Microscope Hybrid DIC Setup (Don't try it at home!)

[Pau]

This post is continuation of the former one:
http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14377
where the story, the progress, problems and sample pictures can be found

Now, with the setup finised (?) I post the pictures of the equipement.
Perhaps it would be of interest for someone, in any case I can't recommend it: not inexpensive, not easy and, more important, the results are only partially satisfactory

1- The Zeiss InKo (DIC) condenser. It is from the first Zeiss approach, with 3 prisms an 2 phase rings. The prism labelled I does not deliver DIC at all, I'm still investigating why.


2- The Zeiss intermediate piece with Telan lenses (1). It has been machined to allow mounting the DIC slider and to allow its height adjustement. Most of this costly modification ended being unnecessary because the best position is the uppermost one. In any case it still allows to mount the original Zeiss sliders and compesators.
Olympus U-DICT slider common objective prism (2). Inside its 25mm circular upper slot I put the analyzer (3) a linear Techspec polarizer from Edmund Optics. It fits well and it's secured with two fine portions of black electrical tape. I tested this analyzer against a Nikon one and the results were the same (thanks Chris S)
The custom machined plastic slider (4) is to fill the gap machined under the DIC slider. Its central hole is flocked with Prostar velvet.


3- The intermediate piece mounted


The only objectives of my collection that work reasonably well for this DIC setup.


The polarizers. Any of them can fit with some small addictions in the 32mm field slot and are equally convenient.


The full setup mounted in my Zeiss Standard 16 microscope.
The ability to rotate the stage, the camera mount (shown in another post http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15607), the intermediate piece and the trinocular head is very convenient for DIC, in special with those mismatched parts and the uneven DIC effect I'm obtaining.
)

Any comments, questions (and help!) will be very wellcome
_________________
Pau

[Pau]

Some updates: when I found the original Zeiss DIC slider III that matches my condenser at a reasonable price I purchased it, and I also bought a Zeiss Planapo 63X 1.4 objective and a 0.63NA a.a. pol top condenser lens.
Now the results are:
- With the Leitz objectives that worked well with the Olympus U-DICT slider the DIC effect is stronger but the field is less uniform so I still prefer the Oly.
- The results are very nice with the Leitz NPL Fluotar 25X 0.55 unlike with the Oly slider but only if paired with the 0.63 condenser lens
- The Planapo 63X 1.4 works well with both sliders, again with a stronger DIC and less uniformity with the Zeiss but not that much as with other objectives.
- Still none of them works with my 100X objectives (Leitz PL Fluotar 100X 1.32, Leitz Plan Apo 100X 1.32 and Zeiss Neofluar 100X 1.3 Ph3) .

So my best (not perfect) DIC combos are:
Leitz PL Fluotar 10X 0.30 *, condenser prism II without top condenser lens, with U-DICT or Zeiss slider III
Leitz NPL Fluotar 16X 0.45, condenser prism II without top condenser lens, with U-DICT
Zeiss Planapo 25X 0.65, condenser prism II and top condenser lens 0.63, with Zeiss III slider or U-DICT
Leitz PL Fluotar 25X 0.60 *, condenser prism II and top condenser lens 0.63, with U-DICT slider
Leitz NPL Fluotar 25X 0.55, condenser prism II and top condenser lens 0.63, with Zeiss III slider
Leitz PL Fluotar 40X 0.70 *, condenser prism III and top condenser lens 1.4, with U-DICT slider
Leitz NPL Fluotar 40X 0.70, condenser prism III and top condenser lens 1.4, with U-DICT slider
Zeiss Planapo 40/0.95 , condenser prism III and top condenser lens 1.4, with U-DICT slider
Leitz NPL Fluotar 50X 1.00 oil, condenser prism III and top condenser lens 1.4 oiled, with U-DICT
Zeiss Planapo 63X 1.4 oil, condenser prism III and top condenser lens 1.4 oiled, with U-DICT
(marked bold the best ones)

As you can see matching DIC components not designed to work together is doable but it is like some kind of lottery, at least without all the optical data (never available) and a solid optics knowledge (not my case)

Objectives tested that don't work:
any 4X
NPL fluotar 10/0.30 both 160 and 170
EF 10X
PL Apo 6.3 and 100 170
Plan 40/0.65 160
Zeiss Plan 10X, Plan 25X phase and Plan 40X phase
Zeiss Neofluar phase 16X, 40X and 100X

One tested objective working very well was a Nikon Plan Apo 60/1.4 160
_________________
Pau

[g4lab]

I have an example of the Zeiss Inko substage turret (which has some issues but is probably still usable on all positions) and also on the top prism holder (but no DIC prism)
I was intending to put these on ebay, but if anyone wants them send me a PM. They are the ones in the first two images above. I don't have a scope that they will fit.

[Pau]

I know this post isn't of great - if any- interest for most members as my setup is pretty unusual, but I've updated it with my good results with my new Pl Fluotar 10/0.30 *160/- because it's of most interst for me
_________________
Pau