upgrade_V6Revolver
While V4 and V5 setups give great images with the Olympus MVX-10 zoom body and MVPLAPO-1x objective, we found that plan apochromats give much better resolution across the image, and superior field flatness (Vladimirov et al. 2023), just as one may expect when comparing zoom vs prime lens in photography. The prime lenses (= plan apochromats) give higher resolution images and cost less, because there are no moving lens groups inside them, so the manufacturing is more precisely controlled.
We found suitable lenses for the Benchtop mesoSPIM, and decided to offer them to owners of the older versions of mesoSPIM, as an upgrade option.
We selected 5 plan apo objectives from Mitutoyo, with magnifications 2, 5, 7.5, 10, and 20x, and a motorized turret ("revolver"). The new lenses allowed us to use next-generation sCMOS cameras with sensor diagonal up to 30 mm.
Only the detection arm components (objectives + filter wheel + camera) are upgraded. They are assembled into one piece and placed instead of the old Olympus MVX-10 body. No changes in the height of optical axis, focusing stage, or other mesoSPIM modules required.
In July 2023 the old (V4) system at ZMB/UZH was upgraded to V6 "Revolver" , with five Mitutoyo plan apochromats, motorized turret, new compact filter wheel, and Hamamatsu Orca Lightning sCMOS camera (12 MP sensor, 29 mm diagonal). More magnification, better and larger images!
Check the necessary parts list and reach us out for instructions. We have videos of the full process, which we plan to release soon.