KERN OZL-47 Stereo Zoom Microscope User Manual
- June 17, 2024
- KERN
Table of Contents
- KERN OZL-47 Stereo Zoom Microscope User Manual
- Before use
- Nomenclature
- Basic data
- Assembly
- Operation and functionality
- Getting started
- Adjusting the interpupillary distance
- Adjusting the magnification
- Dioptre adjustment and focussing
- Adjusting the stand
- Using eye cups / High Eye Point eyepieces
- Lighting control
- Using external illumination units
- Fitting and adjusting a camera (OZL 474)
- Using additional accessories
- Changing the bulb
- Optical data
- Features
- Trouble shooting
- Service
- Disposal
- Further information
- References
- Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
- Download This Manual (PDF format)
KERN OZL-47 Stereo Zoom Microscope User Manual
KERN & Sohn GmbH
Ziegelei 1
D-72336 Balingen
E-mail: info@kern-sohn.com
Tel: +49-[0]7433- 9933-0
Fax: +49-[0]7433-9933-149
Internet: www.kern-sohn.com
User instructions
Stereo zoom microscope
KERN OZL-47
OZL 473, OZL 474
Version 1.0
01/2023
OZL-47-BA-e-2310
KERN OZL-47
Version 1.0 01/2023
User instructions
Stereo zoom microscope
Before use
General notes
You must open the packaging carefully, to make sure that none of the accessories in the packaging fall on the floor and get broken.
In general, microscopes should always be handled carefully because they are sensitive precision instruments. When using or transporting the microscope it is particularly important to avoid abrupt movements, as this may damage the optical components.
You should also avoid getting dirt or finger prints on the lens surface, because in most cases this will reduce image clarity.
To maintain the performance of the microscope, it must never be disassembled. So components such as lenses and other optical elements should be left as they were before use. Also the electrical parts in the base of the device must not be tampered with, as in this area there is an additional risk of triggering an electric shock.
Notes on the electrical system
Before connecting to a mains power supply, you must make sure that you are using the correct input voltage. The information to select the correct power supply is located on the device, on the rear of the stand base. You must comply with this information. If you do not comply with these specifications, then fires or other damage to the device could occur.
The lighting unit must also be switched off before the mains cable is connected. In this way you will avoid triggering an electric shock.
If you are using an extension cable, then the mains cable you use must be earthed.
When carrying out any procedures whereby you come into contact with the electrical system of the device, such as, for example, changing the bulb or fuse, only carry out these procedures when the power is disconnected.
Storage
You should ensure that the device is not exposed to direct sunlight, temperatures which are too high or too low, vibrations, dust or a high level of humidity.
The ideal temperature range is between 0 and 40°C and a relative humidity of 85% should not be exceeded.
The device should always be located on a rigid, smooth, horizontal surface.
For devices with pillar stands, the microscope holder must not be rotated back too far. If you do this, there is a risk that the microscope could tip over.
When the microscope is not being used, you should fit the objective cap and
cover the microscope with the enclosed dust protective cover.
If the eyepieces are being stored separately, the protective caps must be
fitted to the tube connectors. In most cases, if dust and dirt gets inside
the optical unit of a microscope this can cause irreversible errors or
damage.
The best way to store accessories which consist of optical elements, such as, for example, eyepieces and objectives, is in a dry box with desiccant.
Maintenance and cleaning
In any event, the device must be kept clean and dusted regularly.
If any moisture should be occur, before you wipe down the device you must
ensure that the mains power is switched off.
When glass components become dirty, the best way to clean them is to wipe them gently with a lint-free cloth.
To wipe oil stains or finger prints off the lens surface, moisten the lint free cloth with a mixture of ether and alcohol (70 / 30 ratio) and use this to clean the lens.
You must be careful when handling ether and alcohol, as these are highly flammable substances. You must therefore keep it away from naked flames and electrical devices which can be switched on and off, and only use it in well- ventilated rooms.
However organic solutions of this type should not be used to clean other components of the device. This could lead to damage to the paint finish. To do this, it is sufficient to use a neutral cleaning product.
You could also use the following cleaning products to clean the optical components:
- Special cleaner for optical lenses
- Special optical cleaning cloths
- Bellows
- Brush
When handled correctly and checked regularly, the microscope should give many years of efficient service.
Should repairs still be necessary, please contact your KERN dealer or our Technical Department.
Nomenclature
Using the OZL 473 as an example
(Binocular)
Basic data
Optical system | Greenough |
---|---|
Dimmable lighting | Yes |
Magnification ratio | 6,4:1 |
Tube | angled at 45° |
Interpupillary distance | 55 – 75 mm |
Dioptre adjustment | On both sides |
Gross weight | 5,5 kg |
Net weight | 4 kg |
Packing dimensions WxDxH | 450x410x290 mm |
Product dimensions WxDxH | 300x240x420 mm |
Standard configuration
Model ****
KERN
| Tube| Eyepiece| Field of view ****
mm
| Objective ****
Zoom
| Stand| Illumination
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
OZL 473| Binocular| HWF 10x Ø 20 mm| Ø 28,6 – 4,4| 0,7x – 4,5x| Pillar|
3W LED (Incident)
OZL 474| Trinocular| HWF 10x Ø 20 mm| Ø 28,6 – 4,4| 0,7x – 4,5x| Pillar|
3W LED (Incident)
Assembly
The first step is to position the microscope stand on a firm, level surface.
For devices with pillar stand the holder (OZL 473, OZL 474) is already on
pillar of the stand, but you must always check whether it is fixed
securely and that it is in the correct position (preferably centrally and
facing to the front).
Please see section 5.5 for more details on adjusting the stand.
The next step is to place the microscope head on the holder , by passing the objective through the holder ring until the rest of the head is above the ring.
You must use the small silver adjusting screw on the front of the holder ring
to fix the head in place.
The alignment of the microscope head is left to the user to do and can be
adjusted to suit the individual application situations.
To make it easier to operate the focus wheels or lighting control for example,
we recommend that you position the head with the tube connectors centrally to
the front. Ideally, the holder and head are then parallel on the central axis
of the stand base (see nomenclature on page 6).
Then you can remove the protective caps from the tube connectors so that you can then fit the eyepieces. When doing this, please be particularly careful that you do not touch the optical lenses with your fingers and that no dust enters the apertures. You should also never fit two eyepieces with different magnifications.
Additional optional attachments:
- The eye cups supplied with the microscopes can be fitted to the eyepieces. (see section 5.6)
- You can fit a C-mount adapter to the appropriate connection point on the top of the microscope head for trinocular devices (OZL 474). This enables you to fit and use digital cameras (see section 5.9).
Operation and functionality
Getting started
After assembly, if the microscope is ready for use, then you must first
establish a power connection using the cable, including power adapter.
Please see section 5.7 for more details on adjusting the lighting.
If the device has a camera connection (OZL 474), then for binocular use, you must let the trinocular toggle rod on the left side of the microscope head stay slid-in. For trinocular use (camera connection) see section 5.9.
Do not forget to remove the cap from the bottom of the objective, so that you will then be able to see a reflection of the object being observed in the eyepiece.
All important functions which relate to the use of the devices in this document are described in the following sections.
Adjusting the interpupillary distance
Different users have different interpupillary distances. So each time a
different person uses the microscope, the gap between the two eyepieces must
be re-adjusted.
While you are looking through the eyepieces, use one hand to hold the
righthand or lefthand prism housing firmly.
By rotating outwards or inwards, you can either increase or reduce the
interpupillary distance.
As soon as the lefthand and righthand visual fields exactly overlap each
other, this is the correct interpupillary distance.
Adjusting the magnification
As the KERN OZL-47 series are stereo zoom microscopes, then you adjust the magnification using the two zoom adjustment wheels on the lefthand and righthand side of the microscope head.
Chapter 6 “Optical data” gives information on the possible overall magnification which the microscope can produce. It will also include the optional use of different eyepieces and auxiliary objectives.
Dioptre adjustment and focussing
A special feature of stereo microscopes is that they are fitted with an optical unit which has a relatively high depth of field. In order to be able get the most benefit from this feature, each user must synchronise the focussing mechanisms for themselves.
The steps to do this are described in the following section.
- Place the object to be observed on the working surface under the objective.
- Put both dioptre adjustment rings into the starting position of 0.
- Use the zoom control dials to set the smallest possible magnification.
- Look through the right eyepiece with the right eye and bring the object into focus by using the focus control dials.
- Now set the largest possible zoom factor.
- Once again, still only looking through the right eyepiece, bring the object into focus
- Then set the smallest possible zoom factor again.
- If the object then does not appear to be in focus, adjust the focus on the dioptre adjustment ring of the right eyepiece.
- In order to get the highest level of accuracy when adjusting the focus, you should repeat steps 5-8.
- Afterwards set back to the smallest possible zoom factor.
- Then look through the left eyepiece with the left eye and use the lefthand dioptre adjustment ring to also adjust the optimum focus of the object.
- In this way, the object being observed will be in focus at any zoom setting.
Adjusting the stand
Torque of the focus wheels
You adjust the torque of the focus wheels by holding one of the two wheels in
place and using the other hand to turn the other wheel.
Depending on the direction of the turn, the torque will be increased or
decreased. On one hand, this function can help to make it easier to adjust the
focus and on the other hand it can prevent the microscope head from slipping
down unintentionally. In this way you can avoid possible damage which could
occur if the objective lens and the object being observed should collide.
Height adjustment
With a stereo microscope on a pillar stand (OZL 473, OZL 474), the microscope head can be height adjusted using the focus wheels and in addition, the microscope holder can be fixed at any point on the pillar, depending on the application requirements.
The way to fix the position is to use an adjusting screw, which is located directly on the back of the holder.
Using eye cups / High Eye Point eyepieces
The eye cups supplied with the microscope can basically be used at all times, as they screen out intrusive light, which is reflected from light sources from the environment onto the eyepiece, and the result is better image quality.
But primarily, if eyepieces with a high eye point (particularly suitable for those who wear glasses) are used, then it may also be useful for users who don’t wear glasses, to fit the eye cups to the eyepieces.
These special eyepieces are also called High Eye Point eyepieces. They can be identified by the glasses symbol on the side. They are also marked in the item description by an additional “H” (example: HSWF 10x Ø 23 mm).
When fitting the eye cups, make sure that the dioptre setting is not moved. We would therefore advise that you hold the dioptre adjustment ring on an eyepiece with one hand while you fit the eye cup with the other.
Before using the microscope, users who wear glasses must remove the eye cups, which you may find on High Eye Point eyepieces.
As the eye cups are made of rubber, you must be aware that when you are using them, they can become slightly dirty through grease residues. In order to maintain hygiene, we would therefore recommend that you clean the eye cups regularly (e.g. with a damp cloth).
Lighting control
A main switch located in the rear area of the stand base ensures that the unit can be supplied with power when the mains plug is inserted.
Left and right incident light (goosenecks) can be controlled separately.
For this purpose, rotatable knobs are mounted on the right and left rear of the stand base. These are used to control the light intensity.
The goosenecks are flexible and therefore offer a wide range of positioning options to perfectly illuminate an observation object.
Using external illumination units
If, when using a microscope in its standard version, the lighting is not suitable for the application, then it often makes sense to fit an external lighting unit to overcome this problem.
Useful external illumination units to use with the OZL-47 series microscopes are:
- Ring illumination units (see figure below), usually LED.
These lighting units require an extra power connection and, depending on the model, may also have an on/off switch and various lighting controls.
Mounting a ring illumination unit
As can be seen in the illustration, there are three screws on ring lightings, which must first be positioned so that they do not protrude into the ring. The ring is then fitted around the lens and the screws are each screwed in far enough to secure the illumination unit to the lens.
Fitting and adjusting a camera (OZL 474)
You can connect special microscope cameras to trinocular devices in the OZL-47 series, so that you can digitally record images or sequences of objects being observed.
The connection for this is on the top side of the microscope head.
When the trinocular toggle rod is pulled out , the beam path, which
normally emits on the righthand eyepiece, is diverted in the tube, so that it
can be used for the camera adapter connection.
This means that when the device is used in trinocular mode, you will see one
image in the left eyepiece and one on the monitor of the microscope camera.
This means that the 3D effect is lost.
To fit a microscope camera properly, you must use an adapter with a C-mount thread, which needs to be attached to the camera connection point.
In total there are three focusable adapters to choose from (see figure
below). The difference between these adapters is that they have different
integrated magnification (0.3x, 0.5x, 1.0x).
The camera and adapter are then united using the C-mount thread.
The image which is shown on the camera connected to the device can often have a different level of focus compared with the image on the eyepiece. In order to be able to bring both images into focus, the focus can be adjusted by those adapters when turning the attached black plastic ring.
Using additional accessories
Auxiliary objectives
In order to make the magnification series of one of the stereo zoom
microscopes described here even more flexible, there is the option of using
appropriate auxiliary objectives.
You can choose from four different achromatic corrected objectives (0.5x,
0.75x, 1.5x, 2.0x), depending on what is required.
You can fit these objectives by simply screwing them onto the thread of the
objective housing which is located at the bottom of the microscope head.
When you are doing this, you must avoid touching the objective lenses with
your fingers or leaving any dust between the standard objective and the
auxiliary objective.
Changing the bulb
LED
The devices in the OZL-47 range with lighting are all fitted with LED bulbs. Due to the long service life of an LED lighting system, for these microscopes it will not be necessary to simply change a bulb.
Problems with the lighting unit would therefore, in most cases, be caused by defects in the electrical system. If this is the case, then our Technical Service will be able to help.
Optical data
Features
Trouble shooting
Electrical system
Problem | Possible causes |
---|---|
The lighting unit (if fitted) cannot be switched on | The power cable is |
either not connected or not connected correctly
The bulb is not fitted
The bulb has blown
The brightness control is set to the lowest level
The bulb has blown| The wrong bulb has been used
The input voltage was too high
The bulb flickers| The bulb is not correctly fitted
The lamp is worn out
The bulb brightness is not sufficient| The wrong bulb has been used
The input voltage is too low
Optical unit
Problem | Possible causes |
---|---|
You can see two images | The gap between the eyes is not set correctly |
The magnifications of the eyepieces do not match
There is dirt in the visual field| There is dirt on the object being observed
There is dirt on the eyepiece surface
The image is unclear| There is dirt on the objective surface
The focus wheels are jammed| The torque of the focus wheels is set too high
The microscope head slips down
while you are viewing the object| The torque of the focus wheels is set too
low
Eyes get tired easily| The dioptre adjustment is not correct
The brightness adjustment is not correct
Service
If, after studying the user manual, you still have questions about commissioning or using the microscope, or if unforeseen problems should arise, please get in touch with your dealer. The device may only be opened by trained service engineers who have been authorised by KERN.
Disposal
The packaging is made of environmentally-friendly materials, which you can dispose of at your local recycling centre. Disposal of the storage box and device must be carried out by the operator in accordance with all national or regional laws in force in the location of use.
Further information
The illustrations may differ slightly from the product.
The descriptions and illustrations in this user manual are subject to change without notice. Further developments on the device may lead to these changes.
All language versions contain a non-binding translation.
The original German document is the binding version.
OZL-47-BA-e-2310
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>