Olympus OM Equipment for Close-up and Macro Photography

Introduction

Five stage glasses or plates were available for the Macrophoto Stand VST-1. They are nominally 100mm in diameter, and fit into the recess in the base of the Stand. There are grooves on either side of the recess to aid in removing the stage plates. The stage plates can be clamped in place by tightening the screw at the front of the base of the Stand.

One of the stage plates can be fitted with a mechanical stage for precise movements of small objects. A cup stage can be used to tilt the stage plates so as to move a three-dimensional object into the best position for photography.

Frosted Stage Glass SP-BW-2

This is the stage glass that is supplied with the Stand. It is opaque (so can only be used with incident lighting), made of plastic, and reversible. One side is matt black, for use with light subjects, and the other side is glossy white, for use with dark subjects.

Olympus OM Frosted Stage Glass (black surface)	Olympus OM Frosted Stage Glass (white surface)

Clear Stage Glass SP-C

This stage glass is made of transparent glass with a slight green tinge. It can be used for either incident or transmitted lighting.

Olympus OM Clear Stage Glass

Stage Plate 28

This stage plate is made of metal, with a matt black finish, and has a central aperture 28 mm in diameter. It is 120 mm in diameter, and has a ring on its lower surface which fits into the aperture in the base of the Macrophoto Stand. It can be used for transmitted or reflected light. Near the outer edge there is a threaded hole and 2 guide holes for attaching the Mechanical Stage FM.

Olympus OM Stage Plate 28

Stage Plate 45

This stage plate is made of metal, with a matt black finish, and has a central aperture 45 mm in diameter. It can be used for transmitted or reflected light.

Olympus OM Stage Plate 45

Shade Stage Plate PM-LM-SP

This colourless, transparent plastic plate is designed for use with the Lieberkühn Reflectors, Trans-Illuminator Base (with the Centering Mirror fitted) and the Trans-Illuminator, for soft, shadowless lighting.

It comes with 2 Shutter Interrupter Plates, 24.5 mm diameter, one black (for light subjects) and the other glossy white (for dark subjects), which fit into a recess in the centre of the plate.

Light from the Trans-Illuminator is reflected by the Centering Mirror in the Trans-Illuminator Base, passes upwards through the transparent area of the plate, and is then reflected down by the Lieberkühn reflector, onto the subject, which rests on one of the opaque interrupter plates in the centre of the plate.

Diameter 99.8 mm Thickness 6.0 mm Diameter of central aperture 22.9 mm Diameter of central recess 25.0 mm Interrupter plate diameter 24.5 mm Interrupter plate thickness 1.6 mm Microscope ref. PM-LM-SP US catalog no. 104-134 Introduced 1972 Discontinued 2003

Shadowless lighting with Lieberkühn Reflector

Olympus OM Shade Stage Plate (black insert)	Olympus OM Shade Stage Plate (white insert)

Mechanical Stage FM

Introduction

The Mechanical Stage FM fits onto the Stage Plate 28 and enables precise positioning of subjects for high magnification work. It has a sprung clip for holding a 3″×1″ microscope slide or other objects.

Olympus OM Mechanical Stage FM-III (on Stage Plate 28)

There is just over 50 mm movement on the long axis, via a worm drive, and the scale is marked from 40 to 100 mm. There is just over 30 mm movement on the short axis, via a rack and pinion, and the scale is marked from 0 to 38 mm. On each axis there is a Vernier scale that allows measurements to be made to the nearest 0.1 mm.

Versions

There were apparently 2 versions available before the OM system, the original FM and the FM-II. The version number is not marked on the Stage.

Olympus Mechanical Stage FM (photograph courtesy of Mark Dapoz)

Cup Stage SZH-SC

Introduction

The base of the Cup Stage fits into the base of the Macrophoto Stand VST-1. The top part of the Stage has a circular recess to take one of the stage plates, and holes for the stage clips.

Olympus Cup Stage

The lower part has a circular depression into which the top part fits. The top part is quite heavy, and its lower surface is hemispherical. This combination allows the top part to be rotated and tilted, and to remain in place by friction.

The Cup Stage is not mentioned in any of the Olympus literature on the OM macro equipment. It is considered to be an accessory for the Olympus stereo microscopes, but it can be very useful for getting a three-dimensional subject into the best position to be photographed.

Versions

Only one version is known.