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Show Us Your Scopes


mikecable

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Your microscopes, field scopes, Optivisors, loupes--any and all optical aides that you use for micropaleontology.

I'll start--

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This is my go-to scope. My pretty, my baby. The scope itself is a Bausch & Lomb Stereozoom 4 pod. The objective zooms from 0.7X to 3.0X. In the configuration in these photos--which is what I use most of the time--I've got 10X B & L high relief eyepieces equipped with rubber eye cups. My effective magnification is 7x to 30X. I have a combination glass objective shield/ring light adapter attached to the base of the pod. This allows me to mount the cheap made in China fluorescent ring light.

The pod is mounted in a standard B & L E arm, which is attached to an aftermarket K stand. This gives me a little more than 5 inches of clearance with the light ring attached, and 6 inches of clearance without the light.

As I said, this is my go-to scope, and I usually use it in this configuration. I do have 0.5X and 2.0X Barlow lenses that will mount below the objective. I also have 5X, 15X and 20X eyepieces. But they aren't high eye relief, and I only use them in certain situations.

This is one of three B & L Stereozoom setups I have. Not to mention two other optical scopes, and variety of digital scopes, field scopes, magnifiers, etc. I have a very understanding wife.

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Here is my Bausch & Lomb Stereozoom 4. My pod is just like mikecable's, but prettier. Equipped with a 0.5x ancillary lens and 20x WF eyepieces. To the left is the engine for the Fostec fiber optic lighting system. In the photo I am set up to sort Lee Creek material. I really like this device.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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snolly50

Nice setup. How do you like the fiber optic illuminator? I could probably use more light. My understanding is that the white pods like yours were for the general consumer market. Black pods were for large industrial contracts, and gray pods were for government contracts. I've heard of a red pod that is very rare, and have never seen one.

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The fiber optic rig is just great. I usually use it with the "brightness" turned only 1/3 of full. It puts out a lot of illumination. I lucked up in acquiring this one. It was bundled with a B&L scope on eBay that went for almost nothing. The seller candidly revealed a badly pitted 0.5x lens. I guess some bidders were scared off not knowing that the 'scope works fine without that added piece. I sold that scope, but kept the light.

I was not aware of the color significance. I assume mine was always white, but it was re-enameled by the guy who refurbished it. Now that I know, I'm going to pretend it is a rare red one.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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I've got one of these original B & L illuminators that mounts through the hole in the back of the E arm. It's not very bright. But I will never part with it since it has an original "Property of NASA" tag.

I was leaning toward an LED ring lamp, but now I think I will look into a fiber optic illuminator. After all, I have three B & L scopes that need illumination. :)

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Is anybody using an American Opticals scope--especially any of their stereo models?

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I also have a B&L Stereozoom 4:

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My present light source is a mini-Maglight, attached to the stand for my Celestron handheld digital microscope with a rubber band. ;) Yes, I am making do with what I have on hand, and it works reasonably well. And yes, my work area is cluttered.

In this configuration (scope standing on a metal stepstool separate from my folding table), I have roughly 8-10" space between table and scope. I can put some sizable samples under there--if I replace the table with a footstool, I could have my husband sit under there! :P

The sample on the plate under the scope is Tichenor limestone residue (Middle Devonian). I'd estimate that this matrix is more than 50% foraminifera! With a few conodonts, fish scales, green 'donuts' and spines, pyrites, bits of possible echinoid shell, and mineral bits. I'm having a good time with it. :D

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Vision Engineering

Stereo Dynascope

Model TS-3

Interesting scope. What is the purpose/how does the hood work?
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The scope is a stereo zoom inspection microscope with no eyepieces that can cause eye strain. Inside the hood is where the image is projected onto a spinning lens and viewed. Please see the link below for a better explanation.

carl

http://www.visioneng.us/about/technology/dynascope

How does it work?

With a traditional ‘eyepiece’ microscope, the image being viewed exits the microscope eyepieces as intense, narrow beams of light (approximately 3mm in diameter). Users must precisely align their eyes to view the image.

The role of the spinning multi-lenticular disc is to expand the diameter of the “eyepiece”.

dynascope.jpg

With Dynascope™ ‘eyepiece-less’ optics even though there are no “eyepieces” as such, there are still two separate light paths, which pass through the patented optics, exiting the single viewing lens as wide twin light paths, approximately 40mm in diameter.

The large diameter of these twin light paths exiting the single viewing lens means that users do not need to precisely align their eyes to see the subject. This freedom of movement significant improves user ergonomics, reducing neck, back and eye strain, while making operators more efficient and more productive.

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toolbox82

A fascinating scope. I'd never heard of it. Is there any way to take photos using this scope?

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Is anybody using an American Opticals scope--especially any of their stereo models?

That's what I have AO stereo, continuous zoom on a boom. I love it. My folks paid a few hundred bucks for it many years ago at the surplus sale at one of the big east coast universities in Cambridge, MA.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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The first scope I showed you is my beauty. This one is my beast.

The scope isn't that much different. A B & L Stereozoom 4 with 10X eyepieces, a 5X Barlow objective to give greater working distance, and a B & L lens shield, to both protect the Barlow and provide a ring light mounting lip.

The difference is the stand. A standard S mount B & L boom stand with the addition of a two inch diameter stainless steel vertical extension almost 12 inches long. It weighs more than I want to move. I'm guessing well more than 50 pounds. I have at least 18 inches of movement from the base to the objective in both the X and Y axes. I can rotate the pod on the Z axis, and I also have the B & L ER arm on this one, that allows me to rotate the pod some sort of which way.

This is the scope for my once and future prep cabinet. I've built the scope. The cabinet will surely come.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've wanted a nice field scope for a while now. And I now have a new precious pretty.

Have I mentioned I have a very understanding wife.

By field scope I don't mean a scope I can carry in my pack. I've learned that a loupe or Optivisor serves that purpose best.

I wanted a scope that I could pack in the car to use in the motel room, or to break out when we returned to the car (base camp) at lunch. A scope that would look good in an old style geologic base camp, where you pitched the canvas high-walled tent for a week. I scope that would look good in an old line shack. A scope that I could haul to a show or club meeting or classroom.

I also wanted functionality. So I lusted after both form and function. I'm particularly fascinated by the Modernist aesthetic--1900 to 1950 give or take. I live in a 1929 prairie style Craftsman home. I love mission style furniture. I love steam punk.

Dr. Hillary Olson at UT Austin brought her vintage scope down to one of our workshops once and I saw my dream. An old stereo scope in a wooden case. Post WWII but earlier than the post-Modernist Bausch & Lomb Stereozooms. She had inherited hers from her graduate adviser.

And my pretty precious arrived in the mail today.

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There are a few scuffs and scratches on the case. But I have more scars on my old carcass and I'm younger. The optics are crystal clear. The focus and objective slides are as smooth as a cool silk pillow case running across my cheek on a hot Texas night.

A very few chips in the grey enamel. Again, I look a lot rougher after 50 years.

The latch and key work perfectly. It came with 10X WF Bausch and Lomb eyepieces, but I've already added 5X and 20X eyepieces to the nifty little rack in the door.

Have I mentioned I have a very understanding wife.

With my extra eyepiece sets I've got effective magnification at just about every stop from 3X to 40X. The focus stays just about perfect between eyepiece swaps, and is even better when I just slide the objective.

I can't find a patent number on this scope, but I know enough about B & L stereo scopes to say it is definitely post 1930, and definitely manufactured before 1960.

I've settled on a wife for all of eternity. But I still look at microscopes. This one is my new precious pretty.

I have the best wife in the world.

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Solid awesomeness!

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Beautiful form, and by your account function. I think I love that case most of all! Wonderful.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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Mike that is fantastic.

By the way, does your wife have a sister?

:D

It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Russian-microscope.jpg I bought a NEW cold war Russian scope , came with the light and micrometer measuring insert for eyepiece. 0.3x to 3.3x with 8x and 16x eyepieces. Great optics. You couldn't knock this thing over with a tank :)

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"_ Carl Sagen

No trees were killed in this posting......however, many innocent electrons were diverted from where they originally intended to go.

" I think, therefore I collect fossils." _ Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."__S. Holmes

"can't we all just get along?" Jack Nicholson from Mars Attacks

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One of my scopes is the American Optical Cycloptic, a stereo microscope. If you can find one of these with good clear optics they are a killer microscope. Cycloptic sounds like a good name for a dinosaur or cycloptiosaur.

Rodney

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Russian-microscope.jpg I bought a NEW cold war Russian scope , came with the light and micrometer measuring insert for eyepiece. 0.3x to 3.3x with 8x and 16x eyepieces. Great optics. You couldn't knock this thing over with a tank :)

I like that magnification range. A little more on both the high end and low end than my B & L Stereozoom which is 0.7X to 3.0X. Sweet looking scope.

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One of my scopes is the American Optical Cycloptic, a stereo microscope. If you can find one of these with good clear optics they are a killer microscope. Cycloptic sounds like a good name for a dinosaur or cycloptiosaur.

Rodney

I keep looking at AO Cycloptic scopes on Ebay. They don't come up as often as B & L Stereozooms, but they can often be had for a good price. I think my wife might want me to get rid of one or more of my dozen plus scopes before I buy another. It definitely has a cool name.

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