Ultra M Series Slit Lamps
Cable-free slit lamps with Marco's legendary optics
The Ultra M Series covers four slit lamps (the M5, M4, M3 and M2) built on the same idea: put the entire dual LED system into the base so there are no external transformers and no exposed cables, and pair it with Marco's precision-ground multi-coated Ultra optics. The chinrest and headrest were redesigned around larger patients, which is a real problem in most practices and one that slit lamp manufacturers have mostly ignored.
What it does
- Fully integrated, cable-free low-voltage electronic system with no external transformer
- Marco Ultra optics: precision-ground, multi-layered and multi-coated
- Single-element high-luminance LED for uniform illumination
- Built-in background illumination on a separate rheostat for digital imaging
- Redesigned chinrest and headrest to accommodate larger patients
- M5 and M4: Galilean optics, 6-degree converging tubes, 5-step magnification drum
- M3 and M2: available in converging/Greenough or Galilean configurations
- Blue LED correction filter for comfort during extended high-intensity exposure
- Flattened area on the magnification knob to identify positions by feel
Is it right for your practice?
Best fit
Any practice replacing a slit lamp it has had for fifteen years, and specifically practices that are doing or planning to do digital anterior segment imaging.
Why consider it
The slit lamp is the instrument most doctors say they touch more than any other, and the two things that make one good over a long time are optics and the absence of annoyances. Ultra M gets both: Marco's own precision-ground multi-coated optics, and the entire dual LED system moved into the base so there is no external transformer and no exposed cable clutter. Background illumination sits on its own rheostat next to the joystick, which if you are capturing into an EHR is the difference between a usable photograph and a dark one. The chinrest and headrest were redesigned around larger patients.
What to compare
If you are not imaging and do not plan to, you are paying for the integrated background illumination and the 5-step magnification drum without using either - the B2 does everyday anterior segment examination well at a materially lower price, and it takes the same AT-8 and AT-9 tonometers. Within the series, the M5 and M4 are the Galilean five-step models and the M3 and M2 are the simpler configurations, so the question is magnification range and whether you want a vertical light tower or a lower-profile one.
Ask me about
Which configuration suits your lane and your imaging plans, and whether the iON imaging system will mount on the model you are considering.
Specifications
These are the published figures for the Ultra M5. The other models in this family differ; ask me for the specification sheet on the one you are considering.
| Type Binocular Stereomicroscope | Parallel (Galilean) |
|---|---|
| Light Source | LED |
| Light Source Configuration | Tower with Tilt |
| Background Illumination | Yes |
| Light Filters | Blue, Red-free, Blue LED Correction, Yellow |
| Slit Width | 0-14mm continuous variable |
| Aperture Diaphragm Diameter | (Ø) 14, 10, 5, 3, 2, 1, 0.2mm |
| Total # Power Magnifications | 5 (6.3x, 10x, 16x, 25x, 40x) |
| Magnification Change | 5 Position Rotating Drum |
| Eye Pieces | 16x wide-field, high-eyepoint |
| Real Field of View | (Ø) 35.9mm, 23.3mm, 14mm, 8.8mm, 5.5mm |
| Interpupillary Adjustment | 52-82mm |
| Diopter Adjustment Range | (+/-) 7 Diopters |
| Horizontal Coarse Movement | 105mm |
| Horizontal Fine Movement | 15mm |
| Vertical Movement | 30mm |
| Fixation Light Source | Red LED on Flexible Arm |
| Large Patient Chin Rest | Yes |
| Chinrest Elevation | 85mm |
| Power Supply | AC100V-240V (+/-10%) |
| Power Consumption | DC5V 2A |
| Mass (Approximate) | 12.5Kg |
Worth comparing
B2 Slit Lamp
A horizontal-illumination slit lamp built for everyday clinical examination, positioned on value rather than on features.
iON Slit Lamp Imaging System
An intra-optics beam-splitter and camera adapter that turns an existing slit lamp into an imaging station.
Firefly S390L Digital Slit Lamp
A digital slit lamp built around a 5-megapixel wide-dynamic-range camera, with automatic exposure and white balance so there is nothing to set before a capture.
Specifications reviewed: 2026-09-06
Manufacturer source:
Marco: Ultra M Series Slit Lamps.
Configurations and specifications change. Ask me to confirm before ordering.
Talk it through with me
Tell me how your practice handles this now and what you want it to do, and we can work through the options together. You do not need to have settled on a product first.