March 15, 2023

The Wild Makrozoom

Several years ago, I purchased a Wild microscope at a university auction. It is labeled "Wild Makrozoom 1:5". It looks like a stereo microscope, but it is not. It is a "Epimakroskop". It has two eyepieces, but they get exactly the same image, so there is no stereo effect. My cost was something less than $200. I got it in a lot with several other microscpes, which themselves were well worth what I paid, so you could say that I got this for free.

My unit is damaged. The right eyepiece is entirely black. It turns out, as I discovered when I disassembled it, that the prism assembly has separated. I could get some optical experts to help me recement the prims, but I have other ideas. An "Eipmakroscope" is designed to illuminate the subject with "epi" illumination, meaning that illuminated is injected into the optical system and onto the subject through the objective. I have no interest in this and did not receive the illuminator as part of the purchase.

My unit is probably an M420 (which as a phototube). There is also an M450, and perhaps an M400. There is also an "apo" version of the objective (which I do not have and is more desirable). This is the "Apozoom 1:6". I see an old listing (2016) for an M400 with the Apozoom asking $4500.

In the above link, the statement is made: "That scope is among the most highly regarded ever made for photography at the magnifications it provides."

The lens has a zoom capability (from 1x to 5x apparently), as well as a diaphram to control depth of focus (with markings from 6.3 to 32).

I do have the required tube lens, but getting it transplanted into some kind of adapter that also serves to mount the objective onto a camera will be some challenging lathe work. Well, why not? Isn't that why I have a lathe anyway?

Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Computer Info / tom@mmto.org