Description:

Released in 1997, the Eclipse E400 was Nikon’s first mid-range upright to carry the CFI60 finite optical system into routine life-science labs. The stand’s cast-alloy Y-shaped frame lowers the center of gravity yet leaves ample room for the 8 × 6 in low-drive mechanical stage, whose 3 × 2 in travel handles hemocytometers through full 1 × 3 in slides. A reversed quintuple nosepiece keeps objectives to the rear for easier loading, and the plan achromats (4 × 0.10, 10 × 0.25, 40 × 0.65, 100 × 1.25 oil) deliver a 60 mm parfocal length so condensers can sit lower—useful when swapping tall flasks. Bright-field illumination comes from a 6 V 30 W halogen lamp that rides in a dovetail cassette for lamp-free bulb changes; a field lens and an NA 1.25 Abbe condenser complete full Köhler alignment. Coaxial coarse/fine focus offers 0.002 mm graduations over a 30 mm range, and binocular tubes tilt a comfortable 30 °. Because diopter, interpupillary (47–75 mm) and tension adjustments are external, no tools are required between users, boosting classroom throughput.

Economic Advantage:

Unlike rival infinity systems that forced labs to rebuy objectives, the E400 kept Nikon’s legacy 160-mm tube length, letting budget-conscious users keep existing glass and phase turrets. Its compact, vibration-damping frame shortened camera couplers, giving publication-ready photomicrographs without costly antivibration tables. Those savings, plus bulbs that cost a tenth of mercury burners, translated to one of the lowest lifetime dollars-per-hour of any late-1990 s research frame.