All condensers for these series connect with a common circular dovetail, but not all of them will work on the Labophot, which has a fixed sample stage. Even the Optiphot has trouble with some of these large condensers, which are really designed for the Diaphot series of inverted micrcoscopes. I think all of these could be used on the Diaphot, but I haven't tried them all yet.
The difference, as far as I can tell, between the "Phase Contrast" series and the "Phase Contrast-2" series is the the original had aperture masks which were chrome on glass, meaning that the light has to pass through another thin layer of glass on its way to the sample, but, there are no spider vanes to obstruct / diffract the light. Obviously, in the PC-2 series, they changed course and went with the air aperture with vanes supporting the central disc. It has since come to my attention that there are some PC condensers that have air apertures, rather than the chrome-on-glass variety - perhaps the converse is true as well...
Abbe 1.25
This is the standard condenser which came with Labophot and Optiphot microscopes. Brightfield with an iris to reduce the NA from 1.25.
This high NA condenser can be used with Labophot, Optiphot and Diaphot microscopes. Brightfield with an iris to reduce the NA from 1.35.
Universal 1.40
This is a very high NA condenser which has brightfield, darkfield, phase contrast Ph1 and Ph4, and DIC prisms for 20x, 40x, and 100x in the turret. Iris affects all turret positions. Air aperture with vanes. Aperture centering is accomplished via a special tool that turns a screw. A linear polarizer can be inserted into the circular dovetail slot.
Phase Contrast 1.25
This is a high NA condenser which has brightfield with an aperture, darkfield, and phase contrast Ph1, Ph2, Ph3 and Ph4 in the turret. Chrome on glass apertures. Aperture centering is via external knobs.
Phase Contrast Long Working Distance 0.52
This is a low NA condenser, for the Diaphot only, which has brightfield, brightfield with an iris diaphragm and phase contrast PhL, Ph1 and Ph2 and Ph3 in the turret. Chrome on glass apertures.
Hoffman Modulation Contrast
This is a low NA condenser, for the Diaphot only, which has brightfield and Hoffman Modulation Contrast filters (10x, 20x, and 40x) in the turret. The filters are centered and rotated as desired manually.
Differential Interference Contrast Long Working Distance 0.52
This is a low NA condenser, for the Diaphot only, which has brightfield with an iris, phase contrast Ph1 and Ph2, and DIC prisms for 10x, 20x, and 40x in the turret. The iris affects all turret positions. Air aperture with vanes. A waveplate can be rotated into position for background coloration. Aperture centering is accomplished via a special tool that turns a screw. A linear polarizer can be inserted into the circular dovetail slot.
Achr 0.90 Flip-Top
This is a medium to low NA condenser which has a flip out lens for low NA work. Brightfield with an iris to reduce the NA from 0.90.
Phase Contrast - 2 1.25
This is a high NA condenser which has brightfield with an iris, darkfield, and phase contrast Ph1, Ph2, Ph3 and Ph4 in the turret. Air aperture with vanes. Aperture centering is via external knobs.
Phase Contrast - 2 Extra Long Working Distance 0.30
This is a very low NA condenser, for the Diaphot only, which has phase contrast PhL, Ph1, Ph2 and Ph3 in the turret. Air aperture with vanes. This condenser is unique in that it is two components - the lens attaches with the circular dovetail just below the built-in lens on the condenser stage, but the apertures are a separate unit which attaches via two centering screws for the apertures and a spring-loaded screw to attach it.
for navigation!