Magnification

Brant · Apr 2, 2014

I do not intend to start any Brand wars.

I need some input from those of you that use a microscope, I'm looking for something used and I have already researched in the archives for what to buy and what to avoid.

What I need input on is magnification. What are the normal ranges of magnification used by most.

Thanks for any help, it is appreciated.

Brant

mitch · Apr 2, 2014

with the more-or-less typical .6x-4.0x body with 10x eyepieces and 0.5x objective reducer ("Barlow") lens, you'll end up with a range of roughly 3x-20x. most of use the midrange of about 5x to 10-12x most of the time. your mileage may vary.

Brant · Apr 2, 2014

Mitch,

Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

Brant

LVVP · Apr 2, 2014

Thanks Mitch for input, very useful

monk · Apr 2, 2014

one can achieve a bit of customization here. with the ,5 objective, for example, if the power is not sufficient, you can simply use higher power eyepieces. for most ordinary work, most scope users ( at least for engraving) find the 10x eyepieces with the .5 is more than adequate for the magnification range most of us are comfy with.

Lonestarr · Feb 15, 2015

Hi all I have the exact above configuration x10 eye piece .6 to 4 object and .5 barlow gives me only 3 to 4 inches working distance is this normal??
tks Bob

monk · Feb 15, 2015

not at all. is this a "stereo ZOOM" ? you should be at least 6-7". many get 6- 8"of clearance. not impossible to work at 4", but more hand clearance is a blessing. the sciencescope i sold had 8" clearance. the leica i now use is at 7". the leica would likely deliver 8", but i installed a .5 that was for a different brand scope.

Lonestarr · Feb 15, 2015

My scope is a Zeiss with a lens changer system instead of the more modern ZOOM. If I am not mistaken the zoom is a continues magnification instead of the lens change changing for magnification is this right? I think since I could not find a zeiss .5 barlow and used a china .5 barlow I may of made my own problems.....Are there charts you can look at to see what magnification a scope has? also, if you don't mind, what working distance do you have without the .5 barlow?
thanks for the reply. Bob

Tira · Feb 16, 2015

I work typically around 10x - 12x as well. Any scope that gives you something in that range is what you want. The only other thing would be the area under the scope for your hands. This is where the barlow or objective lens will come into play. If you can get by with what the scope has (somewhere between 3.5-4 or so inches then you don't even need a barlow lens. If you need more room than that each scope/objective lens may have different configurations for the room you need to work. One .5x barlow lens on one type of scope does not necessarily mean it equates to the same .5x on another type of scope. For this you have to do some research to make sure you get the space you need to work under the scope.

mitch · Feb 16, 2015

Lonestarr said:
...Are there charts you can look at to see what magnification a scope has? Bob

here ya go. pgs 4-6: http://www.leica-microsystems.com/f... E/Brochures/Leica_StereoZoom_TechData_EN.pdf

Brian Marshall · Feb 16, 2015

Which Zeiss do you have? If you have an OPMI series, there really is no such thing as a .5 Barlow for it.

Instead, you install an objective lens according to the distance(s) you require.

Let me know what you are working with and perhaps I can help with that.

Brian

Lonestarr · Feb 16, 2015

Tira Thanks for pointing me in the right direction....My Zeiss has the right basic distance but I didn't gain any distance adding the .5 barlow. This relates back to a cheapy china barlow in the above post....I will try to find a better .5 barlow and get the around 7 inches that I should have.

Mitch Very good manual for reference.....I see that with a .5 barlow they get 7.9 inches working distance...

Thanks to both of you for your reply's Bob

Lonestarr · Feb 16, 2015

Hi Brian The Zeiss that I have is an old timer, with no model number, that I bought from a scope refurbisher... It was a table top with the incandescent side lights that I did away with, I adapter to a boom stand while maintaining the zeiss focus rack and added a fiber optics Microlite....I have a Zeiss gray tinted protective lens that hangs below the objective lens. The bottom of the objective lens has a tapered flange and is for side screw mounting. This is why it is so hard finding a barlow that will work....any ideas???

thanks for the reply Bob

Brian Marshall · Feb 16, 2015

Image of the Zeiss? Just what you have is hard to tell from the description...

If I can't help, I can go dig in my references for an old decrepit Zeiss mechanic's contact info.

Brian

Magnification

Brant

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mitch

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Brant

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LVVP

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monk

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Lonestarr

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monk

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Tira

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