User Guide

490 Series Microscope
AmScope Proprietary Page 29 of 64
2.20.2 Focus the Specimen
1. Once you have installed the phase contrast kit, you will need to calibrate and
center the light perfectly for optimal results. You will initially calibrate with the
Abbe brightfield condenser.
2. Place a slide on the microscope stage.
Make sure the specimen is covered
with a cover slip (a good example for a
phase contrast specimen is human
saliva). Clean any excess material
from the slide.
3. Make sure your Abbe brightfield condenser is installed.
4. Focus the specimen using the 10X
objective. Adjust the iris ring on the
condenser so the light field is just
larger than the field of view in the
microscope. The condenser itself
should be moved to the normal height,
which is close to the bottom of the
stage of the microscope (the top of the
range of the condenser).
2.20.3 Installing a Simple Phase Contrast Condenser
1. Loosen the thumbscrew and remove the
existing Abbe brightfield condenser from
your microscope.
2. Replace the brightfield objective on nosepiece with the 10X phase contrast
objective.
3. Screw the 10X condenser ring plate onto
the condenser assembly. Install the ring
plate and assembly on the microscope’s
condenser ring.