry etc., of course! - Jackie was in fine form along with Nigel, Joan, Dennis and Paul.

The top of the GF ocular comes level with the top of the Dialux/Brunel photo tube and the Tominon screws on immediately above - not a lot of clearance:

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Graham

Though we lean upon the same balustrade, the colours of the mountain are different.

Pau
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Post by Pau »

Graham, thanks for posting it.
I've linked it at my afocal thread http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?p=99302

What's the focal length of the Tominon lens?
Pau

gpmatthews
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Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Horsham, W. Sussex, UK
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Post by gpmatthews »

Thanks Pau. It's a 50mm Tominon.
Graham

Though we lean upon the same balustrade, the colours of the mountain are different.

gpmatthews
Posts: 1040
Joined: Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:54 am
Location: Horsham, W. Sussex, UK
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Post by gpmatthews »

I have now tidied up this setup by using a better adaptor. Also, I have found that the Zeiss KPL 8 shown gives a wider field of view and quite acceptable image quality with the Leitz optics. It also has the advantage that this is a focusable eyepiece intended to take an eyepiece graticule and thereby allows some fine tuning of the focus in addition to the adjustable ocular tubes on the trinocular head.

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The lower part of the adaptor assembly. This is a Pentax adaptor commonly available on eBay.

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Disassembled

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Dissassembled

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This is the only purpose-made part. It is an aluminium bayonet ring. Believe it or not this was made by my father back in the mid 1970s as a push on part to allow a Kodak Instamatic to fit the Pentax adaptor, but readily leant itself to the current setup. It is now attached to another pair of commercial adaptor rings and lined with black floc

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The Zeiss KPL 8 eyepiece

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The Tominon 50mm lens attached to a Canon to M42 adaptor

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Assembled

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Complete setup
Graham

Though we lean upon the same balustrade, the colours of the mountain are different.

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