E. Leitz Early Microscopes - Anyone have or ever use one?

raydm6

raydm6

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I have always admired Leitz’s machinist’s skills - especially on the early Barnacks - but some of the work on their early microscopes is on another level.

I came across this vintage Leitz microscope at a local antique mall (asking $59) and was tempted to take it home and clean it up just to admire and play with the adjusting knobs and dials.

The machining is so beautiful; precise and exquisite. The sheen and patina on the metal and cast enameled base is something you won’t see anymore I’m afraid.

The tactile sense one gets from turning the dials and knobs is so appealing and satisfying. The operation is off the charts buttery smooth with micrometer precision. I almost want to buy it and use it as a fidget toy. 🙂

Has anyone ever used or had experience with these instruments?

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I have a Leitz microscope at my parent’s house in Queensland; it was my microscope when I was a student and studied histology. My father was an optical engineer and got it when some university department had upgraded and was going to throw it out. They are beautiful, and although modern microscopes are better from a number of perspectives, as you point out, the tactility of the controls and the workmanship are unparalleled.
 
So modern scopes are better in most ways. However, it is absolutely amazing how good the old Leitz scopes are. Certainly for their time. Older scope technology fully relied on precision of everything (optics and mind-blowing precision of the mechanism). I have a couple optical scopes from 90s (?) that are considered reasonably good and an Olympus from similar time period in my old lab. The ancient Leitz scope in my wife's building is indeed competitive in terms of imaging (and so much more enjoyable to operate and fondle). I don't know how old that one is, but probably 50s.

The more recent (1980s/90s?) Olympus is better at what it does. My no-name scopes at home are somewhere in between the ancient Leitz and the Olympus... so I've got a range to choose from. I also have modern Leitz available...

The modern Leitz low-power scope in my old lab is a joy to use (we ID'ed aquatic invertebrates). My wife just purchased the latest and greatest from Leitz for dissecting plant tissues in her lab. That thing is yet a step up (understatement of year). I told her she still needs to get the digital imaging accessories for it. Amazing as it may be, so far she's using it "old-school" to extract plant embryos from tiny grass seeds (Festucia sp. and Lolium sp.). Tedious 🙂

I still haven't figured out how to insert photos to posts on this forum (I am the epitome of lazy). I'd say I'll upload an image of her scope (or mine), but who am I fooling? They're modern, just google modern dissecting scope from Leica and there you'll see it. I'll tell ya now, they are Super Spendy! If only my budget allowed me to get an M11 and latest lenses....
 
I have a degree in cell-biology and in the nineties we still had one or two of those in every lab here in germany which existed long enough to purchase them new. Newer ones replaced them for the critical tasks, photography, advanced lighting and contrasting, fluorescence and what not. But for quick, infrequent checks on cultures and counting cells, we would often just pull the old Leitz from a shelf and plug it in (the electric light is an easy to install accessory, missing in this one). We did not destroy any of them in use, they just were superseded by newer models.
 
raydm6 said:
I did notice a mirror on a swivel at the base. I assume the light is reflected and directed from the mirror to illuminate the sample?
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Exactly. You will need an external light-source to use it with the mirror. Having a fixed light-source on the scope is a revelation in comparison.

And then comes the fun of condensers and apertures, which opens the door to higher resolution with optimized contrast. The Leitz at the top of this thread is quite modular. Talk about a can of worms...

But my personal dream-machine from an aesthetical point of view is the rather modern ZEISS Phomi III, more like a De Lorean of microscopes, flux-compensator included:


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I have a degree in microbiology and chemistry and used Leitz, Zeiss and Nikon scopes in the late 60’s and early 70’s. They’re excellent scopes for sure.

A botany professor friend owned a vac Leitz that he bought in grad school in the 40’s. He used it through his entire career.

Here’s the one I own and have used. The oil immersion objective has issues I believe due to someone prior to my owning it not knowing how to use one. This one I think dates to either the teens or twenties. I’m guessing most likely the 20’s.

The scope to the right isn’t a Leitz. Can’t remember the maker at the moment but I believe it dates to the 1890’s. It’s still in fine shape and works quite well.

The one you’re looking at, for $49 I’d grab it.
 

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The machining on these early microscopes reminds of the work that L.S. Starrett (Athol, Massachusetts) - maker of machinists tools, gauges, measuring instruments, etc. did in its earlier days. Still in business since 1880 and located not too far from me.
www.starrett.com

Starrett Products - Quality You Can Trust

Discover American-made precision, wireless tools and hand tools like micrometers, height gages, and calipers at Starrett. Shop now and experience the difference!
www.starrett.com www.starrett.com
 
I’ve been around a lot of Leitz, Zeiss, Nikon and Olympus surgical microscopes and while they’re optically and mechanically superior they lack the styling of these early instruments. That’s pretty much true of mechanical devices in general. A friend owned a litho print shop. He was up in years and still set hot lead type on two Mergenthaler linotype machines and had a paper sheet from the late 1800’s. The mechanics of those old machines were beautiful and elegant in design and beautifully machined. That kind of design and execution just isn’t seen now.
 
x-ray said:
The scope to the right isn’t a Leitz. Can’t remember the maker at the moment but I believe it dates to the 1890’s. It’s still in fine shape and works quite well.
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It looks like a Hensoldt, but a lot of European gear from that period looks similar.
 
I came across this PDF paper (link below) on the 1937-1972 "Black Era" E. Leitz Microscopes and can quickly see how can fall down the rabbit hole acquiring one of these and their accessories. The add-ons themselves are small wonders in engineering. There is a device named after Dr. Max Berek - The Leitz Berek Condenser. Not sure what it does (provides even illumination on an object I guess?) but it is a pretty cool looking device and again, beautifully machined and finished.


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raydm6 said:
I came across this PDF paper (link below) on the 1937-1972 "Black Era" E. Leitz Microscopes and can quickly see how can fall down the rabbit hole acquiring one of these and their accessories. The add-ons themselves are small wonders in engineering. There is a device named after Dr. Max Berek - The Leitz Berek Condenser. Not sure what it does (provides even illumination on an object I guess?) but it is a pretty cool looking device and again, beautifully machined and finished.


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The Berek condensor is a an Achromat, swing-out condenser. The top of these condensers can be moved out of the optical path to create more even illumination for low power objectives.
 
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