Olympus WI-DIC10HR DIC Prism

The Olympus WI-DIC10HR is a high resolution DIC condenser prism designed for use with the 10x water immersion objective and the Olympus WI-UCD universal condenser. In differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy, the condenser prism acts as a beamsplitter that introduces a precise angular shear between two polarized light wavefronts before they pass through the specimen — the objective-side prism then recombines them, converting optical path differences caused by specimen refractive index and thickness gradients into amplitude contrast. Because DIC prisms must be precisely matched to the numerical aperture and optical geometry of the objective they are paired with, the WI-DIC10HR is specifically engineered for the 10x water immersion objective, ensuring optimal shear distance and wavefront matching at this magnification. At 10x, DIC provides high-contrast, wide-field survey imaging of tissue architecture, specimen topology, and large-scale structural features — making it the preferred magnification for initial specimen navigation, region-of-interest identification, and overview documentation before switching to higher magnification objectives. The WI-UCD universal condenser houses multiple DIC prisms in a revolving turret, allowing rapid switching between objective-matched prisms without removing the condenser. Built to Olympus factory specifications, the WI-DIC10HR delivers consistent DIC performance at 10x in water immersion configurations.