• Rare Forensic Equipment Item.
• Bullet Comparison Microscope.
• Zoom optics give continuous magnification.
• Motorized focusing for ease of operation.
• German Engineered and Manufactured.
• Excellent Quality as expected from a name like Leica.
• Originally sold for over USD$65,000!

Up for sale is an extremely hard to find, and equally highly sought after, motorized Leica DMC forensic comparison microscope. This instrument is primarily used for bullet comparison. The original price for this German engineered and built work of art was around USD $65,000. Today, except for a few nicks in the paint, the instrument looks and operates just like it did when the Leica sales representatives delivered it to a government forensic science lab in Colorado, USA. We have done an extensive internet search and this is the only available unit we have seen. It appears that forensic crime labs are not parting with these very often.

The Leica DMC comparison microscope is an excellent tool in a forensic crime laboratory for examination of fired bullets and other forensic evidence. It allows differences and similarities in the examined specimens to be seen. The most common specimen imaged and compared are bullets and cartridges. The crime lab technician has the ability to view image comparisons in both split-image and superimposed mode.

This microscope has a trinocular photo port with camera fittings. This will allow photographic equipment to be connected to yield digital still and video documentation.

This unit does not come with the optional co-axial lighting system. Leica sold that as an optional accessory. If it were attached, it would allow light to be focused through the objective, greatly enhancing the image definition of the surface features.

Leica has the best reputation for forensic microscopes for bullet comparison. With cheap Chinese made units, you may have a hard time proving the "quality" when it is demanded of you. And certainly, your images you get from the equipment will be significantly lower contrast and lower image definition than the Leica produces. Consequently, the Chinese models may not be sufficient for usage in court cases. They are fine for high school and university level forensic sciences classes in criminology. But when quality matters, and the lawyers and court demand it, Leica is the name you will want standing behind your work.

The zoom objectives give a continuous magnification of between 6.3x and 32x. This is marked on the sides of the objective lenses. They have specific markings at 6.3x, 7x, 8x, 10x, 12.5x, 16x, 20x, 25x, and 32x. The following magnifications have a click-stop at their markings, where the objectives click into place for easy setting the magnification on both sides: 8x, 12.5x, and 20x. The movement of the zoom objectives is very smooth. The overall condition of the objectives is excellent. They are super clean.

The eyepieces are both L Plan 10x/20 M. This gives a 20mm field of view and 10x magnification. They are high eyepoint so someone with eyeglasses can still wear their eyeglasses if desired. Each eyepiece comes with an adjustable diopter. The head has a gull-wing (Siedentopf) binocular for interpupillary distance adjustment.

This equipment has motorized focusing. Pressing the button up will raise the comparison bridge. Pressing it down will lower it. This effectively and precisely focuses the specimen with just a touch of a button.

The main frame, with motorized focusing, is voltage selectable. It can be set for 115V or 230V.

The rear of the frame has electrical connections for 6V-20W illuminators. These are currently not used. In their place is a fiber optic light system, one for each side of the comparison bridge. Leica KL1500 LCD fiber optic units sit on both sides of the main frame. The provide continuous variable intensity illumination. The fiber optic light guides allow the light to be located exactly where it is needed. The tips of the fiber cables have lenses so the light is properly cast on the bullet or cartridge specimen. The fiber optic lights are 110V only. Upon request, we can switch this to another type of fiber optic system that is 220V capable. Or, the original Leica fiber optic illuminators can be used with a transformer (not included).

Each side of the comparison microscope has a bullet holder system. Various sizes of fired bullets and cartridges may be examined. There is an X -Y stage movement knob for precisely locating the specimen in the field of view.

This is a reconditioned microscope and is in excellent working condition.

To give you an idea of the level of quality this unit is capable of, here is a link to a paper written using this exact model. http://fsjournal.cpu.edu.tw/content/vol10.no.1/FSJ2.pdf Forensic Science Journal

Paper written by: Hsei-Chang Lee, M.Sc. Firearms Section, Forensic Science Center, Criminal Investigation Bureau, National Police Administration, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Paper written by: Hsien-Hui Meng, Ph.D. Department of Forensic Science, Central Police University, 56 Shu Jen Road, Taoyuan 33304, Taiwan, R.O.C.

In addition, here are more good articles:

http://www.police.qld.gov.au/Resources/Internet/services/reportsPublications/documents/page_10.pdf

https://www.scienceexchange.com/facilities/chemical-technologies-research-facility-uts/services/ballistics-comparison-microscope

Leica DMC Forensic Bullet Comparison Microscope Operating Manual

Leica DMC Forensic Comparison Microscope Technical Service Manual We have a very hard to find Technical Service Manual. These are normally only given to Leica service technicians and not released to the customer. This is an excellent resource for future servicing of the equipment. It shows detailed exploded drawings and diagrams of the parts that comprise the unit. It also has electrical schematics that would be an invaluable reference for a technician troubleshooting some electrical problem. It also shows all the parts lists with part numbers.