Olympus UPLANSAPO 60X Water Immersion Microscope Objective (NA 1.20, Infinity)

The Olympus UPLANSAPO 60x Water Immersion Objective (N6432600) is a premium biological objective designed for ultra-high resolution imaging of living cells and tissues. This objective represents the pinnacle of water immersion objective design, combining exceptional 1.20 numerical aperture with Plan Apochromat optical quality for the most demanding biological imaging applications.

The 60× magnification and 1.20 numerical aperture provide exceptional resolution and light-gathering capability that approaches the theoretical limits of optical microscopy. The 1.20 NA is among the highest available for water immersion objectives, enabling visualization of subcellular structures, organelles, and molecular complexes with extraordinary detail. The high NA is critical for confocal microscopy, super-resolution techniques (STED, SIM), and single-molecule imaging where light collection efficiency and resolution are paramount.

The correction collar (0.13–0.21mm) is a precision adjustment mechanism that compensates for variations in coverslip thickness. Standard coverslips are nominally 0.17mm thick, but actual thickness can vary. Even small deviations introduce spherical aberration that degrades image quality, particularly at high NA. The correction collar enables the user to optimize optical performance for the actual coverslip thickness, ensuring maximum resolution and contrast.

The Plan Apochromat (UPLANSAPO) optical design represents the highest level of optical correction available. Apochromat correction provides superior chromatic aberration correction across a broad wavelength range from UV to near-infrared, enabling multi-color fluorescence imaging with minimal chromatic shift between channels. Plan correction ensures flat-field performance across the entire field of view, critical for quantitative imaging and analysis.

The 0.28mm working distance is short but typical for ultra-high NA objectives. This working distance is optimized for imaging cells on coverslips or in thin chambers, where maximum resolution is more important than working clearance.

Water immersion objectives offer significant advantages over oil immersion for live-cell imaging and long-term time-lapse experiments. Water is non-toxic to cells, evaporates cleanly, and maintains physiological conditions. The refractive index of water (n=1.33) closely matches aqueous biological specimens, minimizing spherical aberration.

The infinity-corrected optical design with RMS thread mount is compatible with Olympus BX, CX, and IX series microscopes.