µBrews Episode 5 – Aligning the Light Source
Channel: Sui Generis Brewing
Date: 2020-02-19

It can be a challenge to form an artefact-free, high contrast image which faithfully reproduces the colour of your sample, with a microscope. The most critical step in forming such an image is properly aligning the condenser of your microscope. This video shows how to align an Abbe-style condenser to produce Kholer illumination – an illumination pattern which limits artefacts and enhances the contrast and colour of your sample.

This video demonstrates this procedure and explains the basic physics achieved by Kholer illumination. A much more detailed description of the goal, physics and outcome of Kholer illumination can be found over at Microcourses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRZ9_ov6Fak

This is part of a video series on using microscopy in the home or craft brewery. A full list of published episodes can be found on my µBrews YouTube playlist, or on my blog at www.suigenerisbrewing.com/index.php/microbrews/

Outro music (in all its 8-bit glory): “New Hope” by Patrick de Arteaga: www.patrickdearteaga.com