Microscope Help

NickCantle · #21 (**permalink**) 14-09-2008, 12:03 PM

you should have told me about that foray, I'd have been there!

poschiavanus · #22 (**permalink**) 14-09-2008, 01:55 PM

Nick,

I hope things are going a little better now.

My gut feel from what you've been saying is that your specimens are too thick, or that you're using too much fluid to mount the specimen. These don't matter with the non-immersion lens, but do for the oil immersion.

If the lens are parfocal then you should be able to move from one to the other, and it certainly shouldn't be pushing on the coverslip.

Its a rather long time since I did any serious microscopy. Back then usually when I moved to oil immersion I used to rack UP, rotate the objective turret whilst watching from the side, NOT down the eyepieces. I would then rack DOWN, again watching from the side, and then return to viewing through the eyepieces and rack UP to bring the subject into focus. This is pretty much what fairplay suggests: the lens was always lowered into the oil on the slide. This processes ensures one is never pushing the objective into the coverslip. Of course this might mean you lose focus, but I think its good practise until one is familiar with the instrument. In my case it was because the 100x objective we were using cost a huge amount of money.

Temporary mounts are a bit of a black art: in the main its down to lots of practise getting neat sections, getting coverslips on without too many air bubbles, getting the right amount of fluid on the slide and so on. I think its really worth time making sure you get good results with the 40x or 60x objective before trying anything other than spores with the 100x. Irritatingly preparation of specimens is often as important as the performance of the microscope.

Keep at it!

poschiavanus

NickCantle · #23 (**permalink**) 14-09-2008, 08:50 PM

just been trying to nail some Cortinarius unsuccessfully

BUT the scope is showing very clear images with much fine detail. I think it was because I was using oil immersion with the x60. I've cleared that objective up never to be used for oil again

Now it's showing really nice and clear images again. I'm using x100 oil immersion as we speak and all is going very well