Nikon SMZ 1500 Stereoscopic zoom microscope
Quick manual
At the research center, it is possible to take microscopic photographs with the Nikon SMZ 1500
stereomicroscope, with an added camera (DS-Fi1, 5.24 megapixel digital camera). Below is a quick manual
for the stereomicroscope:
Two important prerequisites for getting professional results when using optic instruments, such as
stereomicroscopes:
1. Keep the instrument clean: Avoid spills and dirt on the lamps, object glass, petri dishes, cover glass,
etc. Liquids on lens facing down should be absorbed carefully with a paper towel, but do not rub it
clean (the lens is covered by a sensitive protective layer). Let it dry and note it in the logbook next
to the stereomicroscope. The lens will be cleaned later.
2. The instrument must be centered: Make sure the optic axis is in a straight line from the object all
the way up to the eyepieces.
For getting the best results Nikon SMZ 1500 stereomicroscope should be used with the 1X-lens (High
Resolution (HR) Plan Apo 1X) and 10X eyepieces. With this combination, it is possible to get magnification
from 7.5X to 112.5X.
How to use the stereomicroscope:
First you have to turn on the computer. Log in on the student account (password: student). Then turn on
the digital camera and stereomicroscope, on the white box and at the button of the right side of the
stereomicroscope, respectively (see picture 1).
Picture 1: Turn on the digital camera and the stereomicroscope.
When logged on to the computer, open the program “NIS-ELEMENTS F3.0”. A shortcut is located on the
desktop. When the program opens, choose the camera “Nikon D2-U2/L2-USB” and click OK.
Now the program starts up. To get the picture onto the screen, make sure the lever on the right side of the
microscope is on “photo/bino” (see picture 2).
Picture 2: To get the picture onto the computer screen, slide the lever to “Photo/bino”.
When the picture from the stereomicroscope is on the computer screen, make sure to have the settings in
the program on “fast focus” and “manual exposure”, and the camera should be on “live”. You can find the
settings on the right side of the screen inside the program.
Now you can start find your object. For optimal pictures, observe the following:
1. For zooming in, use the “magnification wheel”, which is the small knob above the larger focusing knob
(see picture 3). The zoom range is from 0.75 to 11.25. Coupled with the 10X eyepieces you get a zoom
range from 7.5X to 112.5X. When you have selected the right magnification, you can start focusing the
picture by using the “focusing wheel”. Be aware that there is a considerable delay to the computer screen,
so only make small adjustments at a time.
Picture 3: The magnification wheel is the small knob above the focusing wheel in the button of the picture.
2. For getting a better depth of sharpness in photos, you can try to adjust the “aperture wheel” in the
middle of the microscope (see picture 4).
Picture 4: To get a better depth of sharpness in photos, adjust the aperture wheel
3. Light settings: It is important to use the right light settings when you aim for a quality picture. There are
three different lighting modes on the instrument:
1. Light from the bottom. This is the light that comes on when you turn on the microscope (see
picture 1). The light can also be adjusted by using the wheel next to the power switch (picture 1).
Note that, below the aperture wheel, right in the bottom, there is a regulator for B.F (BrightField).
Push the lever to the right for B.F. (see picture 5). This light illuminates the object from below,
making the object appear as dark on a light background. This is especially useful for seeing
anatomical details when your object is transparent.
2. Dark-field light: The light is turned on and is regulated as above. However, with this setting, use the
D.F setting (DarkField) as shown on picture 5. Now the light will come from the side, which is
especially useful for capturing the colors of the surface of your object.
3. Light from outside: In this mode, the light comes from two fiber optic sources from a separate unit
behind the microscope (named “Fi Fiber optic-Heim LQ 1600”). The unit has different settings, such
as “strong-weak” and also a dimmer.
To get the best results, one often you has to use combinations of the different light settings,.
Picture 5: The regulator between D.F (DarkField) and B.F (BrightField).
Above the D.F and B.F regulator, the little wheel can also be used to focus the object by raising or lowering
the entire bottom. When you do not use this option, spin the wheel all the way to the left!
The computer program also offers the opportunity to adjust the contrast, exposure time and gain, etc. All
these modes can be found in the settings, which is located on the right side of the screen. Here you just
have to try, until you find the best settings.
Capturing and saving an image to the computer
After finding the appropriate magnification, focusing your image and getting the right light, you are now
ready to capture your image and saving it to the computer.
1. First, switch the setting from “fast focus” to “quality capture” in the settings in the computer program
(right top of the screen).
2. Then, switch the camera mode from “Live” to “Freeze” in the settings in the computer program (in the
bottom of the settings modes on the right of the screen).
3. After a few seconds of the freeze mode (depends upon your exposure time setting), switch from “freeze
to “capture”. Now the computer will capture the picture you have frozen.
4. To save the picture, go to “files -> save as” and name your picture and find the right destination folder
(my pictures is the default folder. You can find it under “My documents -> my pictures”). You can save the
pictures in three different file types: generic Nikon (jp2 or LIM), which you need a program to open, JPEG or
TIF. The file sizes are large, so it is recommended that you save the files as TIF files.
5. After your picture is saved, switch the camera back to “Live” and begin again with your new motive.
Additional information
The lens can be removed and replaced by another lens if it is needed (like SLR cameras). The station has a
0.5X lens, which coupled with the 10X eyepieces will give you a zoom range of 3.75X to 56.25X. This lens
has a lower resolution, and is used to get a better view of larger objects. For using this lens, contact the
station manager, for getting the proper instruction on how to replace the lenses, as you also have to
change settings of the entire stereomicroscope.
The software is already installed on the computer at Finse. However, if you need to install the software
again or on another computer, there is a CD-rom with software to Windows XP. Read the “Nikon DS
Camera Control Unit DS-U2 <Instructions> (vers. 4.41)”, chapter 6, page 18 on how to install the software.