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.

10x
Correction: Achromat
Numerical aperture: 0.24
Tube length: 160 mm
Focal length: 45 mm
Cover glass: no
Immersion: no
Thread: RMS
Info: PI = polarization-interference objective (red ring).

Compatible with the following PZO condensers:
- PZO KPI 2
- slit condenser
PI objectives are among the components of the PZO UPI set (i.e. the so-called DIC).

VERY IMPORTANT: the marking on the objective is "PI" (in lowercase: "pi"), meaning [P]-polarization [I]-interference.
In many descriptions available on the Internet, you can find information that this is a PLAN objective. This is an ERROR caused by misinterpreting the marking as PL.

Note: another INCORRECT piece of information often found online is that these are DIC objectives. This is not true.
DIC according to Pluta (niem: DIC nach Pluta), sold by PZO, achieves the DIC effect (i.e. a 3D relief image) using standard achromatic PZO objectives (and not only those). Objectives marked PI with a red ring are not required for this.

It can be used with any microscope from any manufacturer that supports RMS objectives, TL=160 mm, FL=45 mm.

Description of this part for the microscope.

microscopes from any manufacturer, as long as the microscope supports eyepieces with a mounting diameter of 23.2 mm.

Description of this part for the microscope.

intended for so-called "thick" objectives
Thread in the cap: no, the cap of this objective case does not contain a thread for attaching an RMS objective

This objective case can be used to store so-called "short" objectives (DIN 33 mm), longer objectives (DIN 37 mm), and long objectives (DIN 45 mm), provided they are not the so-called "thick" type.

For PZO objectives, it can accommodate all standard achromatic objectives as well as all phase contrast objectives. Some unusual PZO microscope objectives do not fit inside, for example the 100x PI objective (with a red ring).

Various names are used on the secondary market for a microscope objective case, including:
- objective case
- microscope objective case
- objective container
- microscope objective container
- objective storage case
- objective storage container
- objective box
- objective storage box
- protective objective case
- objective lens case
- objective lens container
- dust protection case
- transport case for microscope objectives
- microscope objective holder case
- storage canister for microscope objectives

Each case has the PZO logo on its cap. Caps may be black, white, or grey.

Although this case is of greatest interest to users and collectors of objectives made by the Polish manufacturer PZO, it can of course be used to store objectives from any manufacturer.

Description of this part for the microscope.

condensers:
- PZO K3Ph
- PZO K3Ph1
- PZO K4Ph
- PZO KS (this is the "stereo contrast" condenser sold with PZO MB30S microscopes. There are no(!) markings or numbers whatsoever on this condenser)

The diaphragm blades themselves, which are located inside this module, also fit the diaphragms installed in the following condensers:
- PZO K3PhZ (variable phase contrast)
- PZO KPI2 (condenser for Pluta DIC)

Mechanically, this diaphragm is screwed onto the lower part of the phase contrast condenser. The housing of the diaphragm module has a 32 mm male thread. The complete diaphragm with its housing has a diameter of 52 mm.

The iris diaphragm is damaged very often. Replacing it can solve the following problems:
- when the small lever used to open and close the diaphragm blades breaks off. This is a common failure, because this lever is a thin sheet made of a brittle alloy
- when the diaphragm blades get damaged, bent or broken. This is one of the most common faults in microscopes
- when the diaphragm blades jump out of their mounting grooves and you cannot reassemble them
- when the diaphragm stops opening and closing and is completely seized. This happens when the grease has dried out or rust has glued the blades together

The last photos in the gallery show the PZO KS condenser, with an arrow indicating where this diaphragm is located inside the condenser. This allows the component to be identified unambiguously.

PZO phase contrast condensers are often fitted in microscopes from manufacturers other than PZO, so the component presented here is not a repair part for one specific microscope model. This diaphragm will help to repair a phase contrast condenser - regardless of which microscope model and which manufacturer it works in.

Description of this part for the microscope.

condensers:
- PZO K3Ph
- PZO K3Ph1
- PZO K4Ph
- PZO K3PhZ (variable phase contrast)
- PZO KS (this is the "stereo contrast" condenser sold with PZO MB30S microscopes. There are no(!) markings or numbers whatsoever on this condenser)

These condensers contain phase annuli (also called phase rings) and each of them can be centred. They are centred by turning two screws with rectangular heads (different from the square heads in Carl Zeiss Jena condensers).
The condenser models listed above have a special centring module screwed to the housing of the turret, with two spring-loaded centring keys that fit these screws. Thanks to this, there is no need to keep the centring keys at hand and there is no risk of losing them.

Unfortunately, these centring keys protrude more than 40 mm beyond the outline of the condenser and often get bent. In addition, many users unscrew them from the housing for transport or when they store the condenser in non-original packaging - and this leads to the unscrewed centring keys being lost frequently. The solution to such a problem is then to buy separate centring keys or to replace the entire centring module.

Mechanically, this module is screwed to the housing of the PZO phase contrast condenser with two screws, which are additionally locked by two pins - all these elements are included with the centring module presented here.

The last photos in the gallery show the PZO K3Ph condenser, with an arrow indicating where this component for centring the phase annuli is located inside the condenser. This allows the component to be identified unambiguously. The video in the video gallery shows the movement of the moving parts, the action of the springs and how the centring keys rotate.

PZO phase contrast condensers are often fitted in microscopes from manufacturers other than PZO, so the component presented here is not a repair part for one specific microscope model. This module will help to repair a phase contrast condenser - regardless of which microscope model and which manufacturer it works in.