Olympus BX51 Microscope Walkthrough

Read the Edited Video Transcript for the ‘Olympus BX51 Microscope Walkthrough’

Hi, this is Chad with Munday Scientific. Today, we’re going to present the Olympus BX51 microscope walkthrough. This particular unit is configured for a pathologist and a Mohs surgeon. We’re getting ready to deliver it next week, so we wanted to film a demo that will help them—and you, if you’re watching this—understand how to use and navigate your microscope.

Michael is going to join us, and we’ll go over the main features.

This scope has a tilting head with 10x/22 mm field-of-view eyepieces. We’ll be adding rubber eye guards for comfort. On the left eyepiece, there’s a diopter adjustment, and the tilting head allows for ergonomic viewing. You could also have a trinocular head if you’re using a camera system, or even an intermediate piece like a U-TU for light splitting to the camera.

This particular scope includes a five-position nosepiece. Before removing it, always lower the stage to avoid crashing into the objectives. A 3 mm Allen wrench, often stored on the frame of the microscope, is used to loosen and remove the nosepiece. If you don’t have one, you can pick up a metric set at Walmart, Amazon, Lowe’s, Home Depot, or similar.

Objectives Breakdown for This Versatile Microscope

Since this is set up for pathology, we have Plan 2x, 4x, 10x, 20x, and 40x objectives. You may have a six-position nosepiece or a different objective setup depending on your needs, but this is what our client requested. The 2x objectiveis especially important for Mohs surgery.

When using a 2x objective, you’ll need a flip-out condenser, which we’ll show next. This system features a fixed stage, but some setups may include a coaxial stage control on either side. In this case, the doctor prefers to manually push the slides, so we’ve left it that way.

The Condenser, Learn More

Again, we’ll lower the stage before removing it, then flip out the top element of the condenser. After that, raise the stage back up and lower the substage condenser. You’ll see that the condenser can flip in and out. When using the 2x objective—and sometimes the 4x—you’ll want the top lens flipped out to fully illuminate the field of view. For the 10x, 20x, and 40x objectives, keep the lens flipped in.

More Info for the ‘Olympus BX51 Microscope Walkthrough’

The field diaphragm helps set Köhler illumination, which is important for maintaining parfocality and consistent light intensity across magnifications. We have another video linked in the description that goes into this in detail. When properly adjusted, you’ll barely need to refocus when switching objectives—usually within a quarter turn of the fine focus knob.

The rheostat is located here for light intensity control. We also get a lot of questions about the filters on the BX51. There are two neutral density (ND) filters and one daylight blue filter. When you remove the blue filter, the light appears yellowish. Keeping it in provides a crisp, white light. The fourth slot is open—you can insert other filters such as green ones if you’re doing phase contrast work.

Next, a small ergonomic feature: this focus knob extension. It makes the fine focus more comfortable to use. If you prefer it on the other side, you can unscrew it with the Allen wrench, pop off the small plastic cap on the opposite side (using a fingernail or a razor blade), move the knob, and replace the cap on the original side.

While we’re here, let’s discuss tension adjustment. If your stage is drifting down on its own, it’s likely a tension issue. First, check the tension ring—you might have bumped it while adjusting the coarse focus. If that doesn’t solve it, the issue may be with the spring inside the coarse focus shaft. You can access it by removing the focus knobs and slightly bending the spring to restore tension.

BX51 Microscope Bulb Replacement (Helpful Instruction)

Lastly, we’ll show you how to replace the bulb. Always power off and unplug the microscope first. Using the 3 mm Allen wrench, loosen the small screw on the lamp housing. Unplug the connector, twist it, and gently pull it off. If you don’t loosen that screw, the lamp house won’t come off, even though it may seem stuck.

Then, use the Allen wrench again on the top screw to access the bulb. Be careful—this unit has been running and is hot, so we won’t remove the bulb right now. To replace it, push down the metal retaining prongs, use a Kimwipe to remove the old bulb, and insert the new one without touching it—again, using a Kimwipe or the protective wrapper.

Once the new bulb is in, reassemble the lamp housing, press it firmly into place, and tighten the screw so the lamp is secure and doesn’t wobble.

Conclusion: A Solid Microscope

And that’s it for this Olympus BX51 microscope walkthrough!

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at .

Anyway, you can find us at microscopemarketplace.com if you’re interested in purchasing any of these scopes.

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