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 | | From: | justbeats | | Subject: | Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | 23 Dec 2004 03:36:59 -0800 |
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 | I just bought a Zeiss ICM 405 off Ebay. Listed "sold as seen" by a
vendor who "knows nothing about microscopes" meant it was a big risk.
But after asking several questions, I decided break-up value would
recoup some loss if it turned out a real lemon and took the plunge.
I got it yesterday and everything works perfectly! The guy was just
being honest. And what a scope it is! Makes my metallograph and simple
binocular scopes look like toys in comparison. Best grand I ever spent
:-)
I've figurd out most of it but there are a couple of features I'm
unfamiliar with and I have no manual to refer to. What are the small
"focussing" knobs on the epi-plan objectives for? How and why should I
use the sliding filter block beneath the objectives – other than to
switch direct illumination on and off? (It affects the output of the
turret lighting too – and looks like filters can be changed via
snap-in rings - but why and what for?). I'd also like to confirm I
really am setting the illumination up properly, and so on…
I've searched everywhere for a manual and come up empty. Zeiss have
manuals for all their old scopes online, but the one for the ICM 405
only comprises a couple of pages of brief notes on how to take a
photo.
Can anyone help?
Cheers
Beats
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| | From: | Kevin Cunningham | | Subject: | Re: Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | Thu, 23 Dec 2004 13:26:47 GMT |
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"justbeats" wrote in message
news:8bdaa68.0412230336.5b8cab3e@posting.google.com...
>I just bought a Zeiss ICM 405 off Ebay. Listed "sold as seen" by a
> vendor who "knows nothing about microscopes" meant it was a big risk.
> But after asking several questions, I decided break-up value would
> recoup some loss if it turned out a real lemon and took the plunge.
>
> I got it yesterday and everything works perfectly! The guy was just
> being honest. And what a scope it is! Makes my metallograph and simple
> binocular scopes look like toys in comparison. Best grand I ever spent
> :-)
>
> I've figurd out most of it but there are a couple of features I'm
> unfamiliar with and I have no manual to refer to. What are the small
> "focussing" knobs on the epi-plan objectives for? How and why should I
> use the sliding filter block beneath the objectives - other than to
> switch direct illumination on and off? (It affects the output of the
> turret lighting too - and looks like filters can be changed via
> snap-in rings - but why and what for?). I'd also like to confirm I
> really am setting the illumination up properly, and so on.
>
> I've searched everywhere for a manual and come up empty. Zeiss have
> manuals for all their old scopes online, but the one for the ICM 405
> only comprises a couple of pages of brief notes on how to take a
> photo.
>
> Can anyone help?
>
> Cheers
> Beats
Thats typical of all Zeiss manuals. Could you do us a favor and send a
couple of pictures? That might help me since I'm a bit confused. It sounds
like the second part of your query is just the filter holder part of the
illumination assembly. You can install things like polarization cubes
there.
Happy Holidays all!
Kevin Cunningham
SMS
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| | From: | steve_beats at hotmail.com | | Subject: | Re: Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | 23 Dec 2004 06:10:33 -0800 |
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Kevin Cunningham wrote:
>
> Thats typical of all Zeiss manuals. Could you do us a favor and send
a
> couple of pictures? That might help me since I'm a bit confused. It
sounds
> like the second part of your query is just the filter holder part of
the
> illumination assembly. You can install things like polarization
cubes
> there.
>
If you search ebay "completed items" for "icm 405" you'll see the
pictures of the actual scope there.
I've since done a bit more research and I'm pretty sure I've got a
scope set up for Nomarski DIC - both transmitted and incident lighting.
Gets better and better.
Anyway - I've found some general info from Molecular Expressions about
setting up a DIC system. I suspect that has a lot to do with the extra
sliders, filters, wheels and knobs that are confusing me.
Would still like to find a source for the original manual though.
Cheers
Beats
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| | From: | Don G | | Subject: | Re: Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | 23 Dec 2004 11:12:12 -0800 |
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Try:
http://www.zeiss.de/4125681F004CA025/Contents-Frame/CBF261E834C3E20F85256ED300725717
....and scroll down to ICM 405
Incidentally this is fine source of Zeiss manuals for their more recent
microscopes. You might notice that it a German web page but the manuals
are in English.
I have not actually downloaded the ICM 405 pdf but I have several of
the others including the one for the Axiomat that shows the operation
and options of that legendary instrument in great detail.
Don
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| | From: | steve_beats at hotmail.com | | Subject: | Re: Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | 29 Dec 2004 07:39:39 -0800 |
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| Folks, thanks for the pointers. I still haven't got a manual, but
using general info from the web as a guide (some based on your
pointers), I got to grips with the scope over Xmas. In summary, it's
a Zeiss ICM 405 kitted out with:
o Reflected illumination system (100W tungsten?)
o Transmitted illumination system (100W halogen)
o Camera and camera control box (Polaroid and/or 35mm)
o Nomarski DIC on both light paths (Inko/Phako condenser above)
o PlanAPO, EpiPlan and NeoFluar objectives (10x to 100x oil)
o Two DIC objective sliders (Wollaston prisms for 16x and 40x)
Only "niggle" is the stage doesn't have a slide holder, just an
open rectangular frame. I cobbled together a Heath-Robinson solution,
so it's not an obstacle (but I bet getting a proper one will cost
nearly half as much as I paid for the whole scope). I need more "parts"
to add the darkfield capability, but that's not really important...
At first I thought the DIC system was incomplete as I couldn't get
crossed polarisers to produce a truly dark (black) field. It went a
deep magenta instead. After a bit more research and disassembly I found
(what I now know as) a de S=E9narmont compensator fitted on top of the
analyser, so it was really working "as it should" all along.
Overall, everything is in full working order (I even blew off a roll of
film to ensure the shutter, camera and control box worked; which they
did). I spent most of Xmas going over my slide collection and found new
details in every single one!
An example: the first slide I tried was one I've had ages labelled
"spores and elaters". I've spent hours with previous scopes
trying to discern the elaters as more than just an indistinct mass of
gelatinous rice noodles. Well, turn on the DIC at 400x and the
structure leapt out! Each elater showed as a tube of separate fibres
winding around in a spiral form. The ends of each elater are flattened
into a paddle shape with fraying (separation) of the component fibres
in some cases. Amazing! And so pretty with all the rainbow colours! And
so invisible in my previous scopes!
I have to admit, I didn't even know Nomarski DIC existed until I got
this scope. I thought phase contrast was state-of-the-art. I've never
really considered myself to be an amateur microscopist either, just
someone who likes looking at things through a microscope. But lucking
into this scope ahs boosted my enthusiasm immeasurably. I gained an
overwhelming urge to pursue "serious amateur" status now :-)
And let's talk about synchronicity! Another of my (MUCH) more active
hobbies is astro-photography. I've a pretty good 1.4 Megapixel cooled
CCD which appears to fit directly on the 35mm camera port of the Zeiss.
You can guess what I'll be doing of an evening now that cloudy skies
are forecast for a week or more!
You can label me "one very contented anorak" if you like :-) :-)
Cheers
Beats
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| | From: | Aaron | | Subject: | Re: Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | 30 Dec 2004 14:48:03 -0600 |
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| Sounds like you hit the jackpot. You have some of the best of the
best Zeiss items. Enjoy it. What you describe is worth around $5-$6K
as parts sold on eBay. The point is that that is what most people do.
If you enjoy microscopes, this is a big time keeper..
The reflected DIC will produce colors from magenta through to green.
These are false colors based on the interference effects. Try busting
an old microschip apart and oberving it with the reflected DIC. Move
the Wolaton Sliders to change the colors.
Aaron
On 29 Dec 2004 07:39:39 -0800, steve_beats@hotmail.com wrote:
>Folks, thanks for the pointers. I still haven't got a manual, but
>using general info from the web as a guide (some based on your
>pointers), I got to grips with the scope over Xmas. In summary, it's
>a Zeiss ICM 405 kitted out with:
>
>o Reflected illumination system (100W tungsten?)
>o Transmitted illumination system (100W halogen)
>o Camera and camera control box (Polaroid and/or 35mm)
>o Nomarski DIC on both light paths (Inko/Phako condenser above)
>o PlanAPO, EpiPlan and NeoFluar objectives (10x to 100x oil)
>o Two DIC objective sliders (Wollaston prisms for 16x and 40x)
>
>Only "niggle" is the stage doesn't have a slide holder, just an
>open rectangular frame. I cobbled together a Heath-Robinson solution,
>so it's not an obstacle (but I bet getting a proper one will cost
>nearly half as much as I paid for the whole scope). I need more "parts"
>to add the darkfield capability, but that's not really important...
>
>At first I thought the DIC system was incomplete as I couldn't get
>crossed polarisers to produce a truly dark (black) field. It went a
>deep magenta instead. After a bit more research and disassembly I found
>(what I now know as) a de Sénarmont compensator fitted on top of the
>analyser, so it was really working "as it should" all along.
>
>Overall, everything is in full working order (I even blew off a roll of
>film to ensure the shutter, camera and control box worked; which they
>did). I spent most of Xmas going over my slide collection and found new
>details in every single one!
>
>An example: the first slide I tried was one I've had ages labelled
>"spores and elaters". I've spent hours with previous scopes
>trying to discern the elaters as more than just an indistinct mass of
>gelatinous rice noodles. Well, turn on the DIC at 400x and the
>structure leapt out! Each elater showed as a tube of separate fibres
>winding around in a spiral form. The ends of each elater are flattened
>into a paddle shape with fraying (separation) of the component fibres
>in some cases. Amazing! And so pretty with all the rainbow colours! And
>so invisible in my previous scopes!
>
>I have to admit, I didn't even know Nomarski DIC existed until I got
>this scope. I thought phase contrast was state-of-the-art. I've never
>really considered myself to be an amateur microscopist either, just
>someone who likes looking at things through a microscope. But lucking
>into this scope ahs boosted my enthusiasm immeasurably. I gained an
>overwhelming urge to pursue "serious amateur" status now :-)
>
>And let's talk about synchronicity! Another of my (MUCH) more active
>hobbies is astro-photography. I've a pretty good 1.4 Megapixel cooled
>CCD which appears to fit directly on the 35mm camera port of the Zeiss.
>You can guess what I'll be doing of an evening now that cloudy skies
>are forecast for a week or more!
>
>You can label me "one very contented anorak" if you like :-) :-)
>Cheers
> Beats
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| | From: | Aaron | | Subject: | Re: Zeiss ICM 405 | | Date: | 23 Dec 2004 15:22:14 -0600 |
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| Hi,
What you have is a very fine metalograph, an inverted microscope
pricipally used to examine polished and etched metal samples. This is
similar in concept to other Zeiss incident light microscopes, but the
one you have uses bottom up lighting while the others use top down
lighting. Incident lighting means that the light is first directed
through the objective and the reflected image is collected in the same
objective. In addition to the eyepieces, there were built in camera
systems which need separate control modules. You will also need a
power supply for the particular type of lamp that has been installed.
There were two different sets of objectives offerred by Zeiss for
incident light microscopy. The HD Epiplan objectives are for
brightfield and darkfield. There is a slider somewhere between the
light source and the condenser head that allows an opaque circular
stop to be inserted into the light path that will chage the lighting
from brightfield to darkfield with the HD objectives. The darkfield
is with the patch in.
The epi-pol objectives were for reflected DIC (abreviated by Zeiss as
INKO). If you have epi- Pol objectives with INKO sliders (Wolaston
prisms) just before the light enters the objectives your scope was
setup for DIC. DIC is a technique that relies on polarized light so
somewhere in the light path (usually just in front ot the slider with
the stop, there is a spot for a special polarizing filter that rotates
and another polarizing filter before the light reaches the binoculars.
Properly set up DIC will create interference colors related to slight
differences in the height profile of the specimen. Hence a polished
metal surface etched with acid or some other reagent will have phase
boundaries and crysaline areas showing as different colors when the
surface looks like a uniform metal surface to the unaided eye.. This
is also an awesome system to observe semi-conductor chips as the inage
of individual components on the chips take on different colors.
I hope this gives you a starting point.
Congratulations,
Aaron
PS There is a image of the microscope on John Oren's website for
Vermont Optechs.
see: http://scopeshop.max-it.com/Infopage.asp?ZMI01
and another image
http://www.absoluteclarity.com/Zeiss%20ICM%20405%20Inverted.htm
Here is some tech info in German
http://f25.parsimony.net/forum62175/messages/8944.htm
Brief instructions for camera portion
http://www.zeiss.com/4125681F004E2140/EmbedTitelIntern/ICM405Microscope/$File/GE-41-126ICM405.pdf
This is a very famous microscope and a google search will bring pages
and pages of information.
On 23 Dec 2004 03:36:59 -0800, steve_beats@hotmail.com (justbeats)
wrote:
>I just bought a Zeiss ICM 405 off Ebay. Listed "sold as seen" by a
>vendor who "knows nothing about microscopes" meant it was a big risk.
>But after asking several questions, I decided break-up value would
>recoup some loss if it turned out a real lemon and took the plunge.
>
>I got it yesterday and everything works perfectly! The guy was just
>being honest. And what a scope it is! Makes my metallograph and simple
>binocular scopes look like toys in comparison. Best grand I ever spent
>:-)
>
>I've figurd out most of it but there are a couple of features I'm
>unfamiliar with and I have no manual to refer to. What are the small
>"focussing" knobs on the epi-plan objectives for? How and why should I
>use the sliding filter block beneath the objectives – other than to
>switch direct illumination on and off? (It affects the output of the
>turret lighting too – and looks like filters can be changed via
>snap-in rings - but why and what for?). I'd also like to confirm I
>really am setting the illumination up properly, and so on…
>
>I've searched everywhere for a manual and come up empty. Zeiss have
>manuals for all their old scopes online, but the one for the ICM 405
>only comprises a couple of pages of brief notes on how to take a
>photo.
>
>Can anyone help?
>
> Cheers
> Beats
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