Zeiss Ultraphot II large format camera microscope
Date1956-1958
Inventory Number2015-1-0003
ClassificationMicroscope
Subject
Maker
Carl Zeiss (Oberkochen)
founded 1951
Maker
Zeiss-Opton Optische Werkstätte Oberkochen GmbH
1946 - 1953
Seller
Eric Sobotka Company
fl. 1945 - 1970
User
George Wald
1906 - 1997
Cultural Region
Place of Origin
Place of Use
Material
DescriptionThis is an early, mid-1950s Zeiss Ultraphot II large-format camera microscope. Once the image was focused, the camera produced a sharp photomicrograph on 4"x5" sheet film. 35mm roll film or Polaroid film could be used with attachments to the camera head. A ground glass screen could be substituted for the camera head for projection viewing.
The base of the microscope is oblong with bevelled sides. A lever switch that swings between "Micro" and "Luminar" are on the right side of the base, along with a calibrated dial. In front are two buttons to operate the camera, plus a toggle switch and two little lamps.
The microscope has lamps and a light path to enable reflected or transmitted light or the use of both together. The lamps available for use included a tungsten filament lamp of 12V, 100 watts, a carbon arc lamp with automatic feed, or a high pressure mercury burner. This one currently has a lamp using a 220 volt plug. This instrument has the oldest style of ventilation housings around the lamps; they are round with a circle of holes. Above the right hand lamp housing there is a rotating bakelite switch that adjusts the light path.
The tube head has a quintuple revolving nosepiece for objectives. Above this, the built-in focusing magnifier ("Optovar") increases magnification by 1.25x, 1.6x, or 2x. A sliding tray probably carried a rotatable polarizing analyzer. The binocular tube has interpupillary distance adjustment and can be corrected for ametropia. There are two eyepieces, marked Zeiss Opton, K 8x.
A separate accessory that looks like a sphere truncated on two sides carries a mirror at 45 degrees and has a base that slides into a track on microscope tube. It can be substituted in place of the components described in the previous paragraph if one intends to view solely by projection. (It is separately catalogued as 2015l-1-0002b.)
The large format camera attachment has a 4x5 inch glass screen that can be pulled forward from the camera head. It can take the 4x5 inch sheet film.
The mechanical stage is missing, but there is a clamp-on substage assembly with rack and pinion adjustment. It has a ring to hold a condenser and two swing-away rings below it to hold filters, a polarizer, or stops.
The base of the microscope is oblong with bevelled sides. A lever switch that swings between "Micro" and "Luminar" are on the right side of the base, along with a calibrated dial. In front are two buttons to operate the camera, plus a toggle switch and two little lamps.
The microscope has lamps and a light path to enable reflected or transmitted light or the use of both together. The lamps available for use included a tungsten filament lamp of 12V, 100 watts, a carbon arc lamp with automatic feed, or a high pressure mercury burner. This one currently has a lamp using a 220 volt plug. This instrument has the oldest style of ventilation housings around the lamps; they are round with a circle of holes. Above the right hand lamp housing there is a rotating bakelite switch that adjusts the light path.
The tube head has a quintuple revolving nosepiece for objectives. Above this, the built-in focusing magnifier ("Optovar") increases magnification by 1.25x, 1.6x, or 2x. A sliding tray probably carried a rotatable polarizing analyzer. The binocular tube has interpupillary distance adjustment and can be corrected for ametropia. There are two eyepieces, marked Zeiss Opton, K 8x.
A separate accessory that looks like a sphere truncated on two sides carries a mirror at 45 degrees and has a base that slides into a track on microscope tube. It can be substituted in place of the components described in the previous paragraph if one intends to view solely by projection. (It is separately catalogued as 2015l-1-0002b.)
The large format camera attachment has a 4x5 inch glass screen that can be pulled forward from the camera head. It can take the 4x5 inch sheet film.
The mechanical stage is missing, but there is a clamp-on substage assembly with rack and pinion adjustment. It has a ring to hold a condenser and two swing-away rings below it to hold filters, a polarizer, or stops.
Signedon black plaque on base: Carl / Zeiss [in achromat trademark] / Germany
on large-format camera head: Carl / Zeiss [in achromat trademark] / Germany
on diaphragm: Carl / Zeiss [in achromat trademark] / Germany
on binocular tube: Carl / Zeiss [in achromat trademark] / Germany
on eyepieces (2): ZEISS / OPTON [in achromat trademark] / Germany
on stage on plastic yellow label: Made in / Germany
on metal label on right side of microscope: Eric Sobotka Company / 110 West 40 Street / New York 18, N.Y.
Inscribedbase serial number: 34921
large-format camera head serial number: 20822
diaphragm serial number: 21154
binocular tube: 2130958
ProvenanceGeorge Wald, Harvard University, until 1989; Daniel Jay, Harvard Biological Laboratories [now at Tufts University School of Medicine], 1989-2015; gift to CHSI, 2015.
Historical AttributesOwned and used by George Wald, the biologist, for his research. When he retired, Daniel Jay, then a junior faculty member in the Bio Labs, was given permission by the lab administrators to take what he wanted from Prof. Wald's lab. He took this microscope as a memento.
A later model is advertised in the journal <i>Analytical Chemistry</i> in 1964, where it was promoted as "the most versatile camera microscope" to be had.
Polaroid Corporation
Date: circa 1978
Accessories: wrist strap, Twi Light movie lights
Object number: 2004-1-0507
Sylvania
Date: late 19th-early 20th Century
Object number: RS0368
Wm Gaertner & Company
Date: 1900-1920
Accessories: micrometer eyepiece, eyepiece adaptor
Object number: 1997-1-1836
Date: 1890-1930
Object number: RS0501
John Cuthbertson
Date: 1770-1815
Accessories: brown storage box, descriptive tag, thin strip of paper in box with the inscription "lucernal microscope" in David P. Wheatland's handwriting (which refers to figs. 47-48 and 51 in this series), page from the book "Old Science and Medicine" with a photographic copy of the first print from this series, entitled "The Large Electric Machine at Haarlem."
Object number: 1998-1-1087
Polaroid Corporation
Date: 2000-2001
Accessories: data cable
Object number: 2009-1-0036
Nikon Corporation
Date: 1960-1969
Object number: 2006-1-0020
Wild Heerbrugg Ltd.
Date: circa 1960
Accessories: glass filters (2)
Object number: 1997-1-2135
Polaroid Corporation
Date: 1978
Object number: 2004-1-0506
Wild Heerbrugg Ltd.
Date: 1960
Object number: 1997-1-0722