Problems using desktop lamp as light source

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dragonblade
Posts: 200
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:16 pm

Problems using desktop lamp as light source

Post by dragonblade »

Normally, I use my microscope's built-in LED light source. The problem is that it's a very small light source. Not really an issue with the 40x objective because the field of view is so narrow. However, when it's used with the 4x and 10x objectives, the lighting is uneven. This is worse with the 4x objective due to the wider field of view.

Recently, Ive been doing some experimenting with a desktop lamp and newly purchased globe in combination with the microscope's mirror. Without a slide in place, the lighting is quite bright and even generally. However, not quite as bright as I would like when used with the 40x objective. Other than that, not too bad. Unfortunately, the results are pretty poor as soon as I add a slide. The lighting provided by the desktop globe becomes so much dimmer. And part of the image is blurry. And when using the 4x objective, half of the field of view looks like it's in shadow. Overall, the image through the microscope is of very poor quality.

Though things are fine when I switch back to the built-in LED light source (except for the uneven lighting with the 4x and 10x objectives.)

GaryB
Posts: 521
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:18 pm

Post by GaryB »

It would be helpful if you could post a photo of the setup as you are using it, then it may be possible to narrow down what may be going wrong. Also, what wattage and type is the bulb, LED? Frosted? distance from mirror? Again, pictures would help.

To narrow down the problems we need more info than the symptoms. Relaying problems with no frame of reference to work from is difficult which is where pictures help, preferably as you've been using it with lamp and mirror.

dragonblade
Posts: 200
Joined: Sat Oct 18, 2014 11:16 pm

Re: Problems using desktop lamp as light source

Post by dragonblade »

Sorry for the late reply. As mentioned in a previous thread, I had bought a 60 watt LED bulb for the desktop lamp. I would like to replicate the same setup and photograph it too but unfortunately, the microscope's mirror has gone missing.

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