OPTICAL INSTRUMENT HAVING A VARIABLE OPTICAL FILTER

摘要

An optical instrument (10) for use in collecting light from an object (44), the optical instrument (10) having a post-objective waist (34) with a variable optical filter (32) positioned approximately at the post-objective waist (34). The optical instrument (10) for collecting light from the object (44), comprising an objective lens (18) positioned to receive light from the object (44), an exit lens (24) positioned to focus the light at a focal position (26), and a variable optical filter (32) positioned between the objective lens (18) and the focal position (26) approximately at a waist (34) of the light. The optical instrument (10) may be an epifluorescence microscope (12) for use in observing an image formed from light from an object (44) under illumination by a light source (14). The variable optical filter (32) may be a circular variable interference filter or a tilting interference filter.