NIKON Optiphot Universal BD Plan Epi-Illuminator

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 9:28 am

Does anyone have the Nikon .PDF manual for this? Was it made for another Nikon model but used on the Optiphot? I have 399 manuals that I purchased on a CD but this particular one wasn't included. Yes I have searched the Internet but the sites that say it's available I either have to signup for or my virus program say they're not save.

-JW:

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 6:43 pm

I suspect they could be bought separately, but came as standard equipment with the Optiphot M (metallurgical) and others. See if you have a manual for that.

Mike

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Fri Jul 28, 2017 6:58 pm

Hey Mike,

... 399 Nikon manuals but no Optiphot M or anything starting metal*.PDF. <g>

-JW:

JH · Post by JH » Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:19 am

Hi JW

I have not seen an instruktion only about the EPI unversal illuminator. If you ask Nikon and get a pdf I would be interested in a copy.

What I have is information from the "Polarizing Microscope OPTIPHOT -POL" manual;

(That universal stage looks interesting - but I have never found one and if I do I guess the price is to high.)

This is a picture of what I have collected, two very useful and expensive parts are the polarizing filter and the analyzer. The ND filters are useful because the light can be quite strong, the green GIF filter has its applications.

Best regards Jörgen Hellberg

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:43 am

Outstanding JH, that is covered in the Optiphot-POL manual which I have. Thanks very much! I have been 'slowly' finding components and putting together a dedicated Optiphot-POL scope and never thought to look at the POL manual.

All I need now are the rotating slider and a cap that holds the fuse in the base.

Would you identify these components please?

B - Polarizer slider?

Thanks,
-JW:

JH · Post by JH » Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:12 pm

Hi JW
A: The polarizer, search ebay for "nikon Polarizer slider"
B: Actually I do not know the correct name, could be Polarizer slider, - this is probably not necessary. I use the filter at the end for darkfield with a BD lens. It might stop some stray light. Search ebay for "nikon microscope slide filter"
C: The collector lens - I removed it in this photo to show D.
D: A mirror that is placed behind the collector lens.

Hopes this helps, regards Jörgen

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:41 pm

Thanks ... I should of known what D and C were.

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:47 pm

JH wrote:Hi JW

(That universal stage looks interesting - but I have never found one and if I do I guess the price is to high.)

I have never seen a Nikon one for sale but I am new to this. The only thing close but not Nikon would be the one that Curt has for sale.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Stage ... SwAL9UhwIh

-JW:

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 4:13 pm

Part A is the rotating polarizer and Part B slides in one side of it. It is an ND filter that only affects BF - the outer annulus is clear, so doesn't attenuate (much) the DF annulus. Clever, eh?

So, with the combo, you get four options:

Completely open
Polarizer
ND filter for BF
Polarizer and ND filter

Mike

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 4:26 pm

So this is the only one I have and a dummy slider in the front. The manual calls it a dust-tight slider.

-JW:

mtuell · Post by **mtuell** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 4:59 pm

If you don't have Part A (and hopefully part B, too), you don't have polarized light going down to your sample. As mentioned, they are not inexpensive, but you need some way to polarize the input, preferably with rotation capability. A cheap way around this of course would be to put a polarizer sheet in the open hole, so you could slide between BF ND/DF open and a linear polarizer for your input illumination.

Mike

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sat Jul 29, 2017 5:32 pm

That's the only slider I have for the Universal BD Plan Epi-Illuminator. Naturally that's a different story for this setup I just finished putting together. I thought those rotating sliders were super expensive. Guess I've been looking at the wrong ones on eBay.

-JW:

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Sun Jul 30, 2017 9:12 pm

I was thinking today wouldn't it be cool if I could use the Universal BD Plan Epi-Illuminator on my Rube Goldberg MM-11, so I tried. I think the lamphouse to universal illuminator connection is poorly designed but I can't change that. Since I haven't used the illuminator before I didn't know the function of the controls on the illuminator, nor how to tweak things. I forgot to center the bulb in the lamphouse too, hence the darkness at the bottom of the second image below. I also decided to use Schott-Fostec light source for external illumination but only on the first image below. I had issues with specular reflections on the ferrite rings even when I diffused the lights so I had to get rid of them via PS. Since I was just testing I didn't create a deep enough stack either, at least that's my excuse for now. So since I am somewhat new to this, I assume it should be called reflected brightfield.

-JW:

dolmadis · Post by **dolmadis** » Mon Jul 31, 2017 12:04 am

JH wrote:the green GIF filter has its applications.

I have an incomplete one of these but only missing the coloured filters.

Would it be possible to use other filters using a piece of heavy card/plastic card to fabricate the semi circle of carrier round the filter?

If so what is the diameter of just the filter please?

And the carrier dia please?

Many thanks

John

Smokedaddy · Post by **Smokedaddy** » Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:07 am

Hey John,

You should be able to put anything you want in the filter slots from my perspective. I have 3 filters. The plastic housing on mine are different thicknesses (I am not talking diameter here) only allowing it to go into the proper size width slot in the illuminator, just thought I would mention that. Once upon a time I was told they were 25mm filters. My 'actual filter' measures 25.79mm in diameter. The outside diameter of the plastic housing measures about 28.00mm. Anyway, I would think you should be able to use 1 1/8" filters (28mm), or make them yourself. I know B&H Photo has 28mm filters that you probably can use (or eBay).

Oh, the 'width' of mine are 3.83mm and two are 5.95mm in width.