Thanks for the detailed explanation! I appreciate the time put into these posts!pbraub wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 12:35 pmhttps://spectraservices.com/product/U-P802.html This is the KPA it has a mount for the same slider used in the d_re nosepieces.
https://www.scientifica.uk.com/images/analyser.jpg this is the analyser when used in the epi illumination arm (e.g. with u-dicts, hr and hc)
I have a u-dict and a u-ant that goes into the slider coming. Also two prisms, U-DIC100 and U-DIC40. However, I don't have a uis2 objective for them. I do have a uis2 achro 100x oil, Olympus claims it's not compatible, I hope it's just marketing. The 2 100x I have are UIS, so is that really rare 40x oil phase contrast objective, unfortunately. Painful!
I don't plan on doing fluorescence any time soon. I don't know how to stain stuff, prepare slides etc yet. Then again I said I'll never do DIC due to the cost and compatibility headaches... not optimistic.
My setup is your first one. The U-DICT has a U-ANT sitting in it, then the slider sits in the turret. I'm using a U-D6RE.
The condenser I'm using is the U-UCD. I can't find any information on it, I think it's just a renamed BH2-UCD. I have a repair manual from Alan Wood's site, looks very well built. Centring is done via some set screws rather than a couple antenna and it has the earlier film based phase contrast rings. Hope they aren't for BH, I want to sell them to get some money back.
That said, your second one might work for me. I have a U-KMAS simple coaxial illuminator with a U-PO3. The U-PO3 seems to differ in that it is longer? Are they dimensionally the same with same extinction?
Here's a U-KPA with U-ANT, slider, and U-POT if anyone's interested. Not a nasty price, seller accepts offers: eBay item number:233649746538
I actually have this weird DIY intermediate tube that (apparently) works similarly to a U-KPA.
It was very very cheap, like $15. It has a dial on the back where the polariser can be rotated, somehow.
Regarding BFP1, thanks for the insight and your experience. It sort of aligns with my findings. I don't have any UIS2-BF1 objectives. According to the manual, the 100xO, 100xOI (UPlanFL N) and 100xO (UplanSApo) can be used without the U-DICTS. I do plan on adding a UIS2 UplanFL N 40x and 100x to my kit, glad to know it definitely works without the shift prism.
To break down their massive list:
BFP1 UIS2: UplanFL N 40x oil, UplanSApo 60x oil, PlanApoN 60x oil
BFP1 UIS1: UplanApo 40x oil Iris, PlanApo 60x oil, UApo 40x water and oil iris 340nm (these two are UV objectives)
I still can't understand why the 40x and 60x are seen as specials. The 40x UplanFL oil has an NA of 1.4, whereas the UIS Apo is only at 1. Olympus doesn't offer a 40x UPlanSApo oil nor do they have a phase contrast one. They do for UIS though?
For the 60x, I think they are special order types. I do have a chance to buy a new 60x water SApo, it's nearly $3000, not doing it. Ideally I want to find a U-DIC20 next for my 20x uis2.
I had a small exchange with a seller, he turns out to be a retired microscope systems integrator, used to work for Olympus. Here are his input for anyone that's interested.
UIS2 was introduced in 2004 and had an improved glass formulation. It also simplified the number of prisms from 47 to 33. The new glass in UIS2 is brighter and allowed 10x through 40x to have the same Back Focal Plane (BFP). The same BFP allowed over a dozen new UIS2 prisms to use the same prism optics as the older UIS1 glass formulation. We could use over a dozen old prisms with the new UIS2 objectives. So the U-DPA40 will work with 40X apo objectives (both oil and dry and old and new S). You are correct that the U-DP40 is ideal for the UPLFL40x. The U-DPA40 will work with the UPLFL40X but one color wavelength will not be as true as with the U-DP40 prism. Hope that helps.
Basically, UIS prisms will work with most UIS2. The opposite however is most likely untrue! One of the reasons why UIS2 allows far better prism compatibility is the improved glass formula allowing objectives to have the same BFP. Colours might be compromised.Your 40X apo phase iris is indeed a rare old bird. It was over 4K back in 2004. Phase objectives will work with DIC but are not ideal. That iris should be open when using it for phase or DIC but closing it a little can help when viewing fluorescence. If you're capturing images and see a faint phase ring on your images you can remove them by using background subtraction in your camera software.