October 9, 2021

The Olympus SZX-12

I am just now crying about losing an auction bid on a SZX-12. It was paired with a gigantic Olympus IX70 inverted fluorescence microscope. The IX70 sells (on Ebay) for $10,000, so there is every chance that someone outbid me to get that item and was not even interested in the SZX-12.

I have an SZH-10, and asked my buddy Joe if he thought I would see a significant improvement in image quality with the SZX-12. He thought that the improvement would be negligible. He uses his SZX-12 regularly and has used my SZH-10 and says he has not noted any particular difference.

There is an SZX-12 listed on Ebay right now for $4500 (with a 1.2x APO objective). Joe says he thinks that is a reasonable price if the focus rail is in good order. (Joe's focus rail has a bad spot that prevents smooth focusing).

Also consider that my friend Jerry paid $4500 for his SZH-10, albeit with some special features, like a 2X objective and 1X objective both on an objective turret. I use Ebay to check some past sales of SZX-12 microscopes: 

$2850 8-2-2021 with DF PLAN 0.5 and no stand (better offer accepted)
$5000 7-22-2021 with DF PLFL 1.6 PF objective and stand
$2551 8-11-2021 with DF PLAPO 1x PF and DF PLAPO 0.5x PF and boom stand
$4500  current  with DF PLAPO 1.2x PF2 and stand
Feedback? Questions? Drop me a line!

Tom's Mineralogy Info / tom@mmto.org