AmScope ME580 Series User manual

1
ME580 Series User’s Manual

2ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Before Use ......................................................................................................... 3
Introducon ........................................................................................................................3
Safety Precauons ..............................................................................................................4
Parts .................................................................................................................. 5
ME580T-PZ..........................................................................................................................5
ME580B-PZ .........................................................................................................................6
ME580T-PZ-2L .....................................................................................................................7
ME580B-PZ-2L ....................................................................................................................8
Denion of Parts...............................................................................................................9
Denion of Parts (Connued) .........................................................................................10
Geng Started ................................................................................................ 13
Assembly...........................................................................................................................13
Operaon ........................................................................................................ 14
Seng Up .........................................................................................................................14
Focusing............................................................................................................................14
Centering Bulb Posion.....................................................................................................14
Upper Illuminator Setup & Use.........................................................................................15
Polarizing Kit/Filter Use (-PZ Only)....................................................................................16
Preparing a Slide (-2L Models Only)..................................................................................17
Preparing a Slide (Connued) ...........................................................................................18
Staining a Slide .................................................................................................................19
Adjusng The Diaphragm (-2L Model Only) .....................................................................20
Aaching a Camera / Changing Eyepieces .......................................................................21
Maintenance/Precauons ................................................................................................22
Changing the Bulb(s) ........................................................................................................22
Specicaons................................................................................................... 23
ME580 Series Specicaons (x = included) .......................................................................23
Oponal Accessories.........................................................................................................24
Objecves .........................................................................................................................24
Eyepieces ..........................................................................................................................24
Technical Parameters ....................................................................................... 25
Electrical System ...............................................................................................................25
Technical Terms & Concepts..............................................................................................26
Common Issues.................................................................................................................27
Common Issues (Connued) .............................................................................................28

3ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Before Use
Introducon
Congratulaons on the purchase of your new AmScope microscope!
This manual is designed for the ME580 series microscopes, which includes the polarized light
included model and the dual-lit model for metallurgical and biological applicaons, as well as
binocular/trinocular versions of each.
Please be sure to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the features and funcons of
your new AmScope microscope.
If you’d like more informaon on microscopes, parts, or accessories, please visit our website at:
www.amscope.com
We highly recommend reading this manual thoroughly before operang the microscope, and
that it be kept on hand for future reference. If lost or forgoen, a new copy can be downloaded
from our website using the included passcode from your packing list.
Please keep all packing materials, as they are required for any warranty service to guarantee
safe shipment to and from our locaon, and the packing list includes your password to access
this manual at any me.
If you have addional quesons or need assistance, please do not hesitate to email us at:
inf[email protected]
Or give us a call during business hours (6AM-5PM Pacic Standard Time, GMT-8) at:
888-950-2000
Copyright © 2017 United Scope Inc. DBA AmScope. All rights reserved.
Copyright Noce
This document, which is in dra form and subject to change without noce, is an unpublished work containing
condenal, trade secret informaon that is proprietary to AmScope, and is protected by laws pertaining to such
materials. This document, the informaon in this document and all rights thereto are the sole and exclusive prop-
erty of AmScope and are not to be copied, used or disclosed to anyone, in whole or in part, without the express
wrien permission of AmScope. AmScope assumes no liability for any damages incurred, directly or indirectly, from
any errors, omissions or discrepancies between the use of this microscope and the informaon contained in this
document.

4ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Before Use
Safety Precauons
1. As the microscope is a precision instrument, always handle it with care, avoiding impact or
abrupt movement during transporaon. Do not shake the package.
2. Do not place the microscope in direct sunlight or in high heat. Keap it indoors in a dry and
clean place with temperateures between 32-100 degrees F (0-40 degrees C), and in maximum
relave humidity of 85%.
3. Avoid touching the lenses on the objecves and the eyepieces so that oil and dirt from
your ngerprints do not obstruct your view.
4. Before turning the power on, make sure that the power supply voltage is consident with
the voltage of your microscope.
Addional details regarding maintenance and safety can be found on page 10.

5ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
ME580T-PZ
Trinocular Port
Eyepieces
Interpupillary
Adjustors
Analyzer Slot
Objecve Turret
Objecves
Stage Clips
Dimmer Knob
Bulb Posion
Adjustment Knobs
Mechanical Stage
Adjustment Coarse Focusing Knob
Fine Focusing Knob
Stage
Illuminator Housing
Polarizer Slot
Field Stop &
Aperture Stop
Adjustments

6ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
ME580B-PZ
Fine Focusing Knob
Coarse Focusing
Knob
Dimmer Knob
Mechanical Stage
Adjustment Knob
Stage
Stage Clips
Objecves
Objecve Turret
Analyzer Slot
Interpupillary
Adjusters
Eyepieces
Polarizer Slot Illuminator Housing
Bulb Posion
Adjusters
Aperture & Filter
Stops

7ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
ME580T-PZ-2L
Fine Focusing Knob
Base Power Switch
Upper Power Switch
Bulb Posion
Adjusters
Illuminator Housing
Polarizer Slot
Aperture & Filter
Stop Adjustments
Trinocular Port
Eyepieces
Interpupillary
Adjustments
Analyzer Slot
Objecve Turret
Objecves
Stage Clips
Limit Stop
Stage
Condenser
Base Illuminator
Mechanical Stage
Control Knob
Coarse Focusing
Knob
Dimmer Knob

8ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
ME580B-PZ-2L
Fine Focusing Knob
Base Power Switch
Upper Power Switch
Bulb Posion
Adjusters
Illuminator Housing
Polarizer Slot
Aperture & Filter
Stop Adjustments
Eyepieces
Interpupillary
Adjustments
Analyzer Slot
Objecve Turret
Objecves
Stage Clips
Limit Stop
Stage
Condenser
Base Illuminator
Mechanical Stage
Control Knob
Coarse Focusing
Knob
Dimmer Knob

9ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
Denion of Parts
Base Illuminator Lens (Transmied Illuminator Lens)
Lens underneath the stage of the microscope that directs the light source up towards the slide
Focusing Knob (Coarse & Fine)
Knobs used to move the stage of the microscope up and down to focus on the slide. Two types exist:
coarse, which moves the stage in large increments, and ne, which moves the stage in small increments
for precision.
Base Illuminator
Coarse
Fine

10 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
Denion of Parts (Connued)
Abbe Condenser (w/ Iris)
Focuses and controls the amount of light that hits the slide from the base illuminator
Ocular Tube / Eyepieces
The tube which extends from the microscope head and accepts the eyepieces, which enlarge the image
from the objecve to a plan near the user’s eye for ease of viewing.
Abbe Condenser
Eyepieces

11 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
Denion of Parts (Connued)
Nosepiece / Objecve Turret
Rotang component that Houses the objecve lenses and allows ease of changing between lenses.
Objecve Lens
The cylindrical lens housings that provide magnicaon to the microscope and aach to the nosepiece.
Nosepiece
Objecve

12 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Parts
Denion of Parts (Connued)
Stage (Mechanical)
The at, horizontal surface that slides or other glass media used for holding samples is placed on, which
is controlled in the X and Y dimensions using the drop down knobs on the right hand side.
Stage Plate Recess
Area inside the stage that accepts plates for dierent media.
Stage
Stage Plate Recess

13 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Geng Started
Assembly
1. First, take the styrofoam containers out of the cardboard carton and lay them on their side, paying aenon
to which side is labeled up. Remove the tape and open the container scarefully so as to avoid dropping and
damaging the opcal items. Check carefully to ensure that all parts and accessories are intact.
2. Check the packing list on www.amscope.com or included in your package to ensure that you’re received all
items that are to be included. Note: We have several dierent packages, so, checking the web lisng for the
specic SKU ordered will have the most accurate packing list:
- One Binocular (B-)/Trinocular (T-) 580 Series Microscope Body & Head
- Three LM Plan Objecves (5x, 10x, 50x)
- Three Achromac Objecves (4x, 10x, 40x) (-2L Models Only)
- One Substage Condenser (-2L Models Only)
- One Pair Plan 10x Wideeld Eyepieces
- One Episcopic Illuminator Module
- Two Halogen Bulbs
- One Power Adapter
- One Dust Cover
- One Sample Bole of Immersion Oil
- Six Filters (Polarizer, Analyzer, Green, Yellow, Blue, Diuser) (-PZ Models Only)
- One Pack of Lens Tissue
- One Tension Wrench
3. Remove the microscope body from the box and remove the plasc protecve covering.
4. Screw the objecves into the microscope nosepiece from the lowest magnicaon to the highest, avoiding
touching the lenses. Touching the glass on a lens will transfer oil from the skin, as well as dust, obscuring your
eld of view. If accidental contact occurs, please use a so opcal cloth with Sparkle or a Kimwipe to clean the
lens o.
5. Remove the head and illuminaon module from the styrofoam container. Aer loosening the head lock
screw, insert the illuminaon module into posion in the opening (circular opening down) at the top of the
microscope body, and ghten the head lock screw to secure it. Repeat above the illuminaon path with the
microscope’s opcal head.
6. Remove the caps covering the ocular tubes, and slide your included 10x eyepieces into the ocular tubes.
7. Insert the illuminator group (with installed bulb) onto the rear of the illuminaon module and secure with
the locking screw. Connect to the microscope to power the light group.
8. Plug in the microscope and ip the switch to the desired light. If no light emerges from the light source,
adjust the dimmer dial.

14 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
Seng Up
1. Place the specimen to be studied on the stage (if opaque) or glass slide (if translucent and using a -2L mod-
el). Place it on the stage, holding it snugly in place with the metal slide holders (clips) of the stage. You may
need to place the stage plate on the stage if you are using a -2L model that has a hole in the stage.
2. Using the mechanical stage controls, center the specimen, lining it up with the light and the objecve lens.
3. To adjust the illuminaon (boom light only for -2L models), slowly turn the dimmer on the right of the base
of the microscope unl the desired intensity of light is achieved. The upper illuminator brightness is not adjust-
ed by a dimmer, but is adjustd by the aperture and eld adjustments on the light path itself.
Focusing
1. Turn the nosepiece to choose an objecve. It is easiest to use the lowest magnicaon rst (4x objecve,
usually the shortest) to locate and focus on the specimen. As you move higher in magnicaon by switching
lenses, you may need to refocus the image a lile each me.
2. Being focusing by rst adjusng the distance between each eyepiece to t the distance between your eyes
by sliding them towards or away from each other as needed. Then, look with one eye through the right eye-
piece. Posion the diopter so that the eyepiece is as close to the microscope as possible. Use the coarse focus-
ing knob to adjust unl the sample comes into clear focus. Use the diopter on the other eyepiece to adjust
unl the images collimate (align so you see a single matching image through both eyes).
3. Once the image is mostly clear in your eld of view, use the ne focusing knob to tune it for best results.
4. Once you have focused on your sample, you may adjust the slide to recenter on the area you wish to focus
on, then move to the next highest objecve. Repeat steps 2 through 4 unl the magnicaon you wish to view
at is focused.
Centering Bulb Posion
1. The upper illuminator best illuminates the sample when the bulb is posioned in the center of the light
path. This is done using adjustment screws on the bulb housing module.
2. To center the bulb, remove an objecve from the turret, and set that hole as the opening in the path of light
on the microscope’s nosepiece. Place a sheet of paper on the stage.
3. While looking at the circle of light on the paper, adjust the bulb’s X and Y posion adjustment screws unl
the brightest point visible is centered on the sheet of paper.

15 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
Upper Illuminator Setup & Use
1. The upper illuminaon method is used when the sample being viewed is an opaque sample, meaning, light
does not pass through it. Upper illuminaon comes through the objecves, bounces o of the opaque sample,
then re-enters the objecve, creang an image visible to the user. This is called a “reected” illuminator style,
as it reects o of the sample to form an image, rather than through a translucent sample like a tradional
compound microscope.
2. To turn the upper illuminator on, the switch on the right side of the microscope body must be ipped, and
the knob adjusted for intensity unl the light is visible or the desired brightness is achieved when looking
through the eyepieces.
3. For the best image quality when using the upper illuminator, the eld diaphragm must be adjusted to be just
larger than the current eld of view when looking in the microscope, and centered. The angled screws on the
illuminaon path are used to center the iris diaphragm, while the sliding bar is used to adjust iris size.
4. Begin by shrinking the iris to its smallest seng, then adjusng the screws to get the small iris in the center
of the eld of view, by looking into the microscope. Once centered, open the iris and check to see if the iris is
completely inside the eld of view, or if it is o to one parcular side. If o, adjust as necessary unl centered.
5. Once centered, open the iris just beyond the edge of the eld of view as seen in the microscope. This is the
posion for the best possible image when focused.
6. The aperture diaphragm must also be adjusted, as this helps determine the numerical aperture of the
system. Matching this to the objecve in use provides the best image, and is done by viewing the sample and
adjusng the aperture diaphgram slider bar for opmal contrast and clarity while looking in the microscope.

16 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
Polarizing Kit/Filter Use (-PZ Only)
1. Insert the polarizer into the rotatable upside down “U” shaped slot of the illuminaon module aer pulling
out any previously inserted lters.
2. Insert the analyzer into the slot at the front of the illuminaon system (near where the opcal head aaches
to the illuminaon module).
3. The polarizer and analyzer are perpendicular to each other when the polarizer is in the vercal posion. The
adjustable range for the polarizer is +/-25 degrees, as needed for analyzing your sample.
4. To adjust the polarizer’s direcon, you can rotate the polarizer in the slot by the previously menoned range
by simply touching and moving it. The linear marker on the polarizer helps determine if you are at 0, +25, or
-25 (max ranges le and right).
5. When the polarizer and analyzer are not in use, insert the provided blanks that ll the slot to prevent dust
from entering the illuminator module.
Note: The ME580 units only have a polarizaon feature in the reected illuminaon mode. The transmied
illuminaon mode is only capable of brighield.

17 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
Note: Not all packages sold by AmScope include blank slides, cover slips, or a preparaon kit. If you do not
have any and did not purchase a package that lists those items as included, please visit www.amscope.com to
purchase those items.
1. Gather a thin slice or piece of your specimen. If your specimen is too thick, the cover slip will not be level,
and will wobble on top of the sample. If a thin sample is not available, you may use a microtome (sold sepa-
rately) to create a thin layer of the sample.
2. Place one drop of water directly over the specimen. Too much water can cause the cover slip to oat, which
will make focusing on your sample extremely dicult, if not impossible.
Preparing a Slide (-2L Models Only)

18 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
3. Place the cover slip at an approximately 45 degree angle to the slide with one edge touching the water drop.
Gently let the cover slip go, which will cause it to fall onto the specimen and sele at. If too much water or too
large of a sample is used, you may use a so, lint free opcal cloth or kimwipe to cover your nger and gently
press it at, or start over with a new, thinner sample, or less water.
4. Your slide is now ready to be placed on the microscope stage for viewing, or you can connue to the nex sec-
on to learn how to stain your sample, if needed.
Preparing a Slide (Connued)

19 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
Staining a Slide
1. Place one drop of Methylene Blue (or other stain, sold separately) on one edge of the cover slip, and place the
at edge of a paper towel on the other edge.
2. As the paper towel draws the water out from under the coverslip on one side, the ow of liquid will draw the
stain in under the coverslip from the other side.
3. As soon as the stain has covered the area containing the specimen, you are done. The stain does not need to
be under the enre cover slip. If the stain does not cover the desired area, repeat the process with a new piece
of paper towel and more stain.
4. Now, you are ready to place the slide on the microscope stage. Be sure to wash and dry both the slide and the
cover slip aer use. Be sure to wipe o the excess stain with a paper towel, so you don’t end up permanently
staining the objecve lenses.

20 ME580 Series
User’s Manual
Operaon
Adjusng The Diaphragm (-2L Model Only)
By changing the aperture (hole size) of the iris diaphragm, you can adjust the background brightness. Adjust
the aperture of the iris diaphragm by sliding the iris dial le or right unl the desired aperture is achieved
(where the numerical marking corresponds to the magnicaon of the objecve in use). Best results are
achieved by having the aperture slightly larger than the eld of view, or matching the numbers on the dial.
While looking into the microscope, adjust the aperture smaller than the eld of view to be seen, then enlarge
unl it touches the outer edge, and a lile further, if not simply matching it to the numerical value on the ad-
justment of the condenser.
Some color lters are included on some models as well, which are used to create addional contrast. These
are installed on a swing out arm underneath the condenser. And nally, the best results are typically seen
when the condenser is as close to the stage as possible, adjusted by the knob to the le of the condenser.
Note: -2L models are the only models with a substage condenser. Non -2L models do not have a hole in the
stage to allow light through it, nor a substage condenser, nor a boom illuminaon system.