DIC for single lens?

[GaryB]

I really want to try DIC but knowing how horribly expensive it can get I was wondering if I could set up my coming zeiss standard to use just a single DIC lens. Ideally I would like one DIC, one POL, 1 phase contrast and one for auto-fluorescent (like Charles's torch/filter setup) on the same scope. Is this possible without horrible expense?

I'll probably be going Russian/soviet for most of the parts if I can because it'd be less expensive, then I could use really expand on my experiences. Despite all the reading I've done I'm still a bit baffled by it all. I can't possibly afford top of the line anything so I'm asking if the above can even be accomplished on one scope without physical and practical obstacles preventing such a setup. I'd probably be using 40x objectives for all the different systems and change magnification via eyepieces.

Dumb or possible?

[Ichthyophthirius]

Hi Gary,

Apart from the PZO DIC system, the Zeiss INKO tends to be one of the most affordable.

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 3a49ececcd

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... da0ea031d8

A more detailed description can be found here: http://www.the-ultraphot-shop.org.uk/faq.htm

If you get the INKO "old" system, you can automatically use the Plan 40 (from a certain serial number upwards) as well as other magnifications.

With the INKO "new" you get a dedicated slider for the Plan 40/Neofluar 40. For the non-DIC positions on the nosepiece, you can get parfocalising spacers. There is a certain amount of compatibility of the sliders with other objectives http://www.microscopeitaly.it/2009/11/3 ... -versione/

Getting the original Zeiss condensers has the advantage that you can use the phase annuli as well without modification. The condenser isn't that expensive, especially if there is delamination of the prisms which brings down the price but has little effect on the performance. The objective sliders tend to be more expensive, unfortunately.

The intermediate tubes are great. If you can't afford one, for INKO "new", you can just mount an analyser in the microscope tube; not ideal but it works.

Combination of DIC and fluorescence on the same stand can be problematic. High intensity short wavelength illumination can "burn out" the polariser filters. You need to include appropriate blocking filters to prevent this. Phase contrast and fluorescence are a good combination, though.

Regards, Ichty

[GaryB]

Thanks, Ichthy.

Those links will be very useful. I guess with the different lighting methods (DIC, Fluor, Phase etc.) some lenses might work as multi-purpose, would that be a correct assumption? DIC, bright/darkfield, Fluor using the same lens provided it's good enough? I know Phase needs a specific objective but I gather that too could be also be used for brightfield. Polar lenses are another mystery to me. As far as I can gather, they're made 'unstressed' but aside from that I don't know if they're different in any other way to normal bright lenses.

As someone who's only used brightfield everyday objectives it's a tad confusing to say the least..

[Ichthyophthirius]

Hi Gary,

Here is a good overview of the Zeiss optics, including the objective classes (achromats, planachromats, neofluars and planapochromats): www.science-info.net/docs/zeiss/ZeissOpticalSystems.pdf

A very, very rough summary:

Brightfield: any

Darkfield: any; simple contruction is of advantage; high-NA oil objectives require an internal iris

Pol: for quantitative Pol, special "Pol" lenses are required; for qualitative Pol, many normal lenses are suitable; they must show a clean, symmetrical Pol cross between crossed polars; in practice, the newest generations of 160 mm objectives were (mostly?) suitable

DIC: low stress objectives are required, same as for qualitative Pol; the exit pupil of the objective must also match the Zeiss INKO prisms (for tests see links above); if these conditions are met, the higher the specs, the better

Fluorescence: any, as long as the excitation light doesn't cause autofluorescence (that is usually the case with short wavelengths); special objectives like neofluars have low autofluorescence and high transmission for short wavelengths; very high NA and oil immersion are big advantages

Phase: obviously require a phase ring; there are certain classes of objectives like phase neofluars, that can be used for both phase and fluorescence

Regards, Ichty

[GaryB]

You are an official hero of the micro universe

[75RR]

Here is a link to the 4 types of DIC that are compatible with the Zeiss 160 tube system.
http://www.microbehunter.com/microscopy ... =15&t=1543

+ See link for an article on the versatility of the Zeiss rotary condensers: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/art ... denser.pdf

[GaryB]

Thanks for the links, 75RR.

These will make some good reading