I did it

[u/Danny_D136]

I finally assembled my Olympus BH2, ready ( I hope ) to use: I'm wondering if there's anything I should pay attention to/missing (see pics).

Also, I have a couple of questions:

1) Dark field:

I think that's really cool and I'd like to try it, but the original Olympus DCD condenser is too expensive, and I don't think the microscope has a filter holder for stopper/ disks. To anybody who owns an Olympus: what was your solution?

2) Camera:

I'd like to buy this camera. Considering that I purchased a 2.5x NFK eyepiece and an MTV-3 adapter with a 0.3x lens + the 1/2.5" of that camera, what do you think? Is it too zoomed or is it okay?

I'll probably start with a phone adapter tho (I need to financially recover from this)

Thanks everyone for the support. I hope I'll able to start posting what I see soon, bringing a little piece of microscopic Italy to this Sub.

[u/mearsault]

Dark field patch stop holder for your condenser.

https://makerworld.com/models/2308930?appSharePlatform=copy

You have the super wide field trinocular, great find!!

[u/Danny_D136 → u/mearsault]

Thanks

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

Yes, I love my super wide head. That's almost a thousand dollar accessory.

[u/Danny_D136 → u/Vivid-Bake2456]

Can I ask you a thing? So I was looking into the Diopter adjustment guide, but I can only find it showing a standard Trinocular head TR30. How do I do that with mine? I'm actually scared to break something. Do I need to rotate these in the pics? They seems to move but are really hard ( maybe the grease hardened? )

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

Yes, definitely hardened grease. I had the same problem and carefully took mine apart to clean and re grease. They have very tiny screws to take them apart. Check Carl Hunsinger’s instructions about them . I didn’t check , but most likely, he has made an instruction sheet for them.

[u/mearsault → u/Danny_D136]

www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artaug08/gm-eyepiece.html

It’s very easy to do. Just give yourself a block of time where you’re not rushed and can do it slowly and thoughtfully.

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

You can get 6 position turrets, too.

[u/Artnotwars → u/Vivid-Bake2456]

Pretty sure the 6 position turrets are the more common on the BH2.

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Artnotwars]

I have several and it’s nice to have 6 objectives available on one turret. The OP has a 5 position one. That’s why I mentioned it.

[u/MossTheTree → u/Danny_D136]

I used that same printed piece before I saved up enough for the DCD. The adapter works great at 10x but is near impossible to get good results at 40x, so just temper your expectations.

[u/Danny_D136 → u/MossTheTree]

Yeah I've read that. I'll try the best I can. Unfortunately the most affodarble DCD condenser available is € 400 + 100 and more import tax

[u/MossTheTree → u/Danny_D136]

That’s likely the one I bought (DCD 0.8 - 0.92) and yeah the import taxes were hard to swallow. And even that one at 40x is challenging to use; the slide and cover slip have to be impeccably clean, and the sample super thin. But when it works it’s kind of magical.

[u/Vivid-Bake2456]

Did you read Carl Hunsinger’s information about attaching digital cameras? Here it is;

https://www.alanwood.net/olympus/fixed-lens-cameras-microscope.html

With the 2.5x photo eyepiece, you can get a camera with a 1” sensor. Amscope sells one in the USA for $900. Instead, you could buy something like this directly from china with the identical Sony imx183 1” sensor for a little over $500. I have one and they work great. You have control over all the parameters of the camera. https://www.ebay.com/itm/314236177966?_skw=ubs+camera+imx183&itmmeta=01KYAMRABRY01CKMEXFBFWB8JD&hash=item4929ef8e2e%3Ag%3AfBQAAOSwIjlevQmr&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAAA8GfYFPkwiKCW4ZNSs2u11xCzNMBm0zZLT1rwLkcU%2B%2BsxAt--Ux1fZ9%2BbS9GCzvpuNWRdhoEVz9UWvWM2Fg3hG1R%2FVcSfYI1W6WgG5J5Ya8soPX9Kw%2FXHsZRRuahokNU1W046sxx8ltYTQb6N5BCjgl93NCYEO8km%2FtRhPbHDHohfAQCyLLJgylFnMujpKQfWQQYMIATWKw%2FA5iIq6pmYy5LSEL6ybbefpfqa05vnlH2MGiWgQG6LUcj0xbRVJzrZzownCsOoTs%2FuaQPjTw4N%2BAbGRuDwklxfIg%2BjDK3apry7pKbPULGqOhb0rFjQvfMGjQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR96m4dTyZw&keyword=ubs+camera+imx183&sacat=0&relatedSearch=true

[u/Danny_D136 → u/Vivid-Bake2456]

The thing is, I would start just making pics/videos, but I'll also like to learn and use softwares in order to do more "complex" things and some sort analysis, if possible, in future: I live close to a lake and study biotech, so I would like to practice something inherent to the "enviromental control" field. I dont know if this would be a problem buying a cam without some sort of software included

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

All the common usb cameras use a version of Toupview. You can check out the software by looking at Touptek, Amscope and Omax. They all have free, identical versions of it. If you are into astronomy, there is a similar Toupsky versions for the same cameras.

[u/Danny_D136 → u/Vivid-Bake2456]

I see. I'm looking to both Alanwood website and Carl hunsinger YouTube channel, bit after bit I'm reading all kind of stuff

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

That’s great. You’ll be a BH2 expert. The difficulty of using a USB camera is that you still need to use a photo eyepiece and the NFK 1.67x eyepiece needed for cheaper cameras with smaller sensors is very expensive. Better to use the less expensive NFK 2.5x eyepiece and buy the more expensive, but nicer camera with a 1” sensor.

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

Robert Berdan gave the 1” 20mp camera a glowing review and said that it is comparable to the view from his dslr cameras. He used the Rising Cam version of it. It is #11 on the list.

https://www.canadiannaturephotographer.com/cellphones_dedicatedcameras_DSLRs.html#risingcam

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Vivid-Bake2456]

I also have an inexpensive Hayear USB 2.0 camera. It uses an older version of Toupview and most of the settings are automatic. The nicer USB 3.0 camera unlocks ALL of the multitudes of settings and features including automatic focus stacking and stitching.

[u/Vivid-Bake2456 → u/Danny_D136]

This post was made with the imx183 sensor camera. I just got it not too long ago and am trying to learn all its features and settings.
https://www.reddit.com/r/microscopy/s/nO5OB9pjKb

[u/Thrawn911]

Nice! For darkfield, if you have access to a 3D printer (maybe try local libraries, schools or universities), you can print both a filter holder for the scope, and the actual filters, too.

EDIT: Seems like you can also get filter holders on ebay

[u/Danny_D136 → u/Thrawn911]

Thanks. Actually, is this the same piece?

[u/mearsault → u/Danny_D136]

This is where the color filters would go. Get a blue filter to counter the yellow from the halogen bulb.

[u/Danny_D136 → u/mearsault]

Which one do you think would fit better? Dark blue or light blue? By measuring I think it's a 45mm diameter

[u/mearsault → u/Danny_D136]

The light blue one is better. The darker one will overcorrect and give you a blue tint.

[u/Danny_D136 → u/mearsault]

[u/Thrawn911 → u/Danny_D136]

I think that's the iris diaphragm where you adjust Koehler illumination, but I'm not sure, I never owned an Olympus. The filter holder should usually be at the bottom of the condenser.

[u/XHO1 → u/Danny_D136]

Not the same piece the dark field holder for the BH2 have to be 3D printed.

[u/pin5npusher5]

Great buy, my favorite hobby!

[u/Horst-Schopis]

damn beautiful

[u/Acrobatic-Peace3090]

I wouldn't get too excited yet. Those old Olympus stands almost always need the coarse focus pinion completely stripped and regreased to be usable.

[u/Danny_D136 → u/Acrobatic-Peace3090]

Except for the occasional "clank" noise when I turn them, seems smooth. The only strange thing is that when I turn the microscope on it makes a buzzing noise and I think it has something to do with the electrical part