Does Nikon LWD Phase contrast 0.55 FOV cover 1x and 2x lens

Have questions about the equipment used for macro- or micro- photography? Post those questions in this forum.

Moderators: rjlittlefield, ChrisR, Chris S., Pau

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Does Nikon LWD Phase contrast 0.55 FOV cover 1x and 2x lens

Post by JohnyM »

Hello!
As in the topic, does anyone know if this condenser can cover 2x and 1x lenses FOV? I want to try it on Microphot SA as low power condenser.

zzffnn
Posts: 1896
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:25 pm
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Post by zzffnn »

Sorry, I don't know about that exact condenser. Maybe you can ask a pro dealer who has it (maybe Curt may have it)?

Do you have to have a condenser for such low power objectives though?

You nay have known it already - you can easily cover 1x NA 0.03 objective by removing the condenser, or lower the condenser and lay a diffusion filter over its top lens. At such low power, you don't lose anything by removing the condenser - it is only inconvenient.

Some separable Abbé condenser with its top lens removed nay be able to cover 2x (NA 0.05) objective. I got one work that way. Not sure about 1x objective though.

I do have a 1x NA 0.03 objective, but I only use it for casual viewing/scanning under reflected light - have never tried transmitted light with condenser. 1x objective that works on a regular compound microscope is not that common. You may have a hard time finding someone who has both the Nikon LWD condenser AND such a 1x objective.
Selling my Canon FD 200mm F/2.8 lens

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Post by JohnyM »

Thanks for suggestions, i appreciate them, sadly they wont do.

I have custom-made Nikon Achromat-Aplanat 1.4 Universal system condenser that is perfectly aligned for DIC and darkfield, and i dont want to remove it and repeat the process every time i want to use low power lenses. In fact, even with 4x it is giving horrible vignetting on APS-C and then even in the image center, image quality is awfull. Putting diffusor on the top lens is also very cumbersome, as the condenser lens is quite huge, in fact to mount it, you have to dismount microscope stage first.

But since i want to build another microscope deticated to LWD Phase contrast (not sure if another microphot or inverted microscope yet) with 4x, 10x, 20x, 40x i'll get one or two extra holes in the nosepiece and i figured i could fill them with 1x and 2x lenses, hence the question.

Given the need for 4x Phase lens, i had only 2 condenser choices 0,3 ELWD and 0,55 LWD. I plan to use 40x/0.55 as highest NA so i've already ordered LWD for silly 25 USD but now is the question if it will give FOV for 1x and 2x with ultra-wide head (APS-C coverage)?

I dont want to buy those lenses, just to find out they wont work properly, but i've failed to find any information in old nikon PDF's :(

Also im considering if it's worth to get Apos in those magnifications? I would like to use them with epifluorescence and im very dissapointed with 4x performance in this task. PlanFluors and PlanApos are giving very nice dark background when 4xPhL is giving horrible autofluorescence in UV an V, and background is often as bright as the emmision.

zzffnn
Posts: 1896
Joined: Thu May 22, 2014 1:25 pm
Location: Houston, Texas, USA
Contact:

Post by zzffnn »

You may be able to get a rough idea, by measuring the field coverage of that LWD condenser, when focus onto a flat paper laid over slide.

The exact field number will depend on your scope head/tube/sensor size. In you case, I am guessing 22mm for 1x and 11mm for 2x?

I can loan you my 2x NA 0.05 objective. It is a cheap $50 Chinese (AcuScope/AmScope) one though and may not image the same way as the (Nikon?) objective you want to buy.

Are you planning to view big plant/mineral thin sections or chemical crystals? If not, I doubt 1x objective would be of much use for hobbyist transmitted light application. I rarely use my 2x for pond water samples, only once for snails IIRC.
Selling my Canon FD 200mm F/2.8 lens

JohnyM
Posts: 463
Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:02 am

Post by JohnyM »

Ok, so in case anyone is interested: LWD condenser doesnt even cover 2x lens with APS-C. Also it cannot be mounted on microphot at all, just doesnt fit physically. I need to think of other solution.

Interestingly, when mounted on other microscope and setting up Koehler illumination, phase contrast on 4x lens is horrible, FN of about 5 get phase contrast effect. Only ~10 FN is covered with phase contrast at best - when moving condenser away from koehler.

Interestingly it works well with 10x, 20x, 40x... Can it be because it's PhaseContrast (not 2) and im using CFN lenses?

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic