Olympus microscopes and photomicrographic equipment

Trinocular heads

Introduction

Trinocular heads provide a vertical photo tube for attaching a camera in addition to the pair of inclined binocular eyepieces. A light path selector moves the prisms to direct the light to the binocular eyepieces, or to the camera, or divided between them.

Olympus BH-2 microscopes

For the Olympus BH-2 and IMT-2 microscopes, the normal trinocular head was the BH2-TR30. It incorporates the 38 mm circular dovetail so that a separate eyepiece adapter is not required. It is designed so that the camera image and the eyepieces are parfocal. The left eyepiece tube has a diopter adjustment ring, the right one is fixed. An NFK photo eyepiece is inserted in the dovetail, and a Photomicro Adapter L attaches to the dovetail. The light path selector knob has three positions, 100% to the camera, 100% to the eyepieces, or 20% to the eyepieces + 80% to the camera.

BH2-TR30 trinocular head

Olympus BH2-TR30 trinocular head

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Attaching a digital SLR or mirrorless camera to an Olympus BH-2 microscope

Olympus BH, CH and CH-2 microscopes

For the BH, CH, CH-2, CK2, CK40 and IMT microscopes, the vertical photo tube on the normal trinocular head had a standard outside diameter of 25 mm so that a PM-ADF eyepiece adapter could be attached. An FK photo eyepiece or NFK photo eyepiece is inserted in the 38 mm circular dovetail, and a Photomicro Adapter L attaches to the dovetail. The light path selector knob has two positions: 100% to the eyepieces, or 20% to the eyepieces + 80% to the camera.

There were several similar models. Older ones are finished in a grey colour, more recent ones in a cream colour. Some have the binocular eyepieces at 30°, some at 45°. Some have diopter adjustment rings on both eyepiece tubes, some only on the left tube.

Olympus BH-TR45 trinocular head

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Olympus E, F, M and N microscopes

The older E, F, M and N microscopes all used the same trinocular head. The vertical photo tube had a standard outside diameter of 25 mm so that a PM-ADP eyepiece adapter could be attached. A P photo eyepiece is inserted in the 38 mm circular dovetail, and a Photomicro Adapter L attaches to the dovetail. The light path selector lever sends all of the light to either the camera or the binocular eyepieces.

Olympus E, F, M and N trinocular head

Instruction manuals

Olympus supplied instruction manuals with its microscopes. Free PDFs of many of the manuals are available from the Olympus microscope documentation page.

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Olympus microscopes and photomicrographic equipment

Olympus OM 35mm film system close-up and macro equipment