Stereo microscopes
Humans, with two eyes, are able to see things in three dimensions. Stereo microscopes use this effect to make 3D imaging possible. Stereo microscopes are used for component assembly or precision part testing at factories because they allow visual confirmation of the object's surface irregularities or distances. Stereo microscopes have a long history, with first-generation models dating back to 1924. Due to demand, the models have evolved over the years to allow greater ease of use and better performance.
XA Binocular Stereo MicroscopeXA Binocular Stereo Microscope (1933)
The first stereo microscope from Olympus was the Binocular Stereo Microscope XA, launched in 1933. This microscope used a Greenough Optical Design.
At the time of launch, stereo microscopes were commonly used for microdissection. The Olympus microscope was designed for ease of use, featuring a hand rest on both sides of the stage. There were three objective lenses and the microscope had a maximum total magnification of 48x. Olympus then launched the XB and XC models before the Second World War.
X Binocular Stereo MicroscopeX Binocular Stereo Microscope (1959)
For a period after the War, the Ina plant manufactured the stereo microscopes developed in the prewar period.
The magnification of prewar stereo microscopes was adjusted by changing the combination of objective and eyepiece lenses. The X Binocular Stereo Microscope was designed to allow faster adjustment of magnification through the use of a rotating drum to change lenses inside the barrel. Olympus also used an inclined microscope head design.
SZ Stereo MicroscopeSZ Stereo Microscope (1961)
The innovative SZ Stereo Microscope, the first in Japan to feature a zoom function, was released in 1961. The user could rotate a variable magnification ring while observing the specimen and the image field of vision and magnification would change continuously while remaining in focus. This was the first microscope to be given a Good Design Award (the G Mark).
In the early 1970s, this microscope started to be used at semiconductor plants for testing and assembly. The microscope color coating was subsequently changed to "ripple pearl." In 1989, Olympus launched a new generation of SZ stereo microscopes.
JM Gem MicroscopeJM Gem Microscope (1967)
Economic development in Japan triggered a gem boom, but the market was flooded with fakes. Jewelers needed to distinguish between counterfeits and genuine articles. Under the guidance of Zen Nihon Houseki Kyokai (now the Gemmological Association of All Japan), Olympus developed the JM Gem Microscope. It was launched in 1967.
The microscope used the same head as the SZ Stereo Microscope. The illumination system featured a dark/bright field illumination device as well as a focal illumination device.
The JM was brought into action against fake gems, identifying natural gemstones such as rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds.
SZH High-end Stereo MicroscopeSZH High-end Stereo Microscope (1984)
In the 1960s, some 70–80% of the microscope market was for biological applications (biological research, medical universities, general high schools, physicians, pharmaceutical companies), with industrial applications accounting for less than 30%. In the 1970s, however, the rise of the semiconductor industry triggered significant change in the microscope market.
Stereo microscopes began to be utilized in the manufacturing industry. The use of stereo microscopes in, for instance, wafer and semiconductor inspection as well as semiconductor assembly is now commonplace in the market.
The SZH was the first real high-end stereo microscope from Olympus, launched in 1984. It featured a parallel light path and single objective lens design.
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