Home page of the microscope service parts, repair and spare parts online catalog - Sermik-Oplatek Mikroskopservice Dresden f.n.n.Z

Description of this part for the microscope.

Amplival microscope
Number of lenses: 3
Numerical aperture N.A.: variable, from N.A. 0.16 to N.A. 1.4
Aperture diaphragm: yes, screwed on as a detachable module

The Carl Zeiss Jena pancratic condenser has three upper lenses:
- for working with low magnification objectives (usually up to 6.3x)
- Apl. 1.4 for working with high magnification objectives
- an oil immersion cardioid darkfield lens with N.A. = 1.05

Mechanically, this condenser is mounted on dovetail rails located on the microscope stage holder block.

Here are the mounting possibilities of the pancratic condenser to Carl Zeiss Jena microscopes:
- to Amplival, Docuval, Epival, Fluoval, Vertival microscopes, this condenser can be mounted directly
- to Ergaval, Nu, Nu 2, Nf microscopes, this condenser is mounted after unscrewing the aperture diaphragm from it
- to Jenaval, Jenapol, Jenalumar microscopes, this condenser can also be mounted, but it is installed together with the entire stage holder block from the Amplival microscope http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artfeb09/rs-jenalumar.html
- be careful, because the Lumipan microscope also features a pancratic condenser, but with a completely different mounting method

This condenser is often used as a "parts donor" for own DIY projects, for example:
- the Apl. 1.4 lens is often used to modify (upgrade) condensers with a lower numerical aperture N.A. in various microscopes
- the darkfield lens is very often used to build a standalone cardioid condenser
- the iris diaphragm has a very wide range of applications

On the last photo, an arrow indicates which element it is and where it is located in the microscope to clearly identify this part. Additionally, the attached video shows how the individual elements of this condenser move.

Description of this part for the microscope.

Jena
Version: grey version, removed from a Carl Zeiss Jena Amplival microscope
Mounting method: aperture diaphragm in the form of a detachable module
Centerable: yes

This iris diaphragm module is mechanically mounted to the bottom of the panchromatic condenser.

In Carl Zeiss Jena panchromatic condensers, the diaphragm is designed as a detachable module because it can be removed and replaced, for example, with a phase contrast module or a polarization module. Precisely because this microscope part can be detached, it is often missing from condensers available on the secondary market - over the years it simply gets lost.

Interestingly, this microscope part is very often modified. When users do not have a phase contrast module or a polarization module, they frequently insert polarizing film or custom-made phase rings into the aperture diaphragm module and obtain the functionality they need through DIY modifications.

This module can also solve a common problem found in Carl Zeiss Jena Amplival microscopes, namely damaged diaphragm blades in the condenser.