I'd suggest a Zeiss Standard model converted to LED. Something like a Zeiss Standard 18 would allow you to hold five objectives and pull off the turret for safe-keeping. The Zeiss mechanisms are fiddly in design but quite robust. Even ones with stuck grease from decades of sitting can usually be bro...

That's good to know. Thank, Rik.

I wouldn't have expected such an excellent result from that educational-level Nikon objective. Bravo.

If you did the swap and added $600-700, that would be fair IMO.

That's very cool, Stephen. It's also neat that you have such a useful progression of great objectives to make the most of this specimen.

One would hope it doesn't mess with lens coatings. If it does work one might not even need a cover slip for transmitted light specimens - and use it as a mounting medium as well. I think it's worth pursuing . . . just not with a pricey objective until you learn what it does to lens coatings, any iss...

The first thing you may want to check, with respect to noise when lowering the stage, is the maximum stage height adjustment setting being over-ridden. Get a manual and try to reset it. Another possible problem is stuck grease on the roller bearing slides and related issues. If need be, head inside ...

Nathan, The PDF is on its way. If the scope is tipped over, Nikon Eclipse binocular heads are fairly often broken where the binoculars are screwed to the body of the head. So, cheap but broken ones will show up on eBay. What I've done is extract the tube lens with its dovetail, saw much of the alumi...

I run a kids' science program ("Micronauts") and can provide you with a pretty detailed guide to various microscope brands and models if you PM me with an email for the PDF document. Briefly, the Olympus BH2 models are very good but require eyepiece corrections. If you use a full-frame camera like y...

Ken, I especially like the second darkfield image -- and all your work here on the Central Coast. Pete

That was interesting, Robert. Thanks.

The old-school method of measuring flatness and parallelism (and far more affordable) uses an optical flat and a narrow waveband of light (sodium vapor lamp etc.) as shown here: https://www2.mitutoyo.co.jp/eng/useful/ ... pdf/13.pdf

Can someone tell me what that tool is? I am having a hard time opening the casing. The picture above your question is a pair of plastic conduit fittings. Clever idea. You should be able to find them in the electrical supply area of any large hardware, electrical, or home supply retailer. Some other...

You can add a Leitz correcting eyepiece and shoot "afocal." Anything from a phone camera to a DSLR could be used, perched above the eyepiece. One older, but still usable, approach used a Leitz eyepiece with threads that happened to match early Nikon Coolpix cameras. These will provide surprisingly g...

Well, there's always single photon microscopy . . . that might qualify.

Great images -- and great patience to capture those moments.