shoot through microscope

[Leigh Goldstein]

I cannot find the Nikon EC-1/EM-1 or EC-2/EM-2 microscope adapters for the Nikon R8 or R10. I plan to try to rig something with a close-up lens and generic microscope adapters.

 

So far the ones I have found require either a T-mount or removable lens on the camera.

 

Does anyone have ideas on how to do this using the filter threads on the zoom lens?

 

I also have a Canon 1014 XL-S.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Marc Alucard]

Hello Leigh,

 

Does your microscope have a dedicated third camera port?

 

Hate to say it the easiest way to get moving pictures through a microscope may be a USB video microscope eyepiece that plugs into your computer.

 

Most of them start well under $100 and let you record to the hard drive and then just burn a DVD.

 

The quality is better than you would think.

 

Also remember the running super 8 camera will transmit vibrations to the microscope causing motion at higher magnification.

 

Try to focus in the center of your slide (depth wise) to give yourself some DOF wiggle room.

 

Cheers,

Marc

[Leigh Goldstein]

No third port.

 

I agree it would be much easier to do as you say, but this project is for showing at a super 8mm festival.

 

The vibration could be a serious problem. I was thinking about securing the camera at a distance from the eyepiece without direct contact. This might allow me to use the native macro mode of the camera with a standard eyepiece. After all, the camera with lens should function like the human eye. Issues of field-of-view or vignetting are acceptable as 'realistic special effects".

[Marc Alucard]

What are you looking at on the slides????

 

The lack of a third port makes it tough. It is also at the center of balance on most scopes.

 

Give it your best shot through the eyepice but the "exit pupil" on the ocular is pretty hard to line up to.

 

Or you can get a USB cam and shoot off the screen. LOL

 

 

Cheers and Good Luck,

Marc

[Leigh Goldstein]

It will be live hydra/daphnia/dididnia/paramecia with a brightfield scope.

 

The bit about the exit pupil makes great sense and helps me figure stuff out.

 

I think I will want to shoot with a small aperture, as close to the exit pupil diameter as possible, in a dark room. I will need a very bright light since the exit pupil is much smaller than the lens diameter. I should be able to get the lens positioned properly with a good tripod to hold it steady. This might also mean a camera with a small diameter lens will work better.

 

I can choose an eyepiece with a large exit pupil. I think that means a low magnification ep; hydras and daphnia may work better.

 

Is my reasoning correct?

[Marc Alucard]

An adjustable magnification ocular may help, but this is all harder in practice than theory.

 

For the little water critters you most likely will be working around 100X. You FOV will be a millimeter or two.

 

Watch using a bright light source unless it is a cold one such as fiber optic. Otherwise you will cook your tiny actors.

 

Set up your camera and see if you can get a sharp image. The diameter of your camera lens shouldn't really make a difference.

 

Most camera adapters contain optics and replace the eyepiece or use the camera port.

 

A USB camera is still your best bet. You get to watch on a monitor as you go moving the micrope stage on the fly as your sample moves.

 

If you can't make it work don't feel bad.

 

Cheers,

Marc