How to Set Up a Phase Contrast Microscope

Phase contrast is a microscopy technique that is helpful in viewing many biological specimens such as bacteria or blood cells. When setting up your phase contrast microscope, you must have phase contrast objective lenses and a phase contrast condenser.

The condenser shown above has five settings on it: 10x, 20x, 40x, 100x and bright field. The two screws that stick out from the condenser are centering screws and will be used when you set up the phase contrast microscope for the first time.  Set the condenser on the bright field setting and focus on a specimen. Adjust the height of the condenser for optimum image quality. Move the condenser turret to the phase setting for whichever lens you are currently using and remove the specimen.

Remove one of the eyepiece lenses and insert the centering telescope in its place. If there is a set screw on the side of your centering telescope this should be used to focus the centering telescope. When looking through the centering telescope you will see two rings. By turning the centering adjustment screws on the condenser, you can align the rings so they are concentric.

Remove the centering telescope and replace the eyepiece lens. Put your specimen back on the stage and you are ready for phase contrast observation! You will want to go through this process when you change objectives.

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