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Bright field dark field

Dark-field illumination is also one of the most rewarding techniques. Objects smaller than the resolving power of the objective can also made visible simply because they light up! It is thought that Antony van Leeuwenhoek observed bacteria using a kind of dark-field illumination! The image on this page is of a cast of the surface structure of a leaf complete with nerves and stomata. With the aid of nail varnish it is easy to make perfect casts. Read more about this technique next month! Rheinberg illumination back to main article

dark-field microscopy

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An Introduction to Microscopy Microscopy UK Front Page Micscape Magazine Article Library © Microscopy UK or their contributors.Published in the April 2002 edition of Micscape Magazine. Please report any Web problems or offer general comments to the Micscape Editor, via the contact on current Micscape Index. Micscape is the on-line monthly magazine of the Microscopy UK web site at Microscopy-UK © Onview.net Ltd, Microscopy-UK, and all contributors 1995 onwards. All rights reserved. Main site is at www.microscopy-uk.org.uk with full mirror at www.microscopy-uk.net.

The image on this page is of a cast of the surface structure of a leaf complete with nerves and stomata. With the aid of nail varnish it is easy to make perfect casts. Read more about this technique next month! Rheinberg illumination back to main article

Oblique illumination gives a relief-like enhancement of contrast. In 19th century microscopes there was often an arrangement for oblique illumination. Early microscopists knew that this technique has great advantages!  Dark-field illumination is also one of the most rewarding techniques. Objects smaller than the resolving power of the objective can also made visible simply because they light up! It is thought that Antony van Leeuwenhoek observed bacteria using a kind of dark-field illumination! The image on this page is of a cast of the surface structure of a leaf complete with nerves and stomata. With the aid of nail varnish it is easy to make perfect casts. Read more about this technique next month! Rheinberg illumination back to main article