Rheinberg Filters
Here are some examples of what you can do using Rheinberg filters
- Vorticella in darkfield illumination
- Hydra using Rheinberg illumination
- Hydra in Rheinberg illumination
- Diatoms using yellow annulus and orange center stop filters
- Salt crystals using different rheinberg filter combinations
- Tardigrade seen using a compound microscope. Rheinberg Illumination used
What is a Rheinberg filter?
Take a look at this full set of Rheinberg filters
and solid color filters:
The solid color filters will make EVERYTHING the same color. Background and specimen.
Rheinberg filters are different
There are two basic components: The center stop and the annulus ring.
The center stop is an almost opaque dot in the middle of the filter which allows just enough light through to illuminate the background. The annulus ring is a translucent circle at the edge of the filter which colors the specimen.
So a green dot in the middle gives a green background only, BUT the yellow circle on the outside gives you a yellow specimen.
By using various combinations of center stops and annulus rings, now you can see how it works. You would stack an annulus ring on top of a center stop filter for your Rheinberg filter combination. In the picture of a diatom below, I used a purple center stop and yellow annulus combination.
This website depends upon affiliate programs such as Amazon, Adorama, Blick Art Materials, and others. I appreciate your using these links to support this website. More information is in our Privacy Policy.
Below are the essential supplies to make Rheinberg filters. Click on the pictures for descriptions, details, and the latest pricing.
Colored tape is the best material for making center stops. Punch out your dots and stick them to clear disks. Click on the picture above to see pricing and more colored tape options
The above starter pack will provide pleny of annulus rings. Click on the picture above to see pricing and more colored gel options
A good way to make annulus rings is by getting studio lighting gels in various colors. Since these are expensive, it is more economical to buy a swatch pack of sample colors.
This is a sample swatch pack of many colored filters. You can laminate these and then punch out your annulus rings, even make multicolored rings as show in the steps below. Click on the swatch pack picture to get pricing.These Osborne centering punches do a nice job of making the holes in annulus rings. Click on the picture above to see pricing and description.
You can also use a compass cutter to make the clear disks and the annulus rings.
Click on the above picture to see pricing and other compass cutters
Above is another type of compass cutter you can use to cut out disks. Click on the image for pricing.
You will need to make a series of clear disks to which you attach the center stops. The least expensive material to use is a report cover. Here you see I’m attaching a black center stop to an already cut out clear disk.
Click on the above image to browse report covers for making clear disks
This cement is particularly good for bonding to clear plastic disks. It’s mainly used for archery, attaching feathers to arrows, thus for making Rheinberg filters, it’s good too so your center stops will not peel off very easily. Click on the image to see pricing.
Step 1
Out of the laminating machine comes a sheet of swatch pack filter combinations
Gel samples from swatch pack – Laminated togetherStep 2
These can be cut into circles, then multicolored annulus rings.
Step 3
Try using the swatch pack gel samples and cut out squares from the full sized lighting gels in unusual combinations
You can even make multi-annulus colored rings when you use a laminatorHere is a good quality laminator like the one I use
Click on the laminator above to see pricing and other models.
Actual techniques using all these items and materials can be found in my book here.
And that’s it. Only a dozen or so items are all you need to get started making Rheinberg filters, and a bit of searching will show that all of these things can be found to fit within most budgets. Remember – my affiliate links support this website, and I thank you in advance.
Your Microscope Hobby
Feeling up to the challenge of making your own Microscope filters?
My book won’t simply tell you how Rheinberg works, and merely give you a
couple of hints about making these very special filters. This is the ultimate reference book for making Rheinberg Filters.
Look at these salt crystals.I’ll show you how to make bi-colored annulus rings.And you’ll be able to make four colored annulus rings, or overlay bi-colored ones to get these combinations.
I’m offering to you all of my secrets-
my suppliers of materials, the tools I use, time saving techniques, ways to market your filters, and more.
This is a handbook and a start -up business manual as well.
My book not only teaches you how to make filters, but how to set
up an E-Business, and I show you how to build a website, and run a profitable home based business.
This is how it was possible for me over ten years to make filters for universities around the world, for the Mayo Clinic, for professors, industrial scientists, hospital researchers, doctors and veterinarians on every continent, and for amateurs of course as well. I have made thousands of dollars by supplying these unique filters.
My book is loaded with dozens of color photographs
and diagrams explaining every point, every nuance of this art.
Did you know that there is a kitchen utensil that is perfect for making Rheinberg center stops? Certain school supplies available in an office supply store can easily be used to make Rheinberg filters.
Did you know that one of the best materials for making high quality Darkfield filters is probably in your basement or garage right now? Check your toolbox for this common item.
You will be able to see all my resources, references, and suppliers on the internet. I name them all, and tell you where to buy or scavenge the good stuff. A caliper is important in this process, so I show you an expensive electronic one and also the one you can buy for a dollar.
Included is a Bonus Section where I show you how to build a beautiful wooden filter case. I built and sold two of these cases for over $100.00 each. Step by step instructions and photos show you how.
You also get instructions loaded with pictures on how to make a microscope camera adapter from PVC plumbing parts.
And yes, of course, I’m also including bonus material on making Oblique Illumination filters (DIY/DIC). These filters give your specimens a 3D effect that normally could only be achieved with a very expensive Differential Interference Contrast microscope.
Here is another example of Diatoms using an oblique illumination filter. I used a red centerstop Rheinberg filter and a DIY-DIC filter. These filters are experimental, and allow only a tiny part of the light beam to hit your specimen at an angle. the result is a 3D effect.Above is a typical set of experimental DIY/DIC filters I show you how to make these filters and how they work.
I’ll also show you how to make plant press, for preserving leaves and flowers, and there is even a quick guide to building an objective lens holder.
And I’m going to tell you how to sell your photographs on-line, and in fact, how to sell anything on the internet. And while I’m on the subject of micro-photography (called photomicrography by the pros), I reveal the three professional secrets of good landscape photography. It’s all in the Bonus Section of my book.
Why did I write this book?
Frankly, I’m getting on in years, and I don’t have the kind of time I used to have for making and selling filters. I’m kind of hoping someone else out there might be as dedicated and skilled as I have tried to be, and maybe this book will inspire someone to take over making Rheinberg Fitlers for the world.
Remember – NO ONE CAN BUY RHEINBERG FILTERS COMMERCIALLY. They must be made to order for each type of microscope-condenser-objective combination.
But maybe you are just curious. You may not want to sell filters. Maybe you just want to make a set for you own microscope. Then this book is perfect for you.
Imagine yourself showing up at your microscope group or club and sharing your knowledge, even giving some filters to your friends as gifts.
I made this book is affordable for most people compared to the price of a set of my custom made filters. And compared to a college textbook on the subject, this book would be a tenth the price.
I recommend that your first buy the full color Kindle version, and if you like it – then get the paperback (which is in black and white due to printing costs) and keep it on your desk or workshop table as a reference manual.
There’s a saying. No one ever really pays the price of a book, only the price of printing it.
Your Microscope Hobby is all about making Rheinberg filters which allow you to add brilliant contrasting colors to your microscope viewing and photography in a very inexpensive way. Also covered topics include polarization and oblique filter making, as well as other microscope projects.
Create Your Own Website With Webador