As I promised to few our forum members, post about adopting a AO condenser (and others) to the Nikon microscope.
The AO condenser was purchased to make some tests with FO illumination, so I decided to clean the dust and make something useful. This is one of the initial designs
It has perpendicular slots for different sliders, like a variable DF, oblique, Rheinberg, gradient, etc. and it was used together with the original AO condenser 32mm slot.
It worked pretty well with my microscopes. Below is an example of one of my previous pol setups
The most recent design has more ability to control illumination – one more location (in the base) for the 32mm
filter (even the ring light), old slots for perpendicular sliding variable/gradient/Rheinberg filters, a slot for the rotational adapter, and an extra location on the top.
All these features allow to create a different configuration similar to Hoffman, Goertz, and even something similar to the pseudo DIC effect, etc. The condenser itself can also be rotated when the base is stationary (if something is placed inside, below the condenser lens). The rotational adapter is very useful, it allows to rotate filters (to control the oblique effect, etc.), especially, if they are used with pol filters (different shapes), for contrast relief, pseudo DIC etc. Below are designs with the Nikon Alpha and the Olympus CH2 condensers with Nikon dovetail bases.
One of the reasons why I created them is that I could not use my standard inserts with Microphot – the original condenser’s holder opening is smaller than in the Optiphot.
In the most recent setup, there is one more retarder above the rotational adapter (it can be seen in the picture above), that is used for pseudo DIC :
I made an extra slot for one more rotatable insert in the TL holder for the retarder. The polarizing filter’s rotatable insert is in the original slot of the microscope.
The ideas described above, were applied for the standard inserts for Nikon, Olympus with an additional adapter.
Below you can see the set for Nikon Abbe 1.25 condenser.
Condenser adaptations
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Condenser adaptations
Saul
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