Leica DMPL, MC170HD User Instructions

Updated 06.09.2019

Nélia Castro

Thin-section microscope – Leica DMPL with Leica
camera MC170HD

User instructions

1. Switch on camera power (and switch OFF when you are finished!). Select “PC” state

on the back of the camera of things do not work (NOT “HDMI” state, which is for the

HDMI connector to a television). First time users, read “To ease calibration” textbox
at the end of this page

2. Optional: Start IrfanView (thumbs) (or ACDSee) (for parallel use, to browse images,

renaming etc.) and go to relevant computer folder (your M:­disk). Normally files are saved at “M:\My Documents\My
Pictures\” or “M:\pc\Pictures\”.

3. Start LAS (Leica Application Suite) (see icon

right)

4. Switch on microscope + light, find relevant thin section and

magnification (carry out specific microscope setting, like
cross-polar, transmitted and/or reflected light). Do necessary
light adjustments.

“Captured format” should be 2592 x 1944 pixls (=5

megapixel image)

5. Important: “Calibrate” must be ticked !
a. Optional: Left-mouse drag a square on a white/grey part

on the thin section (our outside the actual thin section),

and select “White balance”. White balance (colour cast)

will then be kept neutral until someone changes the
lamp power (requires then a new white balance
configuration).

b. Click “Acquire”
c. Select correct magnification for the objective in use

(2,5x, 5x a.s.o.).

6. In “Process” – Scale bar tick “Show” (move scale bar) and

click “Merge”

7. Do required adjustments. Change lightning if necessary (the images should be a bit darker than what you

actually like because then it is quite easy to edit them in e.g. PhotoShop; at least make sure that no white
part is totally burnt out).

End of session: If needed copy your images to your USB stick.
Switch off camera power.

Configuring : When using the software for the first time you might have to

configure some settings. These settings will then be remembered. Use JPG,

highest quality, for your images. Remember to configure the system

(camera, magnification, objectives etc.). Scale bar must be re-calibrated

after a possible re-install. If reinstall is required, then select this

microscope: DM2500P (most similar to the old DMLP). Remember then to

configure scale bars.

NOTE: If you have questions regarding the use of this equipment, please contact

Hans Arne Nakrem.

To ease calibration:
Start File Explorer, go to your user folder on c:
e.g. C:\Users\hanakrem. Click «Organise, Layout, Menu Bar»

Click Tools, Folder options…, View, tick “Show hidden
files…”

Then: Navigate to folder
Copy the file C:\Leica-INI\LAS EZ User Preferences.en.xml
Paste it into:
C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Leica
Microsystems\Leica Application Suite

Then start Leica Application System.