Olympus BX43 with DIC & Darkfield – Setup

Read the Edited Video Transcript for ‘Olympus BX43 with DIC & Darkfield – Setup’

Hi, this is Chad with Munday Scientific. Today we’ve got a beautiful Olympus BX43 DIC (Nomarski) microscope heading out the door. We wanted to record a quick video for the customer so that, if they have any questions, this will make setup easier.

Tools You’ll Need

First, you’ll need a 3 mm Allen wrench—it’s always kept on the back side of the scope.

Camera Port Setup

This customer requested a camera port for their DSLR. They specifically wanted a D10 BXF port, which allows them to bring the image in and out of focus. We’ll set that aside for now.

Trinocular Head

Next, we have the trinocular head. Here’s how the light splits:

• If the rod is pushed all the way in, all the light goes to the eyepieces.
• In the middle position, the light is split between the eyepieces and the camera.
• If pulled all the way out, all the light goes to the camera.

To remove it, insert the Allen wrench into this hole and loosen it.

Coded Nosepiece

Moving on to the nosepiece: this scope uses a coded nosepiece, which lets you change the light intensity with preset values. (We’ll link to another video in the description that explains this in detail.)

First, turn off the microscope. Make sure it’s powered off before plugging or unplugging the coded nosepiece. The cable plugs in here, and the triangle marker aligns with the matching triangle on the port. Just slide it in until it clicks into place.

Objectives

Now let’s lower the stage and talk about the objectives. To remove the nosepiece, loosen the screw inside about a quarter turn, then slide it off. Make sure the stage is lowered so you don’t scrape the objectives.

This scope is equipped with 10x, 20x, and 40x UIS2 objectives. UIS2 optics are essential for proper alignment with the DIC condenser.

Analyzer & DICT Slider

The DICT slider is also UIS2. The analyzer slides in and out and is held in place by magnets. The alignment pin ensures it only fits one way.

This customer also requested an additional plug so they can switch between DIC and simple polarized light. The analyzer installs the same way: line up the pin with the hole, and the magnets hold it in place.

Stage Removal

Next, the stage. This is a right-handed stage, which we’ll remove for now. We’ve made plenty of videos on stages, but here we’re focusing on DIC.

Raise the focus, then use this knob to lower the condenser. Loosen the thumb screw, and slide the condenser out.

Condenser & DIC Prisms

Inside the condenser are the DIC prisms. Each one is labeled:

• The DIC 10 prism pairs with the 10x objective.
• The DIC 20 prism pairs with the 20x objective.
• The DIC 40 prism pairs with the 40x objective.

This customer also requested a darkfield stop, which is installed here.

To access or change the prisms, use the same 3 mm Allen wrench to open the condenser. A 1.5 mm Allen wrench is used for the screws that hold the prisms in place. The white dot on the condenser must line up with the white dot on the prism for correct alignment.

The open position is for brightfield. Any prism position can be used for brightfield as well.

Polarizer

Now, let’s talk about the polarizer. It slides in and out beneath the condenser. You can rotate it with this knob and lock it in place with the screw.

When setting up the microscope, start in brightfield and set Köhler illumination using the 10x objective. Then insert both the analyzer and polarizer. Rotate the polarizer until extinction is reached—the field will appear completely black when looking through the eyepieces. This confirms the polarizers are crossed.

With extinction achieved, insert the 10x prism to begin DIC. You can adjust color spectrum and wavelength by rotating the Wollaston prism knob.

Additional Alignment Note

At this point, Scott is stepping in to show an additional alignment dot on the condenser. He’s the veteran here, and I just learned something new!

Reassembly

That about covers the BX43 setup. We’ll reassemble quickly: plug the nosepiece back in, reattach the stage, insert the Wollaston prism, reinstall the head, and the scope is ready to use.

Conclusion

We’re shipping this one out today, and we hope Mr. Jack enjoys it. If you have any questions, reach out to us at  or call 919-775-5596.

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