Re: Nikon, Leica, or Zeiss?

Bob Marable again:
My link in the response that I just posted goes only to the Micscape
home page. Scroll down to their "Micscape Article Library", "Automated
Search", and use key word Axiostar--there are several relevant
articles.
Also, don't be too gun-shy of buying used items on ebay; I've done
over 200 microscope transactions, buying and selling, with virtually no
problems (although I did buy my Axiostar new). I, too, like high
quality units--I have several high-end scopes, and dozens of
accessories, that I've acquired on ebay (I'm not a big lover of ebay,
but it's almost the only game in town!); my equipment is, in my
opinion, "pristine". Here's a couple of hints:
-Buy only from sellers with more than 50 feedback items, and
99%+positive.
-If a seller has ANY negative, check the person's feedback who gave it
to them--there's a lot of "vengence" feedback--good sellers getting
blasted by bad buyers.
-Only buy microscope items from sellers who predominantly sell scopes,
and who's comments show their knowledge.
-Be a little patient; check out several auctions for each lens,
eyepiece set, etc.
-Ask questions of the seller.
-Only buy items that have sufficient photos of the actual item for
sale, to know it's condition.
-I may get really blasted on this one----buy the scope in
"pieces"--unless you're lucky enough to find an excellent unit equipped
as you want it. TWO reasons to do this: 1) you can get just what you
want, and, more importantly, 2) you can spread your purchase risk over
several smaller transactions--no $1000 single bad deal.
- consider buying the basic stand from a reputable dealer, and buy
accessories at auction.


bobmara...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
I'm a hobbiest, and have several scopes, one of which is a Zeiss
Axiostar (the Axiostar and Axiostar Plus are 99.9% the same scope!); I
have the turret phase contrast condenser, 4x, 10x, 40x CP phase
achromat, and 100x phase achroplan objectives, a trinocular head, and
misc. accessories. I like the scope very much--for my uses, it's
excellent, and I like the quality of the stand's mechanics. My only
complaint is a simple one -- it's a Zeiss, and the current model, so
virtually the only source for accessories is "new" -- read "expensive".
Most accessories (objectives, imageing sets, etc.) are in the $500 to
$2500 price range. Similar used parts for older Zeiss models sell
frequently on ebay for $50 to $150. If I were flush with cash, I'd
say get a new Zeiss; if not, get a good used Zeiss Standard, or an
Olympus BH; tons of accessories available for both, very reasonably
priced, and you can have several "bad" $150 purchases for used items,
and still be ahead of one $2000 new item.

Here's a link for a review of an Axiostar in the UK's Micscape online
magazine : http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html.

Good Luck!
VistaCruiser1977@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Kevin Cunningham wrote:
You might be quite well to do but most amatuers buy used. Some used dealers
like Spectra Services (www.spectraservices.com), Martin Microscopes
(www.martinmicroscopes.com) and Nightingale
(www.microscopesfromnightingale.com) offer good products at a fair price,
you might want to take a look.

Kevin,

I'm kind of hesitant to buy used because I'm been burned many times
buying used camera equipment over the years, including several times
from well-known, established dealers such as KEH. Mostly, this seems to
be a problem of "condition inflation" where a dealer rates the
condition of the equipment much better than it really is. As an
example, I once bought a Nikon F2 that was described as "like new"
condition. When I received it, it had an obviously visible dent in the
body, rust spots, and the focusing screen was delaminated.

I don't know the used microscope market at all, so I'm kind of unsure
whether to take the plunge and risk the same problems I had with used
camera gear. One of the issues I have is with cosmetic appearance. Call
me vain if you will, but this is something that is important to me, and
wear and tear and cosmetic issues that probably wouldn't bother the
majority of people on this group do bother me. Beyond the cosmetic
issues, I know that the things that really matter are the mechanical
integrity and the condition of the optics, but I'm in no position to
really evaluate either on a used 'scope. How will I know if the lenses
in the objectives are delaminated, or about to delaminate? Of if the
optics are misaligned, or the focusing gears are almost worn out?

I'm not ruling out buying used--I'd love to get a mechanically,
optically, and cosmetically pristine Leitz Orthoplan or Zeiss
Universal--but don't know where to find one or how to recognise a good
one.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Nikon, Leica, or Zeiss?
    ... I'm a hobbiest, and have several scopes, one of which is a Zeiss ... Axiostar (the Axiostar and Axiostar Plus are 99.9% the same scope!); ... in the objectives are delaminated, ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: Nikon, Leica, or Zeiss?
    ... I'm a hobbiest, and have several scopes, one of which is a Zeiss ... Axiostar (the Axiostar and Axiostar Plus are 99.9% the same scope!); ... in the objectives are delaminated, ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: Nikon, Leica, or Zeiss?
    ... Axiostar (the Axiostar and Axiostar Plus are 99.9% the same scope!); ... Similar used parts for older Zeiss models sell ... objective with out the condenser. ... I chose Olympus WHK10x 20L high eye point eyepieces rather than Zeiss ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: Nikon, Leica, or Zeiss?
    ... of supply of microscopes since Zeiss left them flapping in the breeze ... I suspect that the Olympus dealers will be living this in the future ... Zeiss and AO had put a scope in nearly every spot ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
  • Re: Microscope
    ... > I want tu buy a microscope only for didattic use, ... You are asking about a reflected light or EPI scope. ... Look for Zeiss EPI Plan, Vickers and Richart for scope for that ...
    (sci.techniques.microscopy)
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