Leica DM500 User Manual

Leica DM500, DM500 B
Manual

Chapter overview

Safety regulations 4

The Leica DM500 , DM500 B 15

Get Ready! 18

Get Set! 25

Go! 34

Care of the Microscope 36

Dimensions 39

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 2

Contents

Safety regulations 4

Safety concept 5
Symbols used in this operating manual 6
Important Notes 7
Instructions on use 8
Health risks and dangers of use 10
Information for the person responsible
for the instrument 11
Care instructions 12
Accessories, maintenance and repair 13
Electrical data and ambient conditions 14

The Leica DM500, DM500 B 15

Congratulations! 16
Unpacking 17

Get Ready! 18

Attaching the viewing Tubes 19
Leica EZ Viewing Tube –
integrated eyepieces 20
Leica Standard Viewing Tube –
separated eyepieces 22
Eyeguards 23
Installing Objectives and Substage Condenser
24

Get Set! 25

Turning on the microscope 26
Using the Condenser 27
Prepare to View a Specimen Slide 28
Focusing 29
Viewing Tube Adjustment 30
Oil Immersion Technique 32

Go! 34

Ready! Set! Go! 35

Care of the Microscope 36

General maintenance 37

Dimensions 39

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 3

Safety regulations

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 4

Safety concept

The individual modules of the Leica DM micros­copy series include an interactive CD-ROM with
all relevant user manuals several languages.
Keep it in a safe place, and readily accessible
to the user. User manuals and updates are also
available for you to download and print from
our web site at
www.leica-microsystems.com.

This operating manual describes the special
functions of the individual modules of the Leica
DM microscopy series and contains important
instructions for their operational safety, main­tenance, and accessories.

The "Safety concept" booklet contains addi­tional safety information regarding the service
work, requirements and the handling of micro­scope, accessories and electrical accessories as
well as general safety instructions.

You can combine individual system articles with
articles from external suppliers. Please read the
user manual and the safety requirements of the
supplier.

Before installing, operating or using the instru­ments, read the user manuals listed above. In
particular, please observe all safety instruc­tions.

To maintain the unit in its original condition
and to ensure safe operation, the user must
follow the instructions and warnings contained
in these user manuals.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 5

Symbols used in this operating manual

Warning of a danger

This symbol indicates especially impor-

•

tant information that must be read and

complied with.

Failure to comply can cause the following:

Ϙ Hazards to personnel

Ϙ Functional disturbances or damaged instru-

ments

Warning of hazardous electrical voltage

This symbol indicates especially impor-



tant information that is mandatory to

read and observe.

Failure to comply can cause the following:

Ϙ Hazards to personnel

Ϙ Functional disturbances or damaged

instruments

Danger due to hot surface.

This symbol warns against touching



accessible hot surfaces, e.g. those of

light bulbs.

For Model DM500 B (Battery Version)

Dispose of old batteries and defective



appliances in accordance with the stat-

utory regulations.

Important information

This symbol indicates additional infor-



mation or explanations that intend to

provide clarity.

Explanatory notes

ϐ This symbol within the text points to addi-

tional information and explanations.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 6

Important Notes

Description

The Leica DM500 and DM500 B microscope meets
today's state of the art of technology. Neverthe­less, hazards may still arise during operation.
The potential risks are described below.

Before installing, operating or using the

•

instruments, it is required to read this
user manual. In particular, please observe all
safety instructions.

Contact address

Leica Microsystems (Switzerland) Ltd.
Industry Division
Max Schmidheiny Strasse 201
CH-9435 Heerbrugg (Switzerland)

User Manual

This user manual includes important instruc­tions related to operating safety, maintenance
and accessories,

Your Leica DM500 or DM500 B micro-



scope comes with an interactive CD-ROM
with all relevant user manuals. Keep it in a safe
place, and readily accessible to the user. User
manuals and updates are also available for you
to download and print from our web site at
www.leica-microsystems.com

Accessories from third-party suppliers

You can combine individual system articles with
articles from external suppliers. Please read the
user manual and the safety requirements of the
supplier.

Original condition

To maintain the unit in its original condition
and to ensure safe operation, the user must
follow the instructions and warnings contained
in these user manuals.

Legal requirements

Adhere to general and local regulations relat­ing to accident prevention and environmental
protection.

EC Declaration of Conformity

Electrically operated accessories are constructed
based on the state of the art of technology and
are provided with an EC Declaration of Confor­mity.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 7

Instructions on use

Intended use

The Leica DM500 and DM500 B microscopes are
optical instrument which use magnification and
illumination to improve the visibility of objects.
It is used for observing and documenting.

The Leica DM500 and DM500 B microscopes
may be used only in closed rooms and must be
placed on a solid floor.

The Leica DM500 or DM500 B microscopes can
be used in clean rooms without any problems.

Position the Leica DM500 or

•

DM500 B microscope so that it can be
disconnected from the power supply at any
time. The power cord must remain accessible at
all times, because the power supply is foreseen
as mains disconnecting device.

Place of use

Only use the instruments in closed, dust free
rooms and between +10 °C and +40 °C. Protect
the devices from oil, chemicals and extreme
humidity. If using the devices outdoors, protect
them from dust and moisture. Never use electri­cal devices outdoors. Install electrical devices at
least 10 cm from the wall and away from flam­mable substances.

Avoid large temperature fluctuations, direct
sunlight and vibrations. These conditions
can distort measurements and micrographic
images.

In warm and warm-damp climatic zones,



the individual components require
special care in order to prevent the build-up of
fungus.

Non-intended use

Using the instrument in any way

•

contrary to the specifications in the user
manual can lead to bodily harm and damage to
objects. Doing so can impair the functions of
the protective measures provided.

Never install any other plug (NEMA



5-15P) or unscrew any mechanical
components unless expressly instructed to do
so in the instructions.

CAUTION: Risk of explosion if battery is



replaced by an incorrect type. Dispose
of used batteries according to the instructions.

The devices and accessories described in



this operating manual have been tested

for safety and potential hazards.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 8

Instructions on use (continued)

The responsible Leica affiliate must be

•

consulted whenever the instrument is
altered, modified or used in conjunction with
non-Leica components that are outside of the
scope of this manual.

Unauthorized alterations to the device

•

or noncompliant use shall void all rights
to any warranty claims.

Transport

If at all possible, use the original packaging for
shipping or transporting individual modules.

In order to prevent damage from vibrations,
disassemble all moving parts that (according to
the user manual) can be assembled and disas­sembled by the customer and pack them sepa­rately.

Disposal

Disposal must comply with locally applicable
laws and regulations.

Integration in third-party products

When installing Leica products into third-party
products, the manufacturer of the complete
system or its dealer is responsible for follow­ing all applicable safety instructions, laws and
guidelines.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 9

Health risks and dangers of use

Health risks

Workplaces with microscopes facilitate



and improve the viewing task, but they
also impose high demands on the eyes and
holding muscles of the user. Depending on the
duration of uninterrupted work, asthenopia
and musculoskeletal problems may occur. For
this reason, appropriate measures for reduction
of the workload must be taken:

Ϙ Optimum workplace layout

Ϙ Frequent changes of activity

Ϙ Thorough training of the personnel, giving

consideration to ergonomic and organiza­tional aspects

The ergonomic design and construction of the
Leica microscopy series are intended to reduce
the exertion of the user to a minimum.

Danger of infection

Direct contact with eyepieces is a

•

potential transmission method for viral

infections of the eye.

The risk can be kept to a minimum by



using personal eyepieces for each indi-

vidual or detachable eyecups.

Dangers during use

Ϙ The Leica DM500 or DM500 B microscope

may only be connected to a grounded
socket.

Ϙ The Leica DM500 or DM500 B microscope

may not be operated unless it is in proper
functioning condition.

LED Klasse 1 /Class 1 LED Product

The illumination meets laser class 1 require­ments in accordance with IEC 60825-1 "Safety
of LED products".

Caution: Use of controls or adjustments or

performance of procedures other than those
specified herein may result in hazardous radia­tion exposure!

Class 1

LED Product

LED class 1

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 10

Information for the person responsible for the instrument

Information for the person responsible for
the instrument

Ϙ Ensure that the Leica DM500 or DM500 B

microscope is used only by qualified person­nel.

Ϙ Ensure that this user manual is always avail-

able at the Leica DM500 or DM500 B micro­scope.

Ϙ Carry out regular inspections to make

certain that the authorized users are adher­ing to safety requirements.

Ϙ When instructing new users, do so thor-

oughly and explain the meanings of the
warning signs and messages.

Ϙ Assign individual responsibilities for start-

ing, operating and servicing the instru­ment and monitor the observance of these
responsibilities.

Ϙ Do not use the Leica DM500 or DM500 B

microscope unless it is in perfect condition.

Ϙ Inform your Leica representative or Leica

Microsystems (Schweiz) AG, Industry Divi­sion, 9435 Heerbrugg, Switzerland, imme­diately of any product defect that could
potentially cause injury or harm.

Ϙ If you use accessories made by third-party

manufacturers with the Leica DM500 or
DM500 B microscope, be sure that each
such manufacturer confirms that the
combination is safe to use and observe the
product's user manual.

Ϙ Modifications and maintenance of the Leica

DM500 or DM500 B microscope may only
be performed by professionals expressly
authorized by Leica.

Ϙ Only original Leica replacement parts may

be used in servicing the product.

Ϙ After service work or technical modifica-

tions, the unit must be reconfigured with
observance to our technical requirements.

Ϙ If the unit is modified or serviced by unau-

thorized persons, is improperly maintained
(as long as maintenance was not carried
out by us), or is handled improperly, Leica
will not accept any liability.

Ϙ The electric installation in the building

must conform to the national standard, e.g.
current-operated ground leakage protec­tion (fault-current protection) is suggested.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 11

Care instructions

General instructions

Ϙ Protect the Leica DM500 or DM500 B micro-

scope against damp, vapors, acids, alkalis,
and corrosive substances. Do not store
chemicals in the vicinity.

Ϙ Protect the Leica DM500 or DM500 B micro-

scope from oil and grease. Never grease or
oil mechanical parts or sliding surfaces.

Ϙ Follow the instructions of the disinfectant

manufacturer.

Ϙ It is advisable to enter a service agreement

with Leica Service.

Cleaning coated parts and plastic parts

Ϙ Dust and dirt particles should be removed

with a soft brush or lint-free cotton cloth.

Ϙ Remove coarse debris with a moistened

disposable cloth.

Ϙ Clinging dirt can be removed using petro-

leum ether or alcohol

Ϙ Acetone, xylene or nitro-containing thin-

ners must NOT be used.

Ϙ Never use chemicals to clean colored

surfaces or accessories with rubberized
parts. This could damage the surfaces,
and specimens could be contaminated by
abraded particles.

Cleaning glass surfaces

Ϙ Remove dust using a fine, dry and grease-

free brush made from hair, by blowing with
a squeeze blower, or by using a vacuum.

Ϙ Remove dirt using a clean cloth that has

been moistened with distilled water.

Ϙ Remove tough dirt using alcohol, chloro-

form or petroleum ether.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 12

Accessories, maintenance and repair

Accessories

Only the following accessories may be used
with the Leica DM500 or DM500 B microscope:

Ϙ The Leica accessories described in this user

manual.

Ϙ Other accessories, provided that these have

been expressly approved by Leica as being
technically safe in this context.

Maintenance

Ϙ The Leica DM500 and DM500 B micro-

scopes are basically maintenance-free. To
ensure that they always operate safely and
reliably, we recommend that you take the
precaution of contacting the responsible
service organization.

You can arrange for periodic inspections



or, if appropriate, conclude a mainte-

nance contract with them.

Ϙ It is advisable to enter a service agreement

with Leica Service.

Ϙ For maintenance and repair, only OEM spare

parts may be used.

Repairs and service work

Ϙ Only original Leica Microsystems spare

parts may be used.

Ϙ Before opening the instruments, switch off

the power and unplug the power cable.

Ϙ Avoid contact with powered electrical

circuits, which can lead to injury.

Service address

In case of problems, please contact us as
follows:

Leica Microsystems (Switzerland) Ltd.
Industry Division
Max Schmidheiny Strasse 201
CH-9435 Heerbrugg (Switzerland)
Phone [phone]

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 13

Electrical data and ambient conditions

Fuse Replacement

Unplug the instrument before changing any fuses. The



Leica DM500 has two fuses, which are located behind the

power cord receptacle.

Use only fuse type: 5×20 mm, 1 Amp/250V, Quick acting

•

(# 13RFAG30003)

Electrical data

DM500 Input: 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 5 W (3 W LED)

DM500 B Input: 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz, 0.5-0.2 A OR

4× 1.2 V AA rechargeable batteries

Use only 1.2 Volt NiMH type AA rechargeable batteries

•

with a maximum of 2700 mAh. Do not use non-recharge-

able AA batteries.

Environment

Temperature for use +10 °C … +40 °C

Storage temperature -20 °C … +52 °C

+50 °F … +104 °F

Manipulation shock 25 mm on 50 mm hard wood

Transport shock (unpacked) 100 g / 6 ms

Transport shock (packed) 800 mm free fall

Transport vibrations (unpacked) 5–200 Hz / 1.5 g

Atmospheric pressure "in use" and for storage: 500–1060 mBar

Humidity “in use” and for storage: 20–90%

Installation Category II (Overvoltage Category)

Pollution degree 2

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 14

The Leica DM500, DM500 B

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 15

Congratulations!

Thank you for purchasing the Leica DM500 or
DM500 B Compound Microscope from Leica
Microsystems. This model’s exclusive design
features and full range of accessories make it
a truly versatile, high-quality instrument for
educational and routine clinical applications.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 16

Unpacking

Ϙ Carefully remove the microscope and any

components from the packing carton.

Ϙ Check the components against the planned

configuration.

Ϙ Optional items such as contrast accessories,

camera adapters, cameras, and carrying
cases are not shipped as part of the stan­dard equipment. These items are delivered
in separate packages.

Ϙ Please do not discard any of the packing

materials. They should be used for safely
storing and transporting the instrument
should the need arise.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 17

Get Ready!

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 18

Attaching the viewing Tubes

Tools used

Ϙ Allen key

There are two types of viewing tube.



Identify which viewing tube you have:

Type 1: Leica EZ viewing tube with integrated
eyepieces.

Type 2: Standard viewing tube with separate
eyepieces

1. Slightly unscrew the set screw (located on
top of the stand) with the Allen key tool
provided.

2. Insert the dovetail into the stand support
and tighten the set screw firmly without
forcing it. This precisely positions the view­ing tube onto the optical axis of the micro­scope, regardless of the selected rotation.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 19

Leica EZ Viewing Tube – integrated eyepieces

Leica EZ viewing tube with integrated eyepieces.

To rotate the Leica EZ viewing tube,



either loosen the set screw on the stand
or replace the set screw with the (optional)
captive thumbscrew.

1. To use the captive thumbscrew, completely
remove the set screw that comes with the
stand.

Be sure the thumbscrew portion of the

•

captive thumbscrew is fully loosened

before attaching it to the stand:

2. Position the Leica EZ viewing tube back in
place on the stand.

3. Attach the captive thumbscrew using the
wrench tool that comes with the captive
thumbscrew.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 20

Leica EZ Viewing Tube – integrated eyepieces (cont.)

You can now safely rotate the Leica EZ



viewing tube by loosening the captive
thumbscrew, rotating the viewing tube, and
tightening the captive thumbscrew again.

The eyepieces are already integrated



with the Leica EZ viewing tube and are
pre-adjusted for corrected vision; therefore no
eyepiece adjustment or insertion is necessary.

Go on to the section "Eyeguards" on page 23.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 21

Leica Standard Viewing Tube – separated eyepieces

Standard viewing tube; eyetubes do not yet
contain the eyepieces

The standard viewing tube has a rotat-



able dovetail. Therefore, you can now
rotate the standard viewing tube freely in any
orientation.

1. Insert the eyepieces into the eyetubes.

2. Lock the eyepieces into the eyetubes by
tightening the silver screws on the under­side of the eyetubes with a standard Cross
type (Phillips) screwdriver (not provided).

The eyepieces will still rotate, but they



will be captive in the eyetubes.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 22

Eyeguards

If you wear eyeglasses for microscope



viewing, keep the rubber eyeguards
folded down. If you do not wear eyeglasses,
you may find it useful to unfold the rubber
eyeguards in order to help block out ambient
room light.

If you have purchased a standard micro-



scope configuration, you will notice that
the objectives are already installed on the nose­piece, and the substage condenser is already
installed on the stand. In this case, go to section
"Operation" on page 26. If you purchased your
Leica DM500 or DM500 B by components and
not by standard configuration, please continue
to section "Installing Objectives" on page 24.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 23

Installing Objectives and Substage Condenser

Installing Objectives

Always rotate the nosepiece by using

•

the knurled nosepiece ring.

1. As you rotate the nosepiece clockwise,
attach the objectives by screwing them
into the nosepiece holes starting with the
lowest magnification and advancing to the
highest magnification.

Substage Condenser

The Leica DM500’s and DM500 B's



substage condenser is pre-installed, pre­focused, and pre-centered. No additional instal­lation or alignment is required.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 24

Get Set!

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 25

Turning on the microscope

As a safety precaution, the power cord



has been grounded to the microscope
base. Never use an adapter between the power
cord and the power source; it will render the
grounding feature ineffective.

Work Surface

Always use your microscope on a hard,

•

stable surface.

Power Cord

If the power cord is not already

•

attached, attach it securely to the back
of the microscop.

If you have a DM500 B with a rechargeable
base:

1. Insert the batteries in the underside of the
base

2. If the power cord is not already attached,
attach it securely to the power supply, if
you use a DM500 B with a rechargeable
base.

3. Plug in the power supply or the optional
solar panel in order to charge the batteries
(allow 4 hours minimum to fully charge the
batteries)

After being fully charged the batteries



will provide 6-8 hours of operation.

If necessary, the microscope can func-



tion without batteries assuming either
the power supply or optional solar panel is
plugged in.

Setting the Illumination Intensity

Set the illumination control knob

•

(located on the bottom left of the
microscope stand) to the lowest setting to
start. The illumination control knob allows you
to adjust the intensity of light produced by the
illumination system.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 26

Using the Condenser

Plug in and Turn on the Microscope

1. Plug the microscope power cord into a suit­able grounded electrical outlet.

A grounded 3-wire cord is provided.



2. Turn the microscope on using the switch on
the bottom right-hand side of the micro­scope stand.

On/Off switch is located on the bottom right
hand side of the stand

Using the Condenser

The condenser is furnished with an iris



diaphragm, which can be adjusted to
match the effective numerical aperture of each
objective.

1. To open and close the iris diaphragm,

simply rotate the knurled condenser ring to
the right or to the left so that the line on
the rotating ring aligns with the objective
magnification in use.

2. To start, fully open the iris diaphragm of
the aperture condenser by rotating the
condenser ring to the extreme right.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 27

Prepare to View a Specimen Slide

Prepare to View a Specimen Slide

1. Place a specimen slide on the stage by slid­ing the specimen slide forward into the
slide grips.

Slide grips hold the slide in place.

2. Use the X/Y stage control to position the
slide so a portion of the specimen is under
the objective in use.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 28

Focusing

Focusing

1. Rotate the nosepiece (using the knurled
nosepiece ring) to move the lowest magni­fication objective into working position.

2. Raise the stage by rotating the coarse
adjustment knob to its positive stop at the
highest position.

Coarse adjustment knob

3. Look into the eyepieces and adjust the illu­mination intensity so that it is comfortable
for viewing.

The Leica DM500 or DM500 B microscope



stand has been factory-adjusted so that
the stage focus can be found within 1.5 rotations
of the fine focus adjustment from this position.

4. Using the fine adjustment knob, bring the

specimen into sharp focus.

Fine adjustment knob

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 29

Viewing Tube Adjustment

1. Adjust the eyetubes for your interpupillary
distance. Fold or unfold the eyetubes to
decrease or increase the distance between
the eyepieces until you see one illuminated
circle.

The viewing tubes maintain a constant



tube length for all interpupillary settings.
This means that a change of interpupillary
distance does not affect parfocality, magnifica­tion, or calibrations that depend on magnifica­tion.

Leica EZ Viewing Tube

If you are using a Leica EZ viewing tube, which
already has the eyepieces integrated with
the eyetubes, there are no additional adjust­ments necessary. Be sure you are wearing your
eyeglasses or contact lenses. Go on to section
"Oil Immersion" on page 32.

Standard Viewing Tube with Two Fixed
Eyepieces

If you are using a standard viewing tube with
two fixed eyepieces (no focusing eyepieces),
there are no additional adjustments neces­sary. Be sure you are wearing your eyeglasses
or contact lenses. Go on to section "Oil Immer­sion" on page 32.

Standard Tube with One or Two Focusing
Eyepieces

If you are using a standard viewing tube with
one or two focusing eyepieces, you need to
make some adjustments:

1. Set the focusing eyepieces to the "0" diopter
setting.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 30

Viewing Tube Adjustment (cont.)

If you are comfortable wearing your



corrective lenses (contact lenses or
eyeglasses) for microscope viewing, leave them
on and your adjustments will be minimal.

2. Focus on the specimen using the fine

adjustment knob of the microscope while
looking only through one of the eyepieces
(if you have one focusable and one non­focusable eyepiece, look through the non­focusable eyepiece at this time). To help
focus, cover or close the other eye.

3. Now switch to look only through the other
eyepiece (focusing eyepiece) with your
other eye. This time, focus the specimen by
using the focusing capability in the focus­ing eyepiece.

Do not raise or lower the stage to focus.

•

4. Grip the knurl on the focusing eyepiece
with one hand and rotate the top of the
eyepiece with the other hand until the
specimen is in focus with this eye and this
focusing eyepiece. This corrects for any
vision differences between your right eye
and left eye.

5. Now switch to a high magnification objec­tive (not an oil objective) and focus the
microscope while viewing with both eyes.

The higher magnifications have a shal-



lower depth of field. Therefore, after
focusing with a high magnification, you will
find that when you change to lower magnifi­cations, you only have to adjust the fine focus
slightly, if at all.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 31

Oil Immersion Technique

Oil Immersion Technique

1. Find the field of view on the slide that you
would like to inspect.

2. Lower the stage to its lowest position using
the coarse focus knob.

3. Place a drop of Leica Immersion Oil on the
specimen slide on the area of the specimen
that you were inspecting.

4. Swing the oil immersion objective in place
(the objective will be labeled "OIL")

5. Raise the stage slowly using the coarse
focus knob until the drop of oil on the spec­imen slide just comes in contact with the
front of the oil immersion objective lens.

6. Grip the knurled nosepiece ring and rock
the objective back and forth to eliminate
any air bubbles, then settle the oil objec­tive into position with the oil between the
front lens of the objective and the speci­men slide.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 32

Oil Immersion Technique (cont.)

7. Look through the microscope and slowly
rotate the fine focus knob to raise the stage
until the specimen is in focus.

8. When finished using the oil immersion
objective, be sure to clean the front of the
objective, the specimen slide, and any
other surfaces that the oil contacted using
the instructions in section "Care of the
Microscope" on page 37.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 33

Go!

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 34

Ready! Set! Go!

Now all you need to do is change objectives, set
the condenser appropriately for the objective
magnification in use, and enjoy the view!

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 35

Care of the Microscope

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 36

General maintenance

General

Always carry the microscope using two

•

hands. There is a handle on the back of
the microscope and an undercut in the front for
this purpose.

Ϙ The cord wrap allows you to wrap the cord

in such a way that only the length you need
is extended.

Ϙ Keep all optical components clean. Clean-

liness is important for maintaining good
optical performance.

Ϙ The microscope should always be covered

with the plastic dust cover (provided with
the instrument) when it is not in use.

Ϙ If any optical surface becomes coated with

dust or dirt, clean the surface by blowing it
off with a syringe or brushing it off with a
camel hair brush before attempting to wipe
the surface clean.

Ϙ Optical surfaces should be cleaned with a

lint-free cloth, lens tissue or a cotton swab
moistened with methanol or a commer­cially available glass cleaner. Do not use
alcohol.

Ϙ It is very important to avoid the excessive

use of solvents, so use them sparingly. The
lint-free cloth, lens tissue or cotton swab
should be moistened with solvent, but
not be wet enough for the solvent to seep
around the lens.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 37

General maintenance (cont.)

Ϙ No part of the microscope is quite so vulner-

able to collecting dirt, dust, and oil as the
front lens of the objective. Whenever you
encounter lack of contrast, cloudiness or
poor definition, carefully check the condi­tion of the front lens with a magnifier.

Ϙ The lower magnification objectives have

fairly large front lenses and can be cleaned
with a cloth or lens tissue wrapped around
a finger and moistened with methanol.

Ϙ Cleaning 40× and 100× objectives requires

more care. Note: To achieve the high degree
of flatness obtained with higher magnifica­tion objectives, the objective has a small
concave front lens of fairly short radius or
curvature. The surface of this front lens can
be readily cleaned with a toothpick covered
with a cotton tip, or with a small cotton
swab. Moisten the cotton with methanol
and squeeze it almost dry (do not use alco­hol). Wipe the front lens lightly without
applying undue force or scrubbing action.

Make sure that the cotton tip contacts the
concave lens surface. Check the objective
with a magnifier after cleaning.

Ϙ If you need to remove the microscope’s

viewing body, be careful not to accidentally
touch the outer lens surface (located on
the underside of the body). Fingerprints on
this surface will reduce image clarity. This
lens can be cleaned in the same manner as
objectives and eyepieces.

Illumination

Ϙ The Leica DM500 and DM500 B uses LED

illumination. Therefore, no lamp changing
is required for the life of the microscope.

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 38

Dimensions

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 39

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 40

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 41

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 42

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 43

Leica DM 500, DM500 B Manual 44