🔬 How to upgrade a microscope to polarized light

How do you add polarization filters to a microscope? I experimented with several ways and want to show you the different possibilities.Among other things, I tried to 3D print a filter holder, and this worked well.
The microscope in the video is a Swift/National Optical SS110 microscope, a low-cost introductory microscope, but the principles illustrated also work for other microscopes. Affiliate link to the microscope is here:
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How to make Vitamin C crystals for polarized light microscopy:
• 🔬 028 - DIY polarized ...
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[@brianrichmond3777]

Make adapters with polarizing filters that fit over the front of the objectives so they can be easily installed and removed.

[@kisakuru5656]

THX for telling us about all your experiments! and failures. Polarisation was something i did not dare yet to try out. But you presented your success and failure and now i know what to do next!

[@peterhowie6834]

Worked for my cheap Amscope. What a difference. Also darkfield with black cardboard. Wow!

[@larrykent196]

Yes the ideas are good. I have a Amscope B120C-E1 and pretty happy with it, surprised to read your comment about cheap.

[@LinasJu]

Micro-Macgyver, love this!

[@brendanrempert4216]

Your videos are amazing! Thank you so much for your instruction and enthusiasm!

[@christophbugel7160]

Thanks a lot for all your videos! I will try this. I really like your style, it allows 'regular' people to identify with what you show. (e.g. your own trial and error experiences)

[@lawriegraney9929]

Playing with light is fun. I have spent the largest part of my life, over 46 years from the age of nine since 1973, practicing and studying photography, 35 mm and medium format, from the days of film through to the digital age. Light is fundamentally the greatest attribute to good photography along with, to a lesser degree, composition. Almost any subject can be made to look good with good light, even ones with weak composition.
I am, as I speak, looking at Cayenne pepper through the scope.

[@Colecionadoresdeossos]

Thanks for the tutorial!

[@quintonwilson8565]

8:03 this method worked good for me.

[@ivangallardoluna7188]

Me encantan estos vídeos, me apasiona la microscopía y la impresión 3D, es la unión ideal... Simplemente gracias.
I love these videos, I'm passionate about microscopy and 3D printing, it's the ideal union... Simply thank you.

[@maryfoxworthy6110]

So simple and yet not obvious to a newbie. My ego is somewhat soothed by seeing you have a couple of fruitless attempts. I can't begin to estimate the amount of time and frustration I spent last Spring trying to make polarization happen on my student microscope identical to the one in this video. I bought inexpensive filters from Educational Innovations and began numerous experiments trying to find a good solution. I had some success by simply placing filters above and below the sample - but it was awkward. Thank you.

[@juliochevarria7758]

Absolutely crazy, really enjoyed the idea, well done.

[@PPMOCRG]

Excellent! I want to try this.

[@stopmotionmcgee5615]

I might try this, it will be easier for me since I have a filter holder underneath my condenser

[@larrykent196]

The right tools to view with are as important as the right tools to manufacture with. I like your solutions, the 3D printer is one of those tools. Thank you for the ideas looking forward to trying them.

[@mikb4372]

As usual, creative ideas

[@miensojady]

I just made thin modification and just stunned ! Simple but amazing ...
I love every movie You made ✌️

[@Anvilcjl]

For the objective lens polarizer, could you make a lens cap for the bottom of the lens instead of removing it and putting the filter inside ? Seems like that would be less disruptive and allow you to remove the pollination quickly?

[@zibobpompon5768]

Thank you very much for your this informative vidéo !!!!

[@damontsekos365]

That's a good way of accidentally scratching the eyepiece lens...The best and safest way is to tape it on top of the eyepiece rather than try to place it inside by unscrewing it!

[@EBB22]

Hello. Your videos are amazing and tottaly helpful to us.
I have a little doubt: Does anyone know if it is possible to use a radiography instead of a 3D glasses?
Thank you.

[@billbrown994]

Can this contrast change be done with the camera software as well?

[@davidk.5010]

Love it

[@Ranveer_Singh_Kahani]

How about i use a polarized glasses and see directly in the microscope? Does it work?

[@dennishmiller]

I've got an old Olympus microscope that has no internal light source - I use a fiber optic dual gooseneck lamp when I use t. Is there any way to turn this into a polarizing scope? Thanks for any info or links.

[@majstor76]

Hm, i have polarised device in trinocular head, not sure what else i need for that to work

[@K3Flyguy]

I use my 50 year old imported toy/student scope for polorized viewing. It has one polar filter in the diagram disk under the table and a fitted filter cap placed over the eyepiece. All came in a wooden box with everything needed to be a " scientist" back in the day! lolol It's honestly just good toy quality but it does work well for the little polorized viewing I do. Thank you for a very interesting video!

[@chinweikechukwu4781]

Thanks for your video bit can you try it for your telmu Mic

[@TestEric]

Can we please get the files for that 3D printed part?

[@bendirval3612]

Will the condenser also depolarize the light? I had some issues with mine and my polarizer was in the filter slot below the condenser. I'm hoping to not have to move the top polarizer (which is currently inside the scope).

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

Unless the optics are "strain free" (which most are not), they will depolarize a little bit, but by far not as much as the prism or plastic lenses. I think the prism depolarized becasue of the internal reflections (which does not happen in a condenser). in my other microscope I place the filter below the condenser and there is no problem, depolarization is almost not visible and the background remains dark. Dedicated polarizing microscopes will have strain free optics and there there is absolutely no depolarization.

[@atharva-upclosingnature2423]

Oliver kim, is it possible to attach a handmade dark field patch stop to the disc diaphragm. is so, please make a video on it. Thank you.

[@mahna_mahna]

Unless I'm not understanding what you're asking, he has already made a video on this: th-cam.com/video/Pku4T8s-0lg/w-d-xo.html

[@Ranveer_Singh_Kahani]

I take it a part...lost 1 bearing but still fine..no more after this hehe

[@EmomanTavish]

Hello Microbehunter, i am from germany and got recently interrested in the microscopy hobby and am already a subscriber to your channels, i just bought myself a Swift SW380T microscope which is in my opinion a very good one, i understand already that i can't simply change to infinity objectives, for that i would have to buy a new microscope that has that feature to use those infinity objectives but i think that 160mm objectives give me a really good maybe not even worse quality, but a new question arises, should i buy new Plan objectives? it says that they give me more focus or a better resolution on the edges of the specimen when i look at it's middle, or should i just stick to those i already have originaly build in my Swift SW380T microscope?

[@EmomanTavish]

Nevermind, i just stumbled across a video you already made on that topic, but anyway your channels are besides my microscopy book the main source of knowledge everything around the microscopy hobby

[@MicrobehunterMicroscopy]

Stick to the ones you have. The other objectives will not allow you to see anything different.

[@josephwisniewski3673]

You put the first polarizer below the stage condenser and the second polarizer (the analyzer) above the eyepiece?
Nothing in your scope is going to be "stress free". Stress in transparent materials, even those that aren't normally birefringent, causes stress birefringence, which may reinforce or negate the color shifts you're trying to capture in birefringent crystals. There's stress in the lens elements in the objectives, the eyepieces, the condenser and (as you already discovered) the prism that gives you a more comfortable viewing angle.
Seriously, you want the optical path to be light, condenser, polarizer, subject, polarizer, objective, prism, eyepiece. Build a mount that lets you put the polarizer below the objectives. Or get some stress free (aka "pol" or "DIC") objectives and put the polarizer in the main tube.

[@stephen6whitehead398]

It's okay!!!I like seeing things in ploarized light!!So beautiful!!But i'd prefer to spend a little money and buy a polarizing microscope off ebay!!!A lot more efficient!!!I also like phase contrast:!!!So buy the equipment off ebay and just convert and use that microscope for phase!!Which is a lot more interesting to use than brightfield!!!Which is quite boring really!!!!!!