Fluorescent Minerals

[Harald]

Hi,
I have been using Mitu 5x and 10x for micro minerals i white light. Works just great.
Now I'm thinking of do some shots of micro minerals in 365nm UV light.
Any suggestions of good microscope optics for this?
Have a Canon 70-200 I will use as tube, or do I need an other one for this?

[Lou Jost]

UV photolithography lenses are a possibility. I have a high-NA 5x UV lens for 248nm which I'd be happy to sell. (Note-weighs 22 pounds!!)

[Bob-O-Rama]

Is the goal to photograph the fluorescence or image the subject using reflected UV? Its two very different applications.

[Pau]

Harald,
I suppose that your idea is to illuminate the sample from outside the objective and to focus the visible fluorescence emitted light with your Mitty+Canon combo in a "macro" style setup, am I right?

If so your optics will be excellent because for visible light they are. If you plan to illuminate with UV through the objective (epifluorescence) things can be different.

What you likely would want is an adequate emission filter to be placed between the objective and the tube lens and maybe also an excitation filter to cut visible light emitted by your UV source, we could discuss them later if interested.

[Harald]

Thanks guys,
My goal is, as you say Pau, my goal is to shoot the visible fluorescent light.

Then I use my usual setup....

22 pounds objective!!! Thats one big monster..

[Lou Jost]

Yes, it's a monster. Would not work for your application. It is for true ultraviolet photography, in other words, for making an image of the ultravioloet light reflected or transmitted by the subject.