Olympus microscopes and photomicrographic equipment
Eyepiece adapters
Introduction
The eyepiece adapters are designed to clamp on to the eyepiece tube of a microscope, and provide a circular dovetail fitting to which either a Photomicro Adapter L or a specialised photomicrographic system can be clamped. A microscope photo eyepiece fits inside the eyepiece adapter.
Olympus OM Eyepiece Adapters PM-ADP, PM-ADF and PM-ADG-3
There are 3 series of adapters:
Going digital
There are no moving or electronic connections between the eyepiece adapters and the Photomicro Adapter L and the Olympus OM camera body, so it is easy to adapt digital camera bodies that are less deep than the OM, and Canon EOS digital SLRs are often used. The most suitable are the EOS 5D Mark II, 5D Mark III and 6D, because they have a sensor the same size as 35 mm film.
Olympus 38 mm circular dovetail
Many Olympus microscopes use a nominal 38 mm circular dovetail for attaching photomicrographic equipment, including the Photomicro Adapter L that was originally intended for use with an OM camera body or the SC 35 Type 12 scientific camera but can easily be adapted to accept a Canon EOS digital SLR instead. The dovetail was also used for attaching the PM10, PM20 and PM30 film-based photomicrographic systems, and it is still used for some video systems.
The dovetail is incorporated in the BH2-TR30, BH2-SWTR30 and BH2-TTR trinocular heads for the BH-2 compound microscope, in the early Vanox compound microscopes, and in the IMT-2 inverted microscope. It is provided by the AH2-ADF adaper for late Vanox microscopes, by the SZ-PT photo tube for the SZ4045 TR, SZ6045 TR and SZ1145 TR stereo microscopes, and by the SZH-PT photo tube for the SZH and SZH10 stereo microscopes.
For more recent microscopes, the dovetail is provided by the U-DPT, U-SPT, U-VPT, IX-SPT and IX2-SPT photo tubes.
 |
|
||||||
| Cross-section of PM-ADF |
For older microscopes with plain, vertical eyepiece tubes of 25 mm external diameter, Olympus made the PM-ADF eyepiece adapter to provide the circular dovetail. Suitable vertical tubes are found on the BH-TR45 and BH-SWTR trinocular heads for the BH compound microscope and the IMT inverted microscope, the BH-TR45-W trinocular head for the CH-2 compound microscope and the CK2 inverted microscope, and the CH3-TR45 trinocular head for the CH40 compound microscope and the CK40 and CK40M inverted microscopes.
Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADF
This adapter is intended for use with the NFK photo eyepieces (for the Olympus LB series of objectives, 45 mm parfocal) and the FK photo eyepieces (for older objectives, 36.65 mm parfocal). It is not possible to use the PE photo eyepieces, because they are too wide to fit. The adapter clamps on to a vertical monocular tube with an outside diameter of 25 mm or slightly less (including the BH-TR45, BH-SWTR, BH-PT, BH-TR45-W, CH3-TR45 and BH2-PT), and has a narrow lip that sits on top of the tube. Some older microscopes that take standard eyepieces have thick-walled tubes with a larger outside diameter than 25 mm, and the PM-ADF adapter cannot be used with them.
Olympus OM Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADF
The adapter is not marked “Olympus” or “PM-ADF”.
|
|
Versions
Two versions are known. The older version is mostly glossy black on the outside, except the dovetail which is matt black. The newer version is all matt black. When it was first introduced, the PM-ADF was known as the “FK Adapter” or the “Eyepiece Adapter FK”.
Instruction booklet
Reproduced with permission from the copyright owner, Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
HOW TO USE THE PHOTOMICRO ADAPTERS L & H
a. For Photo Eyepiece FK
- Attach the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADF to the photo tube of microscope, and clamp with screw provided.
- Insert the selected Eyepiece FK into the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADF.
- Fit the Adapter L over the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADF pushing all the way down, and clamp the entire camera assembly.
Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG
This adapter is intended for use with the Olympus G series 10×, 15× and 20× eyepieces, which are used with stereo microscopes and fit a tube with an inner diameter of approximately 30 mm. It is not possible to use FK, NFK, PE or P eyepieces. The adapter clamps on to one of the inclined binocular tubes of the Olympus JM, SZ, VB, VE, VM and X series stereo microscopes, or others with an external diameter of approximately 31.5 mm.
Olympus OM Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG
The adapter is in 2 parts, which screw together. For the G 10× eyepiece, the eyepiece is inserted in the bottom section, and the top section is screwed on top of it. For the G 15× and G 20× eyepieces, the top and bottom sections are screwed together, and the eyepiece is inserted into the top section.
The adapter is not marked “Olympus” or “PM-ADG”.
| Eyepieces | G series |
|---|---|
| Top fitting | Olympus 38 mm dovetail |
| Tube fitting | 31.5 mm outside diameter |
| Height | 37.6 mm |
| Diameter (main section) | 49.9 mm |
| Diameter (collar) | 56.9 mm |
| Weight | 108.2 gm |
| Microscope ref. | PM-ADG |
| US catalog no. | |
| Introduced | 1972 |
| Discontinued | ? |
Versions
Only one version is known of the original two-section PM-ADG. When it was first introduced, the PM-ADG was known as the “G Adapter” or the “Eyepiece Adapter G”. The PM-ADG was replaced by the PM-ADG-3, which has an additional section that fits between the other two, and allows the GWH 10× high-eyepoint eyepiece to be used.
Another version, the PM6-ADG, was for use with the PM-6-8 35 mm photomicrography camera instead of the Photomicro Adapter L.
Instruction booklet
Reproduced with permission from the copyright owner, Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
HOW TO USE THE PHOTOMICRO ADAPTERS L & H
c. For Eyepiece G10×
- Unscrew the upper part of the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG.
- insert the G10× into the lower part.
- Replace the upper part of the Adapter.
- Attach the Eyepiece/Eyepiece Adapter combination to the Adapter L, and clamp.
- Insert the entire camera assembly into the microscope eyepiece sleeve pushing all the way down, and clamp.
d. For Eyepieces G15× and G20×
- insert the G15× or G20× into the Adapter PM-ADG.
- Attach the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG-3 to the eyepiece sleeve, and clamp.
- Fit the Adapter L over the Eyepiece Adapter pushing all the way down, and clamp the entire camera assembly.
OLYMPUS
OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
43-2 Hatagaya 2-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG-3
This adapter is intended for use with the Olympus G series 10×, 15× and 20× eyepieces and with the GWH 10× high-eyepoint eyepiece, all of which are used with stereo microscopes and fit a tube with an inner diameter of approximately 30 mm. It is not possible to use FK, NFK, PE or P eyepieces. The adapter clamps on to one of the inclined binocular tubes of the Olympus JM, SZ, VB, VE, VM and X series stereo microscopes, or others with an external diameter of approximately 31.5 mm.
Olympus OM Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG-3
The PM-ADG-3 cannot be used with recent Olympus stereo microscopes such as the SZ 4045, because their eyepiece tubes have an outside diameter of 32.7 mm. The GSWH 10× super-wide high-eyepoint eyepiece cannot be used, because it is too big to fit inside the adapter.
The adapter is in 3 parts, which screw together. The top and bottom sections are identical to those of the PM-ADG adapter. For the G 10× eyepiece, the middle section of the adapter is not used; the eyepiece is inserted in the bottom section, and the top section is screwed on top of it. For the G 15× and G 20× eyepieces, the middle section of the adapter is not used; the top and bottom sections are screwed together, and the eyepiece is inserted into the top section. For the GWH 10× high-eyepoint eyepiece, all three sections are used; the eyepiece is inserted into the bottom section, and the middle and top sections are screwed on top of it.
| Eyepieces | G series |
|---|---|
| Top fitting | Olympus 38 mm dovetail |
| Tube fitting | 31.5 mm outside diameter |
| Height | 51.5 mm |
| Diameter (main section) | 49.9 mm |
| Diameter (collar) | 56.9 mm |
| Weight | 145.3 gm |
| Microscope ref. | PM-ADG-3 |
| Olympus no. | B-0719A |
| US catalog no. | |
| Introduced | ? |
| Discontinued | 2003 |
Versions
Only one version of the PM-ADG-3 is known. It replaced the PM-ADG, which has only two sections.
Instruction booklet
Reproduced with permission from the copyright owner, Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
HOW TO USE THE PHOTOMICRO ADAPTERS L & H
c. For Eyepiece G10×
- Unscrew the upper part of the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG-3.
- insert the G10× into the lower part.
- Replace the upper part of the Adapter.
- Attach the Eyepiece/Eyepiece Adapter combination to the Adapter L, and clamp.
- Insert the entire camera assembly into the microscope eyepiece sleeve pushing all the way down, and clamp.
d. For Eyepieces G15× and G20×
- insert the G15× or G20× into the Adapter PM-ADG-3.
- Attach the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADG-3 to the eyepiece sleeve, and clamp.
- Fit the Adapter L over the Eyepiece Adapter pushing all the way down, and clamp the entire camera assembly.
e. For Eyepieces GWH10×
- Use the intermediate ring marked with letters “GWH 10×”, provided with the PM-ADG-3.
- Unscrew the PM-ADG-3 into 3 parts.
- Insert the Eyepiece GWH10× into the lowest ring with clamping screw.
- Re-screw the other 2 rings into the lowest one.
- Place the Adapter L on the PM-ADG-3 and clamp.
- Connect the entire assembly into one of the eyepiece sleeves of the stereo microscope, and clamp.
OLYMPUS
OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
43-2 Hatagaya 2-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADP
This adapter is intended for use with the Olympus P eyepieces. The adapter clamps on to vertical monocular tubes with an outside diameter of 25 mm or slightly less. The adapter slides completely on to the tube. The eyepiece is then inserted into the tube as normal, the adapter is raised until its top just comes into contact with the protruding lip of the eyepiece, and is then clamped in place.
Olympus OM Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADP
Some older microscopes that take standard eyepieces have thick-walled tubes with a larger outside diameter than 25 mm, and the PM-ADP adapter cannot be used with them.
The adapter is not marked “Olympus” or “PM-ADP”.
|
|
Versions
Only one version is known. When it was first introduced, the PM-ADP was known as the “P Adapter” or the “Eyepiece Adapter P”.
Instruction booklet
Reproduced with permission from the copyright owner, Olympus Optical Co., Ltd
HOW TO USE THE PHOTOMICRO ADAPTERS L & H
b. For Eyepiece P
- Fit the Eyepiece Adapter PM-ADP to the photo tube pushing all the way down.
- Insert the Eyepiece P into the photo tube.
- Pressing down the eyepiece against the photo tube slightly, raise the Eyepiece Adapter until it contacts with the eyepiece flange (be sure the eyepiece flange is in contact with both the photo tube and Eyepiece Adapter) and lock the adapter firmly with clamping screw.
- Fit the Adapter L over the Eyepiece Adapter pushing all the way down and clamp the entire camera assembly.
OLYMPUS
OLYMPUS OPTICAL CO., LTD.
43-2 Hatagaya 2-chome, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Send comments or questions to Alan Wood
Created 2nd May 2004 — Updated 9th March 2016
Copyright © 2004–2016 Alan Wood