Has anyone used the Nikon CFI60 tube lens?

[enricosavazzi]

Edmund Optics sells a moderately expensive tube lens for use with CFI60 infinity-corrected objectives (Edmund inventory #58-520). This tube lens has been mentioned several times in threads as a possibility for use with older Nikon CF Plan infinity objectives, but has anyone actually tried it?

I might stretch out on a limb and buy one, but first I would like to find out whether anyone else here has done this. It is currently out of stock on the co.uk site, and in any case I must wait a few weeks.

My envisioned use is in a modified macroscope, with a trinocular head for focusing, a modified photo tube for direct projection of the objective image on the sensor and a home-built stacker connected to the focusing rack. I already use this equipment for finite objectives and photomacrographic lenses, so it would be overkill to build another one that uses a 200 mm telephoto lens as tube lens (and besides, I want to continue using the trinocular head). It would be much easier to pop in a tube lens, switch objective revolver with one that has a suitable objective-to-tube lens gap and continue to use the current equipment. I am not impressed by results with the Raynox add-on lens as tube lens, and hope to get better results with a "real" Nikon tube lens.

[Craig Gerard]

Enrico,

That would be this one? (USD $212.00)
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatal ... ccessories

The accessory tube lens (#58-520) can be used to focus light from the infinity-corrected objective onto the image plane. For optimal performance, the distance between the tube lens and the objective’s shoulder should be kept within 100-200mm. This spacing allows accessories to be inserted in the optical path to accommodate specific needs.

Craig

[RogelioMoreno]

Enrico,

I have tested a Mitutoyo Plan Apo 10/0.28 with a Nikon infinity trinocular head :

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=11700

As far as I know the Nikon infinity tube lens that is being sold by Edmund is the same that is built-in within the Nikon infinity trinocular head.

At the beginning my idea was like you, use my finite trinocular head with a Nikon tube lens with some kind of adapter to be inserted and removed; but then I found a Nikon infinity trinocular head that allow me to do direct projection (removing the tube of the trinocular port).

Rogelio

[enricosavazzi]

Enrico,

That would be this one? (USD $212.00)
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatal ... ccessories

The accessory tube lens (#58-520) can be used to focus light from the infinity-corrected objective onto the image plane. For optimal performance, the distance between the tube lens and the objective’s shoulder should be kept within 100-200mm. This spacing allows accessories to be inserted in the optical path to accommodate specific needs.

Craig

Yes, that is the one I have in mind. Edmund also has Mitutoyo tube lenses, but they are far more expensive.

[Craig Gerard]

I presume the top element is the Nikon tubelense @ 100mm to 200mm from objective shoulder?

[Craig Gerard]

Rogelio,

Is the tubelense in the Nikon trinocular head accessible, can it be removed or is it 'fixed' in place?

Craig

[rjlittlefield]

I presume the top element is the Nikon tubelense @ 100mm to 200mm from objective shoulder?

Correct.

BTW, we can tell from this diagram that the Nikon tube lens is weakly telephoto -- physically shorter and closer to the sensor than its 200 mm focal length would suggest.

--Rik

[RogelioMoreno]

Craig,

I do not know if the tube lens can be removed from the Nikon infinity binocular or trinocular head.

Here is a picture that I found of the tube lens:



Rogelio

[RogelioMoreno]

If you do a Google search for MXA20696 (this is the Nikon part number for the 200mm tube lens) you will find that it is for sale on Yahoo Japan for around USD59.

Rogelio

[Craig Gerard]

Rogelio,

Thankyou for the information.

We need a translation (which buttons do we press )

Anyone care to translate?

Craig

[Joaquim F.]

I have a Nikon lens tube that I could remove from a used Optiphot eyepiece tube BI.
I ask Edmundoptics if the lenses of old Optiphot CF45 and the new Eclipse CFI60 were interchangeable and one of their engineers told me they did not have this information and consult directly with Nikon support information. Shortly after I saw the binocular tube at a good price and bought it to try, it works well with both the CF Plan and with the new CFI 10X.
The new CFI 10X as far better image quality in borders.
My 10X CF Plan 10X/0.30 sample need some lateral CA correction but can be pushed to 12 or 13X with good quality.
A lavender flower picture from a previous post:

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... hp?t=11233

This morning I got some tube lens pictures.

The nikon eyepiece tube BI from Optiphot microscope series without the tube lens:







The lens tube is covered with vinil insulating tape. The layer on the thread let me screw it securely in a 38.5mm to T-mount adapter that had from an old spiratone bellows and the second layer is to cover the 3 centering holes? visibles on the outside of the lens. I think is a 3 elements design and the last is quite concave!







Threaded into the adapter, the T-mount is the top, the worse one is need just to close the rear part to external light with a couple of rings in the bellows pressure clamp as I do with the Raynox.



With another T thread to 52mm adapter can be mounted on the PB-6 bellows.



greetings

Joaquim

[Craig Gerard]

Joaquim,

Thankyou for uploading the images, related observations and linked discussion

Enrico,

I believe Nikon have a presence in Sweden. Have you contacted them for a costing?

I contacted the Australian distributor, $200.00 delivered (including local taxes); but Nikon Japan will not have the items in stock till Jan 29th. The same Nikon part # MXA20696 as indicated by Rogelio.

* Still waiting on a translation for the USD$59.00 listing in Yahoo Japan.


Craig

[RogelioMoreno]

* Still waiting on a translation for the USD$59.00 listing in Yahoo Japan.
Craig

Craig, you can use the Google traductor to translate the complete page; but the shipping is local to Japan, may be a member on Japan can help.

I will be testing the Mitutoyo 10x with the Nikon compact microscope CM-10L and with a mounted tube lens that came with the Mitutoyo, I made adapter for both to mount any M42 device. Both are compact (the one that came with the Mitutoyo is more light and the coating is a little damage ) and can be used on studio or on the field.

Rogelio

[enricosavazzi]

Enrico,

I believe Nikon have a presence in Sweden. Have you contacted them for a costing?

No, because everything sold in Sweden is gold-plated (or at least, prices suggest so). I am quite sure that Edmund UK will be cheaper.

[Craig Gerard]

I will be testing the Mitutoyo 10x with the Nikon compact microscope CM-10L and with a mounted tube lens that came with the Mitutoyo

"a mounted tube lens that came with the Mitutoyo"

Rogelio,

Could you provide more details regarding the "mounted tube lens that came with the Mitutoyo" ?


Craig