looking for a non functionnal Olympus SZH body

[Milou]

Hello,

If anybody has an Olympus SZH body with damage to the zoom mechanism and therefore unusable, I would be interested to get it if at least the 2 bottom lenses are clean
In fact, only this black metal plate with 2 lenses (just above objective) would be usefull for me, in order to replace mine with 2 delaminated lenses.....

Thank you for your help

[viktor j nilsson]

I don't remember if this was discussed in your thread on microbehunter, but if they are indeed delaminated, it might be worth testing the trick where you soak them in immersion oil and let it fill the delaminated area. Could maybe even be done in situ.

[Milou]

Thank you for the trick. I'll try it to see.....

[viktor j nilsson]

Here's some reading on the topic, also check the link in post #11 to Arturo Agostino's long term (10 years) tests.

https://www.microbehunter.com/microscop ... php?t=8827

[Milou]

Thank's for this very interesting link

But after checking more carefully these "bad" lenses, I think they are not delaminated as the surface layer is damaged (like a frost pattern!).
Therefore it should be fungus

Then no way but to replace them

[viktor j nilsson]

Lots of stereo microscopes have been used for soldering, and the fumes can damage coatings and lenses. Could be worth to see what the glass looks like if you strip off the coating? Edit: But if it's a frost-like pattern it does sound more like fungus.

[Milou]

Some pictures to show these damaged lenses, probably with fungus...
download/file.php?mode=view&id=5465http ... ew&id=5464

Therefore I think to replace them, if I can find this black metal part (second picture) as I don't think there is any trick to repair this

[PeteM]

It's not an ideal fix, but with very fine optical polishing compound you might be able to strip the outer lens coating and get usable images? I've had semi-success doing this with the same sort of damage on a Bausch & Lomb Stereozoom 7. Polished surfaces won't live up to the potential of the SZH, and you'll lose contrast from stray reflections, but a scope with those lens elements might be re-purposed for something like routine soldering or assembly duty -- once you've found a scope body or replacements with the coatings intact.

[Milou]

Thank's for your idea.
But wich kind of polishing compound have you used for that in order to avoid damaging even more lenses?

I've also read in a paper about optical care, in case of fungus it's necessary to kill/clean them and for that a 50%-50% ammonia and hydrogen peroxide solution is recommended! (twice 1 hour without rubbing and after that taking off with absorptive paper before to clean with a standard optical solution)
I don't know if it's effective but I wonder if these chemicals aren't a too harsh drug for lens?

[PeteM]

I've used the 50-50 mix of household ammonia (10% or so) and hydrogen peroxide (3% or so) to good effect when optics arrived with fungus from some humid location. I've also used optical swabs to gently get into crevices. Followed by distilled water, thorough drying, and lens cleaning. If the fungus was only superficial, the treated lenses have turned out OK and stayed OK if kept below 50% or so humidity. Several pricey objectives and microscope heads have been returned to very good clarity.

There may also be irreversible damage to the lens coating and even etching of the glass - it just depends on how far the fungus has progressed. If your problem is fungus, this cleaning would be a first step.

The small bottle of lens polishing compound I used on trashed B&L SZ7 optics is from a supplier long gone. Here the damage was from a lifetime of living with soldering fumes and splatter. Polishing that one outer surface took the image through the stereo microscope from a gray cloud to an actual image, but with reduced contrast.

Perhaps someone with a telescope lens-making background can suggest something to try that can remove superficial crud and a mostly-trashed coating without altering the lens geometry?? Someone else might even have some experience in restoring a coating???

[Milou]

Thank for your details about use of ammonia (10% or so) and hydrogen peroxide (3% or so) for removing fungus.

Therefore I'll try this on my lenses to see how they will turn back !

[PeteM]

FWIW, the contamination on your lenses may not be fungus - particularly if only the lower lens and outer surface is involved. Often more of a filament look to fungus. Shouldn't hurt to try, though.

[Milou]

Perhaps you are right PeteM about fungus
Today, I've tried this ammonia - hydrogen peroxide solution during 1 hour, but not really effective
Almost the same aspect for these damaged lenses!

[Pitufo]

If this microscope has come from a biology lab, the damage could also be due to formaldehyde (or peroxide) vapour sterilisation of the lab. I'm not sure if the vapour attacks the coatings or the glass directly but I have never found a way to fix this. It is very common in tissue culture labs where routine fumigation is necessary. However, you would also see the damage on the eyepieces too.

If it has come from an industrial setting then it may be some solder/process-related issue.

[Milou]

If it has come from an industrial setting then it may be some solder/process-related issue.

Hello,

Yes it's that, but only these 2 lenses are damaged and its objective is in very good condition up and downside!