The Six Most Popular Microscope Bulbs
Just six bulbs are used in over 175 makes and models of microscopes and lamphouses!

Below is a list of the most commonly used microscope bulbs and the microscopes they’re used in.  Our thanks to Dennis Barker at Bulbworks for helping assemble this information and for allowing us to share it with you. All images are courtesy of Bulbworks.

A few important points to remember as you browse the list:

• The list reflects the most popular sellers, and therefore the most popular (and frequently older) microscopes.  Don’t be dismayed if your microscope isn’t listed; if you have a microscope, we can locate a bulb for it!

• Bulb manufacturers and dealers sometimes assign their own part numbers. No matter what’s it’s called, a bulb from any source will usually do the job if it’s of the proper voltage, wattage and base type.

• The most common names and numbers are given for the bulbs to facilitate their identification.

• Always check the label or the lamphouse of your microscope for bulb recommendations.  Several microscopes were manufactured with different power supplies and bulb requirements.

• Footnotes at the end of the list explain the different base types of these bulbs.

Common Name or Number

Voltage

Wattage

Base Type

Used in

BRL

12

50

Halogen Bipin, G6.35¹

Nikon 66; 88 Dia; 88 Epi; Alphaphot (KT and KT2); Measurescope (MM11, MM22, MM40-2U, TM20, TM1, TM2, UM3, VM40, VM60); NFC50 and NFC60 Fundus Cameras; Optiphot; Optiphot 66 Epi and Dia; Optiphot 88 Epi, Dia and POL; Optistation Wafer Inspection (2, 2A, 3, 3A, Epi); SCB, SCBD6 QH; SMZ Dia and Coaxial illum.; SMZ10 Coaxial Illum.; SMZU Bright Dia and Dark Dia; V10.

Olympus BH2; BH2-M6SH; BH2-MLSH; BH2-ULSH; BX; BX2; BX30; BXFM; IMT2; PME3;
SZH-ILLD Darkfield; ULS20

JC6V-30W

6

30

Halogen Bipin, G4²

Nikon Eclipse 50i; E400; E400 POL; Labophot 2; Labophot 2A; SMZ600 BD, DIA and OCC Bases; SMZ645 BD, DIA and OCC Bases; SMZ660 BD, DIA and OCC Bases; SMZ 800 BD, DIA and OCC Bases; SMZ1000 BD, DIA and OCC Bases; SMZ1500 BD, DIA and OCC Bases; SMZU DIA Base

Olympus BMAX; Original BX2; BX40; BX40F3; BX41; BX45;CH; CH40; CK; CK2; CK30; CK40; IX ILL30; IX2; IX50 (with ILL30 Illumination Pillar); IX51 (with ILL30 Illumination Pillar); ULS30; ULS303

Zeiss Primostar

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BLC

120

30

Incandescent Bayonet, Double Contact³

Fisher Scientific 35M

Olympus CH (Models Taking 120V Bulbs); CH2; CHB; CHT; CHZ; KH-2; KHC;
KK-2

Leica Galen; Bausch & Lomb 31-70-01

15T7N
(Clear Envelope)

120

15

Incandescent
Intermediate
Screw (E17)⁴

Bausch & Lomb Stereozoom 2000; Academic Stereomicroscopes

Leica Stereozoom 2000

American Optical 40 (Older Series); 615 (Older Series)

Cambridge Stereozoom

13528

6

15

Halogen
Reflector
Bipin, GZ4⁵

Bausch & Lomb Stereozoom 2000; Academic Stereomicroscopes

Leica Stereozoom 2000

Southern Precision Microscope 220-85

Olympus SZH Illuminator

VanGuard Microscopes

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EVA

12

100

Halogen Bipin,
GY6.35⁶

Nikon 80i; 90i; E1000; E1000M; E600; E600FN; E600 POL; E800;E800M; Epiphot 100; Epiphot 300; L150; L10A; L200; L200A; L200D; ME600 Series;  Measurescope (MM40, MM60); Microphot FXA and FXL; Optiphot (150, 200, 200C, 300); TE200; TE300; TS100; TS100-F

Olympus A-LSH-3; AHMT; AHS; AHT; B-LSH-3; BH-RFL; BH2l BHS; IX-70; PME-LSM; PMG-3; PMG-LSM; U-LH (BX30/50/60)

Zeiss Axiophot; Axiophot 2; Axioplan; Axioplan 2; Axioskop; Axiotech 100; Axiotech Vario; Axiotron; Axiovert 10/35/405; Axiovert 100/135/135M/TV in Lamp House 100

Base Types:

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¹A G6.35 base has two pins measuring 1 mm in diameter, located 6.35 mm apart.

²A G4 base has two pins measuring 0.7 mm in diameter, located 4 mm apart.

³Bayonet mounts are used when the location and orientation of the filament are critical. They may be
     either double contact (DC) or single contact (SC).

⁴Screw bases folllow the industry-standard “Edison” system, developed by Thomas Edison. Household
     lamps are usually “E27” bases, measuring 27 mm in diameter.  The E17 base, also called an
     intermediate screw base, measures 17 mm in diameter.

⁵A GZ4 base has two pins measuring 1 mm in diameter, located 4 mm apart.

⁶A GY6.35 base has two pins measuring 1.25 mm in diameter, located 6.35 mm apart.