US Patent 9261690 Microscope system

A phase-contrast microscope system includes: an illumination optical system that illuminates a specimen with an illumination light from a light source; an imaging optical system that forms an image of the specimen from a light from the specimen; a first spatial modulation element that is disposed in a position of a pupil of the imaging optical system and changes an amplitude transmittance distribution of the light from the specimen; an image sensor that detects the image of the specimen by the imaging optical system and outputs a picture signal; a calculation section that calculates the amplitude transmittance distribution of the light from the specimen appropriate for observing the specimen on the basis of the output data detected by the image sensor and the amplitude transmittance distribution of the light from the specimen formed by the first spatial modulation element.